ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - The Saint Peter's University women's basketball team continued its historic season Thursday afternoon, defeating Iona 61-50 in the quarterfinal round of the 2021 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women's Basketball Championship. The victory grants the Peacocks a berth into the semifinals, where the team will make their first appearance in 13 years, after their last semifinal showing in 2008. Thursday's victory marks the first postseason win for the women since the program's 62-54 triumph over Rider in the first round of the 2015 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship.
Freshman forward
Ajia James was named the Tropicana Player of the Game following Thursday's win, as she finished with the game's lone double-double while leading the Peacocks in scoring with 16 points and pulling down 11 rebounds on the day. Fellow rookie forward
Sky Castro was a force on the glass for Saint Peter's in their quarterfinal contest, leading all players with 17 rebounds, including 10 boards on the offensive end.
How It Happened:
- After each side went scoreless through the first four minutes of action on Thursday, redshirt-senior guard Taiah Thornton finally ended the dry spell with a hard driving lay-up to put the Peacocks up 2-0.
- Two unanswered baskets from the hands of James then increased the Saint Peter's advantage to 6-0 at the 3:29 mark of the first quarter. After a brief burst from the Gaels, the Peacocks would find themselves leading 10-6 after the first 10 minutes of play.
- Iona opened the second quarter with a 9-0 run of its own, taking a 15-10 lead with 5:32 remaining in the first half. The first Peacocks basket of the second quarter came from junior guard Tyara McQueen, who knocked down the team's first triple of the day, ending the Iona run.
- Buckets from junior guard Binta Salawu and a jumper from James got the Peacocks back to within one point of the lead late in the second quarter, as the score read 20-19. The Peacocks would enter the locker room trailing 24-19 at the half.
- Thornton dropped her first three-pointer of the day to kick off the second half for Saint Peter's, narrowing the gap to 24-22.
- An offensive rebound and put-back lay-up from James moments later then levelled the score once again at 24-24 before a free throw from Castro put the Peacocks back on top 25-24.
- The scoring spurred a 12-0 Saint Peter's run to start the second half, which put the team ahead 31-24 with 5:46 left in the third quarter. Iona's first basket of the second half came midway through the third stanza, ending Saint Peter's streak and narrowing the Saint Peter's lead to 31-26.
- A conventional three-point play from Thornton late in the third gave the team a nine-point (37-28) cushion, while a pair of made free throws from Castro on the next possession would then secure the Peacocks' first double-digit lead of the day. Saint Peter's entered the final quarter leading 43-29.
- The two sides opened the final frame exchanging scores, as the Peacocks maintained a 14-point (47-33) lead midway through the fourth period.
- A subsequent 7-3 run, culminating in a pair of made free throws from Thornton, then gave Saint Peter's a 54-35 edge.
- A late push by Iona brought the Gaels back to within single digits, as the Peacocks held on to a 56-48 lead with 40 seconds left in regulation. Saint Peter's would ultimately prevail, however, with clutch free throws, securing the 61-50 victory.
Inside The Numbers:
- James now holds a team-leading seven double-double outings on the year. Additionally, the rookie was the most efficient shooter for the Peacocks in Thursday's quarterfinal, shooting 58.3 percent from the field.
- Castro's 17 baskets are a new career high for the rookie and mark the highest single-game rebounding total of any Peacock this season.
- Both Salawu and Thornton joined James in double-digit scoring on Thursday, finishing with 14 points and 11 points, respectively.
- The win also marks Saint Peter's third victory over Iona this season after the Peacocks swept the regular season series against the Gaels on Dec. 12-13.
- Saint Peter's was extremely efficient from the charity stripe against Iona, as the team shot 22-of-26 from the line.
- The team's presence on the glass played a pivotal role in its victory, as Saint Peter's out-rebounded Iona 50-39.
- The team's success in the third frame held a large role in Saint Peter's win, as the Peacocks conceded just three baskets to the Gaels in the third quarter while scoring 24 points in the period.
- The Peacocks also finished twice as many second-chance points as the Gaels, scoring 18 points on the second effort compared to nine from the Gaels.
Up Next:
- The Peacocks will prepare to take on No. 7 Rider in the MAAC Women's Basketball Championship semifinal round on Friday, March 12 at 1:30 p.m.
