ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – The Saint Peter's University women's basketball team defeated Marist 49-29 Tuesday afternoon at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in the first round of the MAAC Tournament. Sophomore forward Sky Castro led the way for the Peacocks, scoring nine points and grabbed a career high 19 rebounds.
After trailing for the first two minutes of the game, a three pointer from graduate guard Kendrea Williams put the Peacocks in front 7-6, and they never gave back the lead. At 5:33 in the quarter, Williams hit another three to extend the lead to 10-6. Williams would add a layup with just under four minutes to go in the quarter and scored all of her points in the first frame. Saint Peter's would lead 14-9 after one.
Neither team was able to score a field goal for the first four minutes of the second quarter. Freshman forward Kaila Dawkins broke that drought by making a layup with 5:48 to go. Castro was able to score her first field goal with 4:11 left in the half, grabbing the offensive rebound from a Dawkins miss and scoring the layup. Senior guard Kourtney Crane was able to nail a mid-range jumper with 13 seconds left on the clock to put Saint Peter's up 21-13 at the half.
Opening up the second half, senior guard Nickelle O'Neil went coast-to-coast for a layup that was uncontested, despite Marist being back on defense. Castro was then left wide open for a jumper to put the Peacocks up 25-13. With 5:10 remaining in the quarter and after a Marist basket, Crane was able to get a steal and went to the rim uncontested for the easy layup. O'Neil then did the same thing with 1:31 left, part of a five steal effort from her. The Peacocks would lead 36-25 heading into the final frame.
Kicking off the fourth quarter was Crane with a bucket, who was able to get whatever she wanted from the mid-range on the day. Dawkins was able to hit a huge three pointer with 3:44 left on the clock that put the Peacocks up 15. Castro and Dawkins would then each get a bucket less than a minute apart to put the Peacocks up 19 with less than two minutes to go. Saint Peter's would go on to win the game.
Top Peacock Performers
- Castro scored nine points and had a career high 19 rebounds.
- Williams scored ten points and had six rebounds.
- Dawkins also scored ten points and grabbed five boards.
- Crane scored eight points and picked up six rebounds.
Milestones
- O'Neil: Season high 5 steals.
- Castro: Season high 9 points and a career high 19 rebounds.
- Felix: Career high 1 free throw made and a career high 1 steal.
Stat Pack
- Saint Peter's shot 21-of-60 from the floor (35.0%) while recording a 4-of-14 mark (28.6%) from downtown. The team shot 3-of-6 (50.0%) at the free throw line.
- The Peacocks held Marist to 19% shooting and 5% from behind the arc.
- The Peacocks scored 18 points off 18 Red Foxes turnovers.
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