JERSEY CITY, NJ – For the second consecutive game, the Saint Peter's men's basketball team stormed back from being down by double figures in the second half, forcing an overtime. Unfortunately, unlike the season opener, the Peacocks could not pull the win out in the extra period, falling to Delaware 78-75 in the Saturday night contest.
Post-Game Press Conference
Game Notes
- The game's first 12 minutes displayed back and forth action as both teams combined to produce nine lead changes and six ties, putting the squads in a deadlock at 21-21.
- Delaware would score the game's next 13 points, taking and extending its lead over the Peacocks to 34-21 with a little under five minutes to play in the half.
- Following back to back threes from Dallas Watson and Samuel Idowu, and a pair of free throws by Davauhnte Turner, the Peacocks pulled to within seven points late in the half.
- By the break, Delaware held onto a 39-29 lead over the home squad.
- The Blue Hens maintained the double-digit lead through the early stages of the second half, only allowing the Peacocks to cut the deficit to single digits once at the 16:45 mark.
- With 9:33 remaining in the game, Delaware took its largest lead of the night over Saint Peter's, gaining a 16-point advantage with the score at 57-41.
- Over the next 3:58, the Peacocks would put together a commanding 11-0 run sparked by their defense.
- The run began with a three ball from Turner followed by a layup from KC Ndefo.
- On the ensuing possession, Turner forced a steal and converted on the fast break layup, to make it a single digit game.
- On the very next possession, the Peacocks' defense forced a shot clock violation giving the unit more momentum.
- After two made free throws by Dixon and a layup by Idowu, the Peacocks only trailed the Blue Hens by five (57-52).
- Coming out of the final media timeout of the night, Turner drained a trifecta and on the inbounds, Dixon stole the ball and fed to Turner for the transition layup to make it a one point game with 2:13 to go.
- Delaware would maintain the lead but Saint Peter's never let the deficit get any higher than three points in the final minutes.
- Down by one, with 18 seconds to play, the Peacocks smothering defense again forced Delaware into a turnover, giving Saint Peter's a chance to win the game with one final possession.
- On the last possession, Turner took the Delaware defender straight to the rim, getting fouled on his layup attempt.
- At the charity stripe, Turner missed the front end but put home the back end to tie the game at 66 and send the game into overtime.
- In the extra period, Delaware would take a five-point lead midway through the period.
- With 11 seconds on the clock, Turner scored on a quick layup to cut the Delaware lead to 77-75.
- The Peacocks would foul and get one last chance after Delaware's Kevin Anderson hit one of two from the line.
- Before Saint Peter's could put up a three, Delaware wisely fouled Ndefo where he missed the first and intentionally missed the second hoping to get an offensive tip out and three at the buzzer but the Peacocks never got a shot up as time expired, falling 78-75.
Inside the Numbers
- Turner stuffed the stat sheet, leading the Peacocks with 23 points, seven rebounds, and four steals, while also handing out two assists and blocking one shot.
- Idowu scored 15 points for the second straight game.
- Cameron Jones totaled 13 points, hitting a team-best three field goals from behind the arc and Ndefo added 11 points off of the bench.
- Reserve guard Watson led the team with five assists and added five points.
- Anderson led the Blue Hens with 25 points on the night and Delaware's leading scorer Eric Carter added 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two blocks in the win.
- The Peacocks' defense forced 23 turnovers in the game, converting them into 31 points.
- Saint Peter's also won the battle in the paint, outscoring Delaware 34-26 and on second chance points (14-9).
Up Next
- Saint Peter's men's basketball will hit the road over the next four games for its toughest tests of the season, beginning next Wednesday, November 14 at Bryant.
- The squad will then head to NC State on November 20, North Texas on November 24, and Auburn on November 28 to complete the four-game road stanza.
