BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Saint Peter's University women's basketball team defeated the Canisius Golden Griffins by a score of 65-55 Sunday afternoon in the Koessler Athletic Center. Graduate guard Kendrea Williams reached 2,000 career points after making her basket with 3:47 left in the second quarter. She dropped a season high 27 points. This was the first time since 2002 that Saint Peter's swept the Buffalo road trip, which was also the same season the Peacocks last won the MAAC Championship.
Williams got her season's best game going early, recording her first basket less than 35 seconds into the game. That was the team's only lead in the quarter, as Canisius got off to a fast start. Williams made her only three of the game with 5:37 left in the quarter, already giving her seven points in the contest. Sophomore forward Victoria Ikenasio also had a solid quarter, recording her second basket of the game with less than two minutes remaining in the first. Canisius led 18-13 after one.
The second quarter belonged to Kendrea Williams. She opened the quarter by making three straight baskets for the Peacocks, keeping the game close. Williams, who ranks seventh in the country amongst active scoring leaders, recorded her 2,000th career point with 3:47 left in the quarter after she drove to the lane, converted a layup, and also getting fouled on the play. She would convert the free throw after the media timeout to give Saint Peter's an eight point lead. Freshman forward Kaila Dawkins took over from there, scoring the last two Peacock baskets of the quarter to give them a 34-31 halftime lead.
Junior center Kassondra Brown started to get involved after the break. She opened the quarter by scoring seven straight points, helping the Peacocks extend their lead to eight. Williams again got involved in the scoring as she scored two baskets 18 seconds apart as the quarter was winding down. Canisius struggled to score in the quarter due to the stifling Peacock defense. Freshman guard Amaris Mills made her first career three-pointer at the buzzer to give Saint Peter's a 54-41 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
From there, Saint Peter's never looked back as they continued to apply pressure to the Golden Griffins. The Peacocks were solid in the paint all night long, and they scored six straight paint points to kick off the fourth quarter, courtesy of sophomore forward Sky Castro, Brown, and Williams. Those baskets would extend the Peacock lead to 16, and a Williams free throw after her bucket gave Saint Peter's a 17 point lead, which was their largest of the game. Castro finished off the scoring for the Peacocks by making a layup with 1:11 left, as Saint Peter's improved to 2-0 in conference play.
Top Peacock Performers
- Williams' 27 points led the team, as no other Peacock hit double figure scoring. She matched her career high in rebounds with eight, and also recorded three steals.
- Brown was a non-factor in the first half, but ended up scoring 9 points in the second and grabbed 10 rebounds. She had a career high five assists as well.
- Castro matched her season high scoring total with 8 points, and grabbed a team high 11 rebounds.
- Dawkins matched her career high scoring total with 8 points, as well as getting six rebounds.
Milestones
- Williams: 2,000 Career points, a season high 27 points, a season high 10 field goals made, a season high eight rebounds, and a season high three assists.
- Brown: Career high five assists.
- Mills: Career high three points and first career three-pointer.
- Ikenasio: Season high five rebounds.
- Crane: Season high 34 minutes.
- Team: Second straight season starting 2-0 in conference play.
Stat Pack
- Saint Peter's shot 27-of-59 from the floor (45.8%) while recording a 3-of-13 mark (23.1%) from downtown. The team shot 8-of-11 (72.7%) at the free throw line.
- Saint Peter's scored 42 points in the paint.
- The Peacocks scored 16 points off of 16 Canisius turnovers.
- Saint Peter's outrebounded Canisius 48-30.
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