Top Moments: Women’s Basketball Historic Run to the MAAC Title Game

Despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Saint Peter’s University Athletics returned to the playing surface this past academic year and put together a series of incredible moments that instilled great pride.

To honor the incredible student-athletes and all they accomplished in 2020-21, in the month of July, the athletics department will look back at some of the most memorable moments every Tuesday and Friday.

2020-21 Regular Season Rundown

Still in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Council of Presidents approved and announced a MAAC basketball schedule during the fall, giving the Saint Peter's University women's basketball team and the entire MAAC a chance at a 2020-21 campaign.

Due to several schedule modifications by the league presidents, the Peacocks were slated to play a 20-game double round robin conference schedule with five home series and five away series. Both games would be played on Friday and Saturday at the same venue, with 24 hours of spacing between the two contests. In addition to the 20-game MAAC slate, the Peacocks added five out of conference games for the season.

After consecutive series sweeps over Iona and Canisius, the squad improved to 4-0 in MAAC action, claiming sole possession of first place in the league standings and consequently, was the only program in the MAAC on either the men's or women's side to hold a perfect 4-0 record at the time. The 4-0 start to conference play was the team's best commencement to conference play since the 1996-97 season.

Despite the perfect start, the Peacocks eventually stumbled into their longest drought of the stanza, falling in the next five straight MAAC games (six overall including a non-conference defeat to FDU). The team wouldn't stay down long, bouncing back to be victorious in 6 out of the final 10 MAAC games of the season, capped off by a 58-51 upset road win over top-ranked Marist in the season finale, leading to a 10-9 MAAC record (11-14 overall) and No. 3 overall seed for the MAAC tournament. The Peacocks' overall record and MAAC record marked the program's best season since the 2008-09 stanza, while the third place finish on the final standings was the program's best position heading into the postseason since finishing second in the league following the 2001-02 campaign.

With the regular season completed and a first-round bye secured for the 2021 MAAC Women's Basketball Championships, the stage was set for what would end up being a run for the ages.

Rewarding Success 

Before women's basketball hit the hardwood for the 2021 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, the Peacocks had some hardware to claim. 

On March 8, a trio of Peacocks earned All-MAAC honors, with redshirt-senior Taiah Thornton leading the way with All-MAAC First Team honors and her classmate Kendrea Williams receiving her first career all-conference nod after being selected to the All-MAAC Third Team. Thornton became the first Peacock to earn a place on the Women's Basketball All-MAAC First Team since Tania Kennedy was voted to the squad at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season. The team also picked up a unanimous selection to the MAAC All-Rookie Team in freshman Ajia James.

Two days later on March 10, the team added more hardware with the announcement of Marc Mitchell as MAAC Coach of the Year in just his third season at the helm of the program. Mitchell joined elite company as Saint Peter's only other women's basketball head coach to win the award, joining hall of fame coach Mike Granelli, and ending Saint Peter's 22-year drought without with the award since Granelli's last reception of the distinction in 1999. Mitchell also became the first Black man to receive the award in conference history, and joined Iona head coach Billi Chambers as the only other Black head coach to receive MAAC Women's Basketball Coach of the Year honors.
 

MAAC Quarters - No. 3 SPU vs. No. 6 Gaels (3-11-21)

With the opening round of action complete, women's basketball was set to start their postseason title hopes in Atlantic City with a quarterfinal matchup against No. 6 Iona in the 2021 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship. The contest was set to get underway at noon on Thursday, March 11. This would be the seventh time the two squads would meet in the MAAC championship, with the Peacocks holding a 4-2 advantage. However, Iona had won the previous postseason matchup during the 2009 tournament by a score of 63-57.

Advancing to the MAACs final four 

The Saint Peter's University women's basketball team continued its historic season, defeating No. 6 Iona 61-50 in the quarterfinal round of the 2021 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship. The victory granted the Peacocks a berth into the semifinals, where the team had not made an appearance in 13 years, after their last semifinal showing in 2008. The win marked the first postseason victory for the team since the program's 62-54 triumph over Rider in the first round of the 2015 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship. This also marked Saint Peter's third victory over Iona during 2020-21 after the Peacocks swept the regular season series against the Gaels on Dec. 12-13.
 
Freshman forward Ajia James was named the Tropicana Player of the Game following win, as she finished with the game's lone double-double while leading the Peacocks in scoring with 16 points and pulling down 11 rebounds on the day. Fellow rookie forward Sky Castro was a force on the glass for Saint Peter's in their quarterfinal contest, leading all players with 17 rebounds, including 10 boards on the offensive end. Both Binta Salawu and Taiah Thornton joined James in double-digit scoring, finishing with 14 points and 11 points, respectively. 

Top Moments

Postgame

MAAC Semis - No. 3 SPU vs. No. 7 Rider (3-12-21)

After knocking off Iona, women's basketball was set to take on hOURglass Rival, No. 7 Rider in the MAAC Women's Basketball Championship semifinal round on Friday, March 12. The Peacocks and Broncs entered the postseason meeting having split their 2020-21 regular season bouts and when going head to head at MAACs, Saint Peter's led the overall series 3-1. The last time the New Jersey rivals squared off in the MAAC tournament was at the 2015 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship, with the Peacocks' 62-54 win over Rider in the first round serving as the program's last MAAC postseason triumphant before the 2021 quarterfinals win over Iona.

Ticket punched into the MAAC title game

The Saint Peter's University women's basketball team made history once again, defeating No. 7 Rider 72-67 in the MAAC Women's Basketball semifinal. The victory secured the Peacocks first trip to the MAAC finals since 2002, when the program went on to win the MAAC Championship via an 83-71 victory over Siena. Additionally, the Peacocks' advancement into the championship game marked the first time since 1991 that the women had reached the final as a three-seed. It also marked the program's 13th trip into the title game, the second-most championship game appearances in the MAAC.
 
Taiah Thornton led the way for the Peacocks in their semifinal win over hOURglass Rival Rider, earning "Tropicana AC" Player of the Game honors following her team-leading 16-point outing. The redshirt-senior also tacked on a game-high seven assists and six rebounds in the affair. Freshman forward Sky Castro paced the team in rebounds for the second straight contest, pulling down eight boards against the Broncs, while junior Tyara McQueen also had a pivotal outing for Saint Peter's, matching her season-high of 11 points while knocking down three triples on the day. Joining Thornton and McQueen in double-digit scoring in the game were Binta Salawu (13 points), Kendrea Williams (13 points), and Ajia James (12 points). Head coach Marc Mitchell became the first Saint Peter's women's basketball head coach to reach the MAAC Championship final since Peacocks hall of fame coach Mike Granelli.

Top Moments

Postgame

Stay tuned for future Top Moments of 2020-21 in the weeks ahead!

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