Box Score ALBANY, N.Y. – Siena defeated Saint Peter's 69-52 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) men's basketball action on Friday night on ESPNU.
Quadir Welton (Philadelphia, Pa./Math, Civics and Science Charter) led the Peacocks (8-13, 6-6 MAAC) with 17 points and eight rebounds while Antwon Portley (Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster) added 10 points and eight rebounds in the loss.
Nico Clareth paced the Saints (16-8, 9-4 MAAC) with 16 points while Javion Ogunyemi registered 14 points and Ryan Oliver chipped in 11 points in the winning effort.
Saint Peter's nearly rallied from a double-figure deficit before Siena closed the game on a huge run to earn the victory and split the season series with each team winning on its home floor.
After the Peacocks started the second half on a 17-8 run including a 10-2 spurt to trim the margin to 43-40 with 13:05 left, the Saints used a 22-4 run to pull away en route to the 69-52 victory.
Lavon Long converted a traditional 3-point play with 12:48 left in the game to halt the Saint Peter's spurt and start the decisive run for Siena. Ogunyemi powered the run with seven points.
The 7:30 of the game were closely contested with five lead changes. After Chazz Patterson (Brown Mills, N.J./Trenton Catholic) tied the game at 11 with 13:31 left, Siena went on a 19-8 run to take a 30-19 lead with 4:07 left in the half. Kenny Wormley gave the Saints the lead for good on a 3-pointer at 13:18 and fueled the run with five points to help the Albany team go into the locker room with a 34-23 lead.
In the second half with Siena holding a 41-30 lead, the Peacocks went on a 10-2 spurt to trim the margin to one possession.
Cameron Jones (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) started the run with a trey at 15:41 before Portley drained a 3-ball at 15:01. After Long scored in the lane at 14:38, Elias Desport (Stockholm, Sweden/Solna Gymnasium) answered with a layup of his own with 13:50 remaining and Jones scored off the glass at 13:05 to cut the margin to 43-40. Long halted the run with a traditional 3-point play to start a 22-4 run to pull away for the win.
Jones finished the game with eight points while Elisha Boone (Laurelton, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) followed up his career-high 15-point performance against Iona on Monday with six points and seven rebounds on Friday.
Despite falling to 6-6 in the league, the Peacocks remain in the mix for a Top-5 seed and a bye in the opening round of the MAAC Tournament in March. The Jersey City team currently holds a half-game lead on Fairfield (6-7) for the fifth spot.
Saint Peter's returns to action on Monday when the Peacocks start a four-game homestand against Quinnipiac. Match time is 7 p.m. Saint Peter's will have six of the last eight games at the Yanitelli Center.
