JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Saint Peter's University men's basketball team grinded out a 53-49 victory over Niagara University on Saturday night, securing a season series sweep over the Purple Eagles to start Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play 2-0. The Peacocks sit atop of the league standings as the only unbeaten team following the opening weekend of conference action and remain a perfect 3-0 in Jersey City this year.

Forward, KC Ndefo recorded a game-high 15 points while Fousseyni Drame scored 14 points to lead the Peacocks.

The Basics
Score:  Saint Peter's 53, Niagara 49
Records: Saint Peter's (4-2, 2-0 MAAC) | Niagara (0-3, 0-2 MAAC)
Location: John Moore Athletic Center | Jersey City, NJ

How It Happened

• By the tilt's first media break, Saint Peter's trailed 5-3, with all three points for the Peacocks coming at the charity stripe (0-6 FG, 0-3 3FG).
• After nearly four field goal-less minutes, F. Drame knocked in consecutive layups on back-to-back possessions, then Ndefo hit a long two-pointer from the far corner to give the Peacocks their first lead of the night (9-8).
• After missing six straight to open the game, the home team hit on 3-of-5 field goals to gain the lead.
• The rest of the first half went back and forth, producing eight different lead changes between the squads, putting Saint Peter's in a 23-21 halftime deficit.
• Both sides struggled from the floor in the half, each shooting below the 30 percent threshold.
• Saint Peter's shot 8-of-27 (29.6%) from the field and failed to hit a triple in a half for the first time this season.
• The contest picked right back up in the second half with seesaw play.
• F. Drame opened the half by tying the game on a made layup, but the Peacocks would allow a 7-0 Niagara run to drop behind 30-23.
• Saint Peter's answered the spurt by outsourcing Niagara 10-3 over the next 3:38 highlighted by a three-pointer from Dallas Watson (the Peacock's first made triple of the night) and a steal by Hassan Drame that led to a fastbreak two-handed dunk by the sophomore forward to knot the game at 33-33.
• The home unit's first lead of the half came by way of a deep three from Daryl Banks III off a feed from Watson (38-36).
• The standoff resumed, with the score tying again at 38, 40, 44, 47, and 49 before Saint Peter's was able to move to the forefront in the contest following a made layup by Banks with 2:39 on the clock.
• Down the final stretch, the Peacocks defense would hold Niagara to zero made field goals and Niagara missed on a pair of free throws with 3.5 seconds left, to pull off the 53-49 win.

Notes

• Saint Peter's starts its MAAC campaign 2-0 for the second consecutive season.
• Ndefo posted his fifth game of the season in which he scored double-figures while adding eight rebounds and three blocks.
• His first block of the game was the 137th of his career, moving him into third all-time in blocked shots in the Peacock's record book.
• F. Drame pulled down a team-leading nine rebounds and recorded one steal in 31 minutes of action.
• Banks and Watson each chipped in with seven points, while Marty Silvera led the squad with three assists.
• Saint Peter's won every in-game battle on the night; rebounds (40-33), points off turnovers (16-7), points in the paint (28-10), second chance points (12-4), and bench points (8-4).
• The Peacocks defense also forced 13 turnovers, made six steals and swatted three shots.
• Saint Peter's has now swept Niagara twice over the past three seasons.
• The triumph extended the Peacocks home winning streak over Niagara to five games, and the team has claimed six out of the last seven games over the Purple Eagles in Jersey City.
• The 3-0 home start is the best since 2017-18, a team that won its first five at home.

Up Next
Saint Peter's will open its MAAC away schedule with a series at hOURglass Rival Monmouth University next weekend, Dec. 18-19. Both contests will tip at 5 p.m. in the OceanFirst Bank Center in West Long Branch, NJ. The 2020-21 schedule, however, remains fluid and additional games remain a possibility and will be announced in the near future.