ATLANTIC CITY, NJ. - The Saint Peter's Men's Basketball team (19-13, 12-8 MAAC) won the 2024 Hercules Tires MAAC Men's Basketball Championship over the Fairfield Stags (22-12, 14-6 MAAC) 68-63 Saturday night at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. Saint Peter's won its fifth MAAC Tournament Championship in school history and earned a berth in the 2024 NCAA March Madness Tournament.
This is the first team under Head Coach Bashir Mason to make the NCAA March Madness Tournament. Mason completed a two-year turnaround, leading Saint Peter's to its second March Madness Tournament appearance in the last three seasons.
Corey Washington scored a team-high 24 points, with nine rebounds, four blocks, and one assist. The All-MAAC First Team Honoree shot 9-14 from the field and scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half. Washington was named the MVP of the MAAC Tournament Championship.
Roy Clarke scored 12 points, with two assists and two rebounds. Clarke shot efficiently. The SPU guard went 4-5 FG (80%) and 2-2 from three-point range (100%). MAAC Defensive Player of the Year Latrell Reid scored nine points, with six rebounds and four assists.
No. 5 seed Saint Peter's defeated No. 4 Rider 50-48 on Thursday, Mar. 14, in the MAAC Quarterfinals. On Friday, Mar. 15, the Peacocks pulled out a thrilling 62-60 buzzer-beater victory over No. 1 Quinnipiac. Mouhamed Sow and Michael Houge were both named to the MAAC All-Tournament Team. Houge scored a season-high 20 points and eight boards in the MAAC Quarterfinals. Sow tallied 15 points, six rebounds, and four blocks in the MAAC Semifinals.
Defensively, Saint Peter's held their opponents to an average of 57 points per game in the 2024 MAAC Championship Tournament.
The Peacocks overcame a seven-point halftime deficit and shot 72.22% from the field in the second half and 75% (3-4 3PT) from three-point range.
How it Happened
- SPU hit three out of four shots to start the game. Washington drove to the basket and scored a layup for SPU's first points, followed by a mid-range jump shot from Reid. SPU led 7-5 after a stepback three-pointer from Houge.
- Jasper Floyd knocked down a three-pointer, followed by a layup from Alexis Yetna, and the Stags went up 12-9.
- Fairfield scored seven of the next nine points in the game. SPU trailed 19-11 following a three-pointer from Caleb Fields.
- Clarke and Brycen Gooden exchanged three-pointers, and the Stags led 22-14.
- Reid scored five straight for the Peacocks. The SPU senior drained a deep three from the top of the key and a bank shot, which cut SPU's deficit to 22-19. The Stags hit five straight free throws, and a layup from Fields extended their lead to 29-19.
- Down ten, the Peacocks scored six straight points. Washington and Houge scored buckets, with free throws from Marcus Randolph.
- With 28 seconds left in the half, Fairfield's Yetna scored a second-chance layup, and Saint Peter's trailed 32-25 at halftime.
- The Peacocks outscored Fairfield 43-31 in the second half.
- Washington produced offensively in the final 20 minutes. In the second half, the SPU sophomore scored 20 of Saint Peter's 43 points. Washington scored eight of SPU's first 12 points in the half.
- SPU trailed 39-33 at the 15:45 mark. Randolph assisted Washington with a jump shot to cut the deficit to four.
- Brent Bland scored five consecutive points for the Peacocks. Bland came up with a steal and got fouled on a dunk attempt. Bland went 2-2 from the charity stripe and drained a three-pointer. The Peacocks trailed 41-40.
- The Peacocks regained the lead at the 11:23 mark; a bucket-and-one from Houge put the Peacocks up 43-41.
- With 10 minutes left in the game, up one, Washington scored SPU's next eight points. At the 8:28 mark, the SPU sophomore blocked a shot on defense, grabbed the board, and scored a bucket on the other end to put the Peacocks up five.
- Free throws from Reid put the Peacocks up nine, which was their largest lead of the game.
- Clarke extended the Peacocks' lead to 52-46 with a stepback three-pointer.
- Washington added a fadeaway jump shot as the shot clock expired, and SPU led 54-48.
- Randolph scored a three-pointer from the corner to put the Peacocks up 57-50.
- Free throws from Reid put the Peacocks up nine, their largest game lead.
- A layup from Clarke extended SPU's lead to 61-52 with 3:28 left.
- The Stags made a late push in the game's final two minutes. Fairfield scored six straight. The Stags trailed 61-58 after a jump shot from Gooden.
- Gooden tallied another bucket with 1:39 left in the game, and the Stags were down one. Free throws from Washington and Randolph built SPU's lead to 64-60.
- The Stags responded with a bucket and one on the other end. Free throws from Clarke extended the Peacocks' lead to 66-63.
- The Stags launched one more three-point attempt and missed with two seconds left. Washington's rebounds and free throws sealed the victory at 68-63.
Inside The Numbers
- Saint Peter's won its fifth MAAC Tournament Championship in school history (1991, 1995, 2011, 2022, 2024).
- The Peacocks overcame a seven-point halftime deficit and shot 72.22% from the field in the second half and 75% (3-4 3PT) from three-point range.
- Washington scored 20+ points for the 10th game this season.
- The Peacocks had 17 bench points and 13 second chance points.
- SPU out-rebounded Fairfield on the glass 36-34.
- Saint Peter's held their opponents to an average of 57 points per game in the 2024 MAAC Championship Tournament.
The Peacocks await their seeding and region for the 2024 NCAA March Madness Tournament. Selection Sunday is on CBS at 6 PM.
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