JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Saint Peter's University men's basketball team protected its home court for the fifth straight time this season after a convincing 68-54 victory over Manhattan College on Saturday night at John Moore Athletics Center on the campus of NJCU. The dominating win gave the Peacocks the series sweep over the Jaspers, improving their conference record to 6-4 and overall mark to 9-6.
Saint Peter's had four players in double-figures;
Daryl Banks III (14),
KC Ndefo (13),
Doug Edert (11), and
Fousseyni Drame (10). Manhattan was led by Samir Stewart who scored a game-high 18-points.
The Basics
Score: Saint Peter's 68, Manhattan 54
Records: Saint Peter's (9-6, 6-4 MAAC) | Manhattan (5-6, 4-6 MAAC)
Location: John Moore Athletics Center | Jersey City, NJ
How It Happened
- Like most series' backend games, Saint Peter's started sluggish on the offensive end, missing its first five from the field and three from deep.
- Although the offense wasn't clicking, the defense was on point as the Peacocks only gave up five points during the time.
- After baskets by Ndefo and Noah Kamba, SPU trailed 13-5.
- Saint Peter's began to pick up the pace, compiling a 12-3 run over the next three minutes to take its first lead of the night.
- Banks started the rally with a jumper in the paint followed by a triple from Edert.
- Then the Drame twins connected with each other, Hassan to Fousseyni, for a made layup and Hassan came back with a three from the corner to put the Peacocks up 17-16.
- The lead was lost briefly, but Edert knocked down his second long ball to put SPU up for the final time at 20-18.
- Matthew Lee and F. Drame combined to score the Peacocks final eight (four points each) of the half to take a 30-22 lead into the locker room.
- To open the second half, Banks scored the first seven Peacock points, upping the lead to double-digits (37-27).
- Manhattan cut the lead to three, but Saint Peter's used another run, this time a 12-0 rally, to extend its edge to 49-34.
- H. Drame and Ndefo both converted on layups, Banks hit a trifecta from the wing, and F. Drame sealed the run with another layup.
- The lead grew to 20-points coming by way of a three-pointer from Edert and an old-fashioned three-point play by Ndefo (55-35) with just over eight minutes remaining.
- Down the final stretch, Manhattan managed to cut Saint Peter's lead to eight points, but the Peacocks shot clutch at the charity stripe, making 9-of-13 free throws to secure the 68-54.
Notes
- Banks led the squad in scoring for the fourth time on the year and grabbed six rebounds.
- Ndefo pulled in eight boards while rejecting three shots.
- Edert surpassed double-digits for the sixth time over the past seven contests.
- F. Drame recorded his first double-double of the campaign (second of his career) with his 10 points and 10 rebounds.
- Lee handed out a team-high four assists in addition to scoring nine points.
- The Peacocks dominated the paint again against the Jaspers, out rebounding the visitors 47-38 and out scoring them 30-16 in the paint, while also converting 14 offensive rebounds into 13 second chance points.
- Saint Peter's bench also outperformed Manhattan's, posting a 25-12 advantage.
- With the two wins last season and two this year over the Jaspers, the men complete consecutive season sweeps over Manhattan for the first time in back-to-back seasons since 2015-16 and 2016-17.
- The Peacocks continue to be unstoppable at home this season, improving to 5-0 at home.
- Saint Peter's has now won 13 straight in Jersey City and are 16-3 at home dating back to last season.
Up Next
Due to schedule adjustments by the MAAC, Saint Peter's will now visit Iona on Wednesday, Feb. 10.
