Men's Basketball Hosts Iona for Fourth Straight Home Contest

The Particulars
Saint Peter's (11-9, 9-4 MAAC) vs. Iona (20-5, 12-2 MAAC)
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 15 (7:00 P.M.)
Location: Run Baby Run Arena
Network: ESPN3

Tip-Off

• Coming off a tough loss at home Friday night against Rider, the Saint Peter's men's basketball team returns to action Tuesday in a matchup of the top two teams in the MAAC standings.
• The Peacocks are 8-3 in the 2022 calendar year after the loss against the Broncs while Iona knocked off Monmouth 70-62 at home Sunday afternoon.

Pregame Casino Party and #BlackOut

• Saint Peter's University Athletics is excited to host the Pregame Casino Party and the BLACKOUT men's basketball game against Iona on February 15. 
• Come play casino games, receive giveaways, and try for a chance to win AirPods, a JBL speaker, or two all-session ticket packages to the 2022 MAAC Basketball Championships next month.
• Afterward, make your way to the Yanitelli Center for the men's basketball game against Iona.
• The game will be a #BLACKOUT. The first 300 students will receive a blackout t-shirt at the students' will-call table.

Looking Back at Rider

• Having won six straight home games heading into the night, the Peacocks were unable to extend the streak to seven, falling 58-49 against Rider inside Run Baby Run Arena.
• The Peacocks held a 41-36 lead with 12:43 left in the second half, but only managed to make one field goal from that point on, dropping to 11-9 overall and 9-4 in MAAC play.
• SPU struggled shooting the ball down the stretch, missing 12 of their last 13 shots of the game and going 6 for 24 overall in the second half.
• Juniors Isiah Dasher and Matthew Lee led the Peacocks with nine points apiece while Daryl Banks III chipped in eight of his own.
• Senior KC Ndefo crashed the boards hard in the contest with 11 rebounds to go along with four points and four blocked shots.
• Despite the loss, SPU remains in second place in the MAAC standings, now tied with Siena at 9-4 with seven conference games left to play.

The Series

• All-time: Iona leads 72-53
• Streak: Iona (1)
• Last Saint Peter's Win: 3/11/2020 (W, 56-54 @ MAAC Tournament)
• Last Iona Win: 1/30/2022 (L, 85-77 @ Iona)

Quick Hitters

• After nearly a month between games from Dec. 18 to Jan. 14, the Peacocks have gone 8-3 in the 2022 calendar year to move to 9-4 in MAAC play and vault into second place in the MAAC.
• KC Ndefo, the two-time reigning MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, heads into the contest averaging 10.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.7 blocks per game in MAAC contests this season.
• Daryl Banks III leads the Peacocks offensively overall on the season averaging 11.3 points per game this season. Banks has scored in double figures in five of his last eight games after dropping 13 points in the Peacocks' 66-50 win over Marist.
• SPU heads into the contest with one of the top defenses in the MAAC, leading the conference and ranking 43th in DI allowing just 63.9 points per game.
• The contest against Iona is the last in a four-game homestand for the Peacocks, the longest of the season, as they will play six of their last 10 games inside Run Baby Run Arena.
• The Gaels knocked off SPU 85-77 in New Rochelle, N.Y., earlier this season. Doug Edert led the way in the game for the Peacocks with 21 points while Matthew Lee set a career-high with 20 points of his own.

Shot BlocKing

• The 2021-22 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, Ndefo now has a program-best career total of 266 blocks, good for the fifth most among active players in DI.
• In the home win over Quinnipiac on Friday, Feb. 4, Ndefo swatted 11 shots to set the single-game program record for blocks in a game. It was tied for the second-most blocked shots all-time in a MAAC game.
• After leading the country in blocks per game in 2020-21, Ndefo is atop the MAAC and is 21st in the country with 2.6 blocked shots per game this season. 

Money From the Stripe

• Banks III is one of the top free throw shooters in the country, leading the conference and ranked 10th in the country shooting 91.2 percent from the line.
• From Nov. 27 to Jan. 26, Banks III made 34 straight free throws which is currently the fourth-longest streak in Division I this season.
• Edert, meanwhile, is second in the MAAC shooting 87.2 percent from the line this season. He has missed just six free throws this season.

Defense Wins Championships

• The Peacocks have allowed under 70 points in 11 of their last 13 games and hold a 10-5 record this season when allowing less than 70.
• Thus far this season, SPU leads the MAAC in 3-point field goal percentage defense, steals per game, turnovers forced per game and opponents' field goal percentage. The Peacocks are also second in the league in blocked shots per game.
• Coming into the contest, the Peacocks rank 37th in the NCAA in opponents' 3-point percentage and 34th in overall field goal percentage defense. 

Balancing Act

• SPU has had one of the most balanced groups in the country this season and have had 14 consecutive games with at least eight different scorers.
• Offensively, nine different players have scored in double figures in a game this season.
• Of the 12 student-athletes who have seen action in a game this season, 11 have at least one start. Additionally, all 12 are averaging at least 10 minutes per contest.

Threes Please

• SPU is now ranked first in the MAAC and 58th in the country shooting 36.2 from 3-point range as a team this season.
• Edert leads the way for the Peacocks and sits atop the conference shooting 44.6 percent from downtown on the year.
• Banks III also ranks inside the top-five in the MAAC shooting 39.3 percent from deep.

Isolating Iona

• The Gaels are currently the top team in the MAAC standings at 20-5 overall and 12-2 in conference play.
• Iona comes into the matchup 2-2 in their last four games after dropping back-to-back contests for the first time this season on the road at Niagara and Siena. The Gaels did manage to get back in the win column last time out, however, defeating Monmouth 70-62 at home.
• Graduate student Tyson Jolly is the leading scorer for Iona this season averaging 14.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Jolly has scored in double figures in 15 straight games with his 11-point total against the Peacocks the last time out being the lowest he has scored in that stretch of games.
• Sophomore Nelly Junior Joseph joins Jolly in double figures with 12.8 points per contest and leads the Gaels with 8.0 rebounds per game. Joseph ranks inside the top-10 in the MAAC in blocked shots per game, rebounds per game, double-doubles and free throws made.
• As a team, Iona leads the league in a number of categories including blocks per game, assists per game, free throw attempts, total rebounds, scoring margin and scoring offense.
• The Gaels have been phenomenal getting to the free throw line this season as they currently rank first in the NCAA in free throw attempts and are fourth in total free throws made.
• Iona has struggled to take care of the ball offensively, however, ranking 10th in the MAAC in total turnovers.

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.

Up Next

• SPU heads on the road to start a three-game road trip Friday, Feb. 18 when they take on Fairfield University for the first time this season.
• The contest against the Stags will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU as a MAAC-flex game.

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