Box Score FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Trevis Wyche (Neptune, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) continued his second half success with 20 points to help Saint Peter's rally past Fairfield 77-71 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) men's basketball action on Tuesday.
Wyche finished the game 6-for-9 from the field and 8 of 9 from the free throw line to notch his second-straight 20-point game and third in his last eight games. After scoring two points in the first half against Marist in a 76-67 win on Sunday, the junior has combined to score 38 points in the second half of his last two tilts. He has also connected on 16 of his last 19 attempts from the free throw line in the two games. Wyche added four assists and one steal on Tuesday.
Freshman Antwon Portley (Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster) registered 21 of his 23 points in the first half to notch his fifth 20-point performance of the season for the Peacocks (8-8, 6-1 MAAC) while Quadir Welton (Philadelphia, Pa./Math, Civics and Science Charter) tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth career double-double in the winning effort.
Jonathan Kasibabu paced the Stags (9-9, 3-5 MAAC) with 16 points. Marcus Gilbert added 13 points and Curtis Cobb chipped in 11 points in the loss.
Saint Peter's took the advantage in the first half and then went into halftime trailing before rallying in the second stanza to come away with the victory. The Jersey City team continues its best start since the 1995-96 season with a 6-1 mark in the league and even the team's overall record at 8-8. It is the fourth time in team history the squad has started the circuit 6-1.
With Fairfield holding a 45-43 lead with 12:08 remaining, Saint Peter's went on a 16-5 run to take a 59-50 lead with 6:17 left. Wyche started the run with consecutive baskets at 11:49 and 11:01 to give the Peacocks the lead for good. Rodney Hawkins (Baltimore, Md./Lake Clifton) then scored in the paint at 10:38 before Gilbert drained a trey to trim the margin to 49-48 with 10:22 remaining.
Samuel Idowu (Brooklyn, N.Y./Lafayette Educational Complex) answered with a layup at 9:10 and Wyche made two free throws at 8:31. After Gilbert made two free throws at 8:16, Wyche hit a jump shot at 8:02 and Welton scored four-straight points to cap the run and give Saint Peter's the nine-point lead.
Fairfield cut the margin to 63-59 with 3:19 on the clock, but Wyche converted a traditional 3-point play and Portley hit a jumper and the Stags could get no closer the rest of the way.
The Jersey City team started the first 10 minutes of the game strong only to see Fairfield come back to take the lead at the break.
With the score tied at 13 in the first half, Saint Peter's went on a 10-0 run to take a 23-13 lead midway through the first half. Portley started the run with a trey at 12:55 before Patterson nailed a triple of his own at 11:35. The Peacocks then finished the spurt with baskets inside by Hawkins at 10:56 and a Welton layup at 9:59.
The Stags then closed the half on a 23-10 run to go into the locker room with a 36-33 advantage. The Fairfield comeback started with a 13-2 spurt to tie the game at 25 with 5:27 left after two Kasibabu charity tosses.
The two teams then traded the lead several times before Kasibabu made two free throws with 48 seconds left and Gilbert made two free throws with 12 seconds left to give Fairfield the one-point lead at the break.
After giving up the lead in the final minute of the first half, Saint Peter's opened the final frame on a 10-2 run to take a 43-30 lead with 15:32 left powered by four points by Wyche. The Peacocks then used a 16-5 run to take control of the game to earn its sixth win against Fairfield in the last seven meetings.
Hawkins finished the game with eight points and seven rebounds.
The Stags usually play its games at Webster Bank Arena, but played Tuesday's contest on campus at Alumni Hall.
Saint Peter's returns to action on Friday at Iona. Game time is 7 p.m.
The Peacocks will then return home to face Manhattan at the Yanitelli Center on Sunday for its first ESPN3 home game of the season. Tip-off is 3 p.m. Saint Peter's will be handing out newly-designed "Strut Your Pride" t-shirts at the game and will be looking to "Whiteout The Jaspers."
