JERSEY CITY, NJ – In a one-sided affair, Saint Peter's handled Niagara 78-60, for the team's second straight win and season sweep over the Purple Eagles in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play. The win improved the Peacocks' conference record to 5-11 and propelled Saint Peter's two spots in the MAAC standings.
Davauhnte Turner scored a game-high 28 points.
Game Notes
- In the opening minutes, Saint Peter's (8-20, 5-11) blitzed Niagara (12-17, 5-11), jumping out to a 12-4 lead a little under five minutes into the contest.
- Niagara soon cut the score to four points, but Turner answered by going on a 9-3 run himself, pushing the Peacock lead to 29-17 just before the under eight-minute media break.
- The Purple Eagles got within single-digits again, but KC Ndefo stopped Niagara's run when he swatted a 3-point attempt, recovered the loose ball, and slammed in a fast break dunk on a Niagara defender.
- By intermission, Saint Peter's led Niagara 37-31.
- The Peacocks allowed Niagara to get within a single point twice early on in the second half, but never relinquished the lead.
- Winning 46-45 at the under 12-minute media timeout, the Peacocks came out of the break on fire, posting a 10-0 rally with Samuel Idowu and Turner both making a layup and a triple each for all 10 points.
- The run would extend to 14-2 and 17-4 following another trifecta by Turner, putting the Peacocks ahead 63-49.
- Saint Peter's would contain Niagara, only letting the game get as close as 10 points over the game's final four minutes.
- Seven combined free throws by Dallas Watson, Ndefo, and Derrick Woods, and two late game layups by Woods with just around one minute left closed out the Peacocks' largest margin of victory this season.
Inside the Numbers
- Turner connected on a career-high six 3-pointers, going 6 of 12 from behind the arc and added two rebounds, two assists, and two steals to his stat line.
- Turner's 28 points were the second highest single game mark of the season for him, just shy of the 31 points that he scored also against Niagara in the first meeting between the two teams.
- His 59 combined points on Niagara this season are the most against any opponent this year.
- Ndefo recorded his second career double-double, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
- Idowu scored 15 points and was one rebound shy of his fifth career double-double with nine rebounds.
- Dallas Watson added nine points and a team-best four assists, while recording no turnovers on his 20th birthday.
- The Peacocks led for 38:50 minutes in the game, only trailing Niagara for all of 30 seconds, which occurred in the game's opening minute of action.
- The seven turnovers by Saint Peter's matched the team's season-low, which was also done against Siena in a 65-60 victory in the MAAC opener.
- The Peacocks dominated every facet of the game, winning the battle in rebounding (39-31), points in the paint battle (42-22), points off of turnovers (13-6), second chance points (14-6), and fast break points (6-2).
- The MAAC's best blocking unit rejected eight shots in the win, blocking eight or more shots in a game for the sixth time this season.
- The back to back wins were the first for the Peacocks in league play and just the second pair of consecutive wins for the team this season.
- Niagara had three players score in double-figures as well, led by Dominic Robb's 17 points.
Up Next
- Saint Peter's will conclude the regular season at home next week with two weekend contests.
- The Peacocks host Quinnipiac on Friday, March 1 and then close out the season with Fairfield on Sunday, March 3.
