Box Score JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Trevis Wyche (Neptune, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) keyed a decisive 15-2 run in the second half with seven points and finished the game with 20 points and nine assists to power Saint Peter's past Marist 76-67 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) men's basketball action on Sunday.
After the Red Foxes (4-12, 1-6 MAAC) took a 48-47 lead with 8:30 remaining, the Peacocks (7-8, 5-1 MAAC) scored 15 of the next 17 points over the next five minutes and 12 seconds to take control of the contest to help Saint Peter's start league play 5-1 for the sixth time in team history and the first time since the 1994-95 campaign. Wyche posted seven points in the surge and then connect on 7 of 8 from the free throw line in the final three minutes to seal the win.
Wyche finished the game 5-for-7 from the floor and 10-for-12 from the free throw line to notch his second 20-point performance of the season. The junior also added nine assists, five rebounds and two steals. After having two points, five assists and four rebounds in the first half, Wyche posted 18 points in the second half to lead the Jersey City team in scoring for the fourth-straight game and for the fifth time in the last seven tilts. The junior has dished out at least eight assists in each of the last three games and became the ninth player in program history with 300 career assists after his play on Sunday.
Antwon Portley (Lancaster, Texas/Lancaster) added 15 points while Quadir Welton (Philadelphia, Pa./Math, Civics and Science Charter) posted 14 points and eight rebounds in the winning effort.
Khalid Hart led Marist with 25 points while Brian Parker registered 17 points and eight rebounds and Isaiah Lamb chipped in 10 points in the loss.
Saint Peter's took control in the first half before the Red Foxes made a run in the final frame to take the advantage only to see the Peacocks close the game on a nice run to earn the win and the season sweep against Marist for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
After Lamb gave the Red Foxes a 48-46 lead with 8:56 on the clock, Saint Peter's went on a 15-2 run to retake control of the contest.
Welton started the run with two free throws at 8:30 to tie the game at 48 before the junior made 1 of 2 at the foul line to give the Peacocks the lead for good at 49-48 with 7:51 remaining. Wyche then made two at the charity stripe at 7:24 and Welton made the backend of two freebees for a 52-48 lead with 6:39 left. Portley then drained a trey at 6:04 and Wyche scored in the lane for a 57-48 lead with 5:14 on the clock.
Hart stopped the 11 unanswered points by the Jersey City team with two free throws at 4:53 to trim the margin to 57-50, but Welton made two free throws at 4:07 and Wyche made 1 of 2 and scored in the lane to extend the Saint Peter's margin to 12 points with 3:18 left. The final three minutes became a free throw contest for the Peacocks and they converted 14 of 18 down the stretch to earn the win.
Saint Peter's held the lead for most of the first half. With the Peacocks holding an 11-10 edge, the squad went on a 9-0 run to take its first double-digit advantage at 20-10 with 8:03 left in the first stanza. Portley had five points in the spurt. Saint Peter's extended its margin to 31-17 after a Portley layup with 2:18, but the Red Foxes scored the final six points of the stanza to go into the locker room trailing 31-23.
Marist continued its run to start the second half by scoring the first eight points of the period to tie the game at 31 after a dunk by Parker.
The Peacocks then scored eight of the next 10 points to take a 39-33 lead five minutes into the second half thanks to four points apiece by Welton and Wyche. Saint Peter's maintained the lead for the next six minutes before the Red Foxes used a 7-0 run to take the lead for the final time at 48-46 with 8:56 left. Lamb had four points in the surge. Led by Wyche, the Jersey City team scored 15 of the next 17 points to take the lead for good and go on for the victory.
Chazz Patterson (Brown Mills, N.J./Trenton Catholic) finished the day with six points and seven rebounds while Rodney Hawkins (Baltimore, Md./Lake Clifton) and Cameron Jones (Fairless Hills, Pa./Pennsbury) each added six points in the win.
Saint Peter's, who started the 2016 year with three-straight road games, hits the road for a two-game road trip starting at Fairfield on Tuesday. The game will be played on campus at Alumni Hall with a 7 p.m. start time.
