Men's Basketball Set to Play in Regular Season Home Opener Against LIU

The Particulars
Saint Peter's (0-2, 0-0 MAAC) vs. LIU (0-3, 0-0 NEC)
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 23 (7:00 PM)
Location: Run Baby Run Arena
Network: ESPN3

Tip-Off

• After the lone scheduled game of last week was canceled, the Saint Peter's men's basketball team returns to the court for the first time in 10 days as they take on Long Island University in the first home regular season game of 2021.
• The Peacocks come into the matchup after falling 91-70 on the road at St. John's last Saturday while the Sharks fell to the University of Connecticut 93-40 in Storrs, Conn., last Wednesday.

Spectator Policy

• All guests ages 12 and older must provide proof of a completed series of World Health Organization (WHO)-approved COVID-19 vaccination.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Full vaccination is achieved two weeks following a person's second dose of a two-dose vaccine series such as Pfizer and Moderna, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine such as Johnson & Johnson.
• Masks are required at all events inside the Yanitelli Center regardless of vaccination status.
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination may be demonstrated by displaying a photo or hard copy of a CDC vaccination card, NJ DOCKET app, New York State Excelsior App, or an official vaccination record. We ask that you have such proof readily available prior to arriving at the venue.
• Anyone 18 years or older must also present an appropriate ID with proof of vaccination, which must contain the name of the individual, and a photo of the individual or the individual's date of birth. Examples of acceptable forms of identification include but are not limited to: a driver's license, non-driver government ID card, passport and/or school or work-issued ID card. 

Looking back at St. John's

• Freshmen Jaylen Murray and Clarence Rupert both scored in double figures but the Peacocks could not overcome 10 Red Storm first half 3-pointers, falling 91-70.
• SJU came out of the gates hot, starting the game by jumping ahead 27-9 with 18 of their first 27 points coming on 3-pointers.
• SPU showed fight, however, as the Johnnies held just a 57-56 edge over the final 27 minutes of game action. 
• Playing in just their second collegiate contests, both Murray and Rupert were strong off the bench as they each produced 11 points. Murray did most of his damage from downtown, going 3 for 3 from 3-point range while Rupert was extremely efficient, going 4 for 5 from the floor in the contest.

The Series

• All-Time: Saint Peter's Leads 23-15
• Streak: Saint Peter's (1)
• Last Saint Peter's win: 12/22/2019 (69-58 @ LIU)
• Last  LIU win: 12/8/2018 (74-58 @ SPU)

Scouting the Sharks

• The Sharks have dropped each of their first three games of the season thus far, falling to the University of San Francisco in the opener, Fresno State University in game two and, most recently, against UCONN in the third game of the year.
• LIU is led offensively by graduate student Ty Flowers and redshirt senior Eral Penn who both average 13.0 points per game on the young season. Flowers is a three-time All-NEC selection and has averaged at least 14 points per game in each of his first three seasons with the Sharks.
• Graduate Student Isaac Kante is also a strong option at the rim, averaging 10.3 points and a team-high 6.0 rebounds per contest on the year.
• LIU was picked to finish fourth in the NEC Preseason Poll by the coaches prior to the start of the 2021-22 season. 

Five Things to Know

• Saint Peter's, which recorded its second consecutive trip to the semifinal round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship – and fourth in its last five years – is entering Year 4 of head coach Shaheen Holloway's tenure. It does so with lofty expectations after being picked to finish second in the 2021-22 MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll and buoyed by the entirety of its starting lineup from last year's 14-win team that finished third in the conference standings.
• Headlining the group of returners is rising senior forward KC Ndefo, who claimed the honor of 2021-22 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, as well as a spot on the preseason all-league first team. Ndefo's junior campaign was nothing short of remarkable after he bulldozed his way into the record books after leading the nation in blocked shots and finishing eighth in the MAAC in steals. He led the Peacocks and posted career-highs with 342 points (13.7 ppg), 162 rebounds (6.5 rpg), 91 blocks (3.6 bpg) and 38 assists (1.5 asg) and became the program's all-time single-season and career blocks leader.
• Junior guard Daryl Banks III – who was named to the Preseason All-MAAC Second Team – was the lone Peacock to start in all 25 games and average more than 30 minutes (30.6) last year while finishing second in scoring average (11.0 ppg), assists (2.3 apg) and steals (1.2 spg). Other key returners include junior forwards and twin brothers Fousseyni Drame and Hassan Drame, both of whom ranked among the top-15 in the conference in rebounding a season ago, and classmate Doug Edert who has been one of the league's elite 3-point shooters over his first two seasons in Jersey City.
• SPU got fantastic production from a pair of freshmen off the bench Saturday against St. John's as both Jaylen Murray and Clarence Rupert scored in double figures with 11 points apiece. Both players average over 5.5 points per game despite appearing in less than 14 minutes per contest this season.
• The Peacocks will be looking to avoid a repeat start of the 2019-20 season when they dropped each of their first three matchups, capped off by an 81-77 overtime loss at home against Wagner.

• To show gratitude towards the fans, SPU athletics is offering discounted tickets for the game against LIU.
• General admission, senior and young alumni tickets will be $10 while youth & non-SPU students tickets will be $5.
• All non-season tickets must be purchased prior on site at the Yanitelli Center.

Up Next

The Peacocks will travel to Providence, R.I. Saturday, Nov. 27 to take on Providence College at 12:00 p.m. looking for their first road win of the season.

-- 

For continuing coverage of Saint Peter's University Athletics, visit SaintPetersPeacocks.com and follow the Peacocks on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.