Box Score JERSEY CITY, N.J. – For the second-straight year, Saint Peter's had the chance to defeat the No. 1 team in the league at the Yanitelli Center. For the second-straight game, the Peacocks had a chance to win the game at the regulation buzzer. In the end, Monmouth defeated Saint Peter's 82-75 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men's basketball action on Sunday.
After defeating Iona 68-60 in the regular season finale last season in Jersey City, the Peacocks (12-15, 10-8 MAAC) looked poised to knock off the top team this year and had a shot at the end of regulation that nearly toppled the Hawks (23-6, 15-3 MAAC). After Quadir Welton's (Philadelphia, Pa./Math, Civics and Science Charter) shot was ruled to have left his hands after the game clock expired against Quinnipiac on Wednesday, freshman Antwon Portley (Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster) would have had a buzzer beater, but his 3-point shot went two thirds of the way down and then popped out in the waning seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime where Monmouth closed the final two minutes and 35 seconds of the extra session on a 14-6 run to come away with the victory.
Portley finished the game with 27 points while Trevis Wyche (Neptune, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) posted 24 points and Chazz Patterson (Brown Mills, N.J./Trenton Catholic) chipped in 10 points in the loss.
With the loss, Saint Peter's (10-8) moved to a full game behind Fairfield (11-7) in fifth place in the standings while Manhattan (9-8) moves to a half a game behind the Peacocks with its 63-59 win against Quinnipiac on Sunday. The two teams will clash in Riverdale on Tuesday six days after the Jersey City team came away with a 70-69 win at the Yanitelli Center.
Micah Seaborn paced Monmouth with 26 points, but it was Justin Robinson and his 22 points that provided the difference for the Hawks after the junior scored 17 points in the final seven minutes and 58 seconds of the contest.
Saint Peter's gave Monmouth its best shot, but the Hawks were able to escape with the victory to complete the season sweep for the first time since joining the MAAC in 2012-13.
After Robinson gave the Hawks a 59-57 lead on a jumper at 2:58, Wyche drained a trey at 2:28 to give the Peacocks a one-point edge. Patterson then hit a jumper with 90 seconds left to extend the lead to 62-59. Monmouth missed a jumper on its ensuing possession, but then stole the ball on the Saint Peter's inbounds play and Robinson drained a triple with 1:05 on the clock to tie the game at 62. Portley and Robinson then traded two charity tosses to keep the game tied with less than 29 seconds left.
The Peacocks held for the last shot and visions of Desi Washington's buzzer beaters from 2013-14 came to mind especially with his parents in attendance. Portley had a great look at a 3-ball from the far side and his shot touched twine, but after going about two thirds of the way down popped back out and the game went into overtime.
In the extra session, the Hawks took a 68-64 lead after free throws by Je'lon Hornbeck and Robinson one minute into overtime. Patterson then hit a trey at 3:31 and Welton scored in the paint at 2:35 to hand the Jersey City team a 69-68 edge.
Robinson then made six-straight free throws at 2:25, 1:30 and with 58 seconds left before Josh James made it a 76-69 advantage on two at the line with 38 seconds remaining. Cameron Jones (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) knocked down a triple with 29 seconds left, but Seaborn and Robinson each hit a pair at the line to seal the win.
Monmouth jumped out to a 15-6 lead in the game courtesy of six points from Seaborn. Thanks to five points from Portley, the Peacocks came back to tie it at 15.
Trailing 23-22, Portley hit a trey and Patterson scored in the lane to give Saint Peter's 27-23 lead with 3:38 left in the half. The Hawks scored five of the final six points to send the game to locker room tied at 28.
The Peacocks took a 37-31 advantage in the first three minutes and 30 seconds of the second half thanks to a 9-3 run fueled by five points from Wyche and four from Portley. Saint Peter's would maintain the edge until Seaborn tied the game at 45 on a free throw with 8:52 left. The Jersey City team would take the lead four more times the rest of regulation and the West Long Branch team would have the lead three times before Monmouth would win the game in overtime.
Elisha Boone (Laurelton, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) had nine rebounds in the game. The Peacocks loss ended a four-game winning streak at the Yanitelli Center.
Both of the Saint Peter's and Monmouth coaching staffs and adminstrtors participated in Coaches Powering Forward for Autism benefitting Autism Speaks. The Peacocks staff and over 200 other schools across the country wore puzzle piece lapel pins over the weekend of Feb. 19-21 to raise awareness for Autism. Autism spectrum disorder and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development that impacts a person's ability to communicate and socialize. Currently one in every 68 children and one in 42 boys is diagnosed on the spectrum. Individuals with autism often have repetitive behaviors and debilitating medical issues. For millions of people worldwide, autism is a household word – a word surrounded by a lifetime of unanswered questions, challenges and personal costs to the families and individuals affected.
Saint Peter's returns to action at Manhattan on Tuesday night. Game time is 8 p.m. and will be broadcasted on ESPN3.
