JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Saint Peter's University men's basketball team used a late second half push to earn a 59-54 victory over Marist College on Friday night at John Moore Athletics Center on the campus of NJCU. The win improved the Peacocks MAAC record to an 8-5 mark and 11-7 overall record.
KC Ndefo had a near double-double, scoring a game-high 19-points and nine rebounds.
Daryl Banks III followed with 12 points and
Fousseyni Drame added 10 points.
The Basics
Score: Saint Peter's 59, Marist 54
Records: Saint Peter's (11-7, 8-5 MAAC) | Marist (9-8, 7-8 MAAC)
Location: John Moore Athletics Center | Jersey City, NJ
How It Happened
- The Peacocks began the game with a trio of free throws before Banks converted a layup with over five minutes played to knot the meeting at five each.
- Trailing 9-8, Saint Peter's hit a flurry of layups, coming by Marty Silvera, F. Drame, and Ndefo to take a 14-9 lead.
- Ndefo would add a pair of free throws to complete an 8-0 run and give SPU its largest lead of the half (16-9).
- Marist would outscore SPU 9-4 down the final stretch of the half, to give the Peacocks a 20-18 advantage at break.
- Both teams combined to shoot 0-for-20 from three in the half (SPU 0-for-13, Marist 0-for-7).
- The Red Foxes opened the half scoring nine of the first 13 points, to go ahead of the Peacocks 27-24.
- SPU countered the Marist run with a 10-0 rally over a short 2:28 timeframe to match its largest lead of seven points (34-27).
- It all began with a layup from Matthew Lee, followed by the first triple of the night by Saint Peter's, coming from Banks to regain the lead.
- Ndefo scored the next three, getting an alley oop lob from Banks and converting a free throw.
- The run came to an end when F. Drame put down a two-handed fast break dunk after a steal by Banks --- forcing the Red Foxes to call a timeout.
- Marist came back with a 10-2 run of their own, taking the lead back at 37-36.
- The two sides went basket for basket over the next four minutes, both connecting on four fields each to bring the score to 50-47, with the advantage in Marist favor.
- With just over two minutes left, Lee kicked it to Banks in the corner, where he drained the go-ahead trifecta that put the Peacocks up 52-50.
- Down the final stretch, SPU made 7-of-8 freebies to seal the 59-54 win.
Notes
- Ndefo also had four blocks and three assists to go along with his points and rebounds.
- Ndefo now sits just three swats away from the program's single season record.
- Banks scored in double-figures for a team-leading fourth consecutive game and chipped in three steals.
- F. Drame surpassed double-digits for the first time in four games and also pulled in six boards.
- As expected, the contest was a defensive battle, with neither team allowing the other to shoot above 34 percent from the field and holding the opposition to under 30 percent from deep.
- Although Saint Peter's was out rebounded by one (28-27), they won the battle of points in the paint (28-18), and forced 17 turnovers which they converted into a 12-7 points off of turnovers advantage.
- Saint Peter's home record this year improves to 7-1 overall and 6-1 in conference play.
- The Peacocks are now in a second place tie with Siena, both having eight conference wins, but SPU sits in third place due to tiebreakers.
Up Next
The Peacocks will remain in Jersey City for the backend of the set with Marist tomorrow at 8pm.
