Box Score

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson men's basketball team lost a tough in-state battle with Saint Peter's, 67-63, Saturday night at Stratis Arena. With the victory, the Peacocks improve to 1-3 on the season, while the Knights fall to 1-5 overall.

The difference in the contest came at the free throw line where Saint Peter's outscored FDU, 29-10, while attempting 37 free throws compared to the Knights' 18 chances.

"We guarded very well, took care of the ball, but Saint Peter's made some tough shots, and obviously they really hurt us on the foul line," Head Coach Greg Herenda said.

In the first half, the Peacocks broke open a 13-13 tie with a 10-0 spurt to take a 23-13 lead with 8:37 to go before halftime.

Still down 10 at 26-16, FDU came back with seven of the next nine points, capped by a dunk by sophomore Xavier Harris (Philadelphia, Pa./Constitution), to cut the deficit to 28-23 at the 3:40 mark.

After Saint Peter's extended its lead back out to eight at 31-23, the Knights outscored the Peacocks by four the rest of the half, as a bucket by freshman Malachi Nix (Evanston, Ill./Niles North) in the lane right before halftime put the FDU down 33-29 at the break.

Twenty-four total fouls were call over the first 20 minutes, resulting in Saint Peter's going 16-of-21 from the line and the Knights making 4-of-7. FDU shot only 34.5 percent (10-of-29) but connected on 5-of-10 three's while holding the Peacocks to 29.6 percent (8-of-27) from the floor and only 1-of-8 from three-point range. But Saint Peter's outrebounded the Knights, 24-16, and outscored FDU, 10-2, in second-chance points.

To begin the second half, the Peacocks extended their lead to seven, but the Knights responded with 10 unanswered points, as a three from junior Mustafaa Jones (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) in transition gave FDU a 39-36 lead with 16:29 to go, capping a 23-10 run for the Knights.

With the score tied at 41-41, buckets by graduate student Scooter Gillette (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) and freshman Jayde Dawson (Montreal, Quebec/Brooks School) allowed FDU to take a four-point lead, before Saint Peter's netted seven straight to retake the lead at 48-45 with 7:53 remaining in the contest.

The Peacocks then took the lead for good after the Knights knotted the game at 50-50. Saint Peter's scored eight unanswered points, capped by a deep three-pointer from Desi Washington with the shot clock at one, which gave the visitors a 58-50 advantage with 2:34 left in the game.

FDU fought back to trim the deficit to 66-63 with 18 seconds to go, but it was not enough, as the Peacocks escaped with the 67-63 victory.

Both sides shot 40 percent in the second half, and the Knights finished the game shooting 37.3 percent (22-of-59), including 9-of-23 from behind-the-arc. FDU held Saint Peter's to only 34.0 shooting (16-of-47) and 6-of-20 from three.

The Knights only turned the ball over eight times while forcing 13 Peacocks' miscues, which gave FDU a 16-7 advantage on points off turnovers. But the visitors held a 39-32 advantage on the glass.

"We just need to play well for 40 minutes, and we will," Herenda said. "It is a matter of time."

Senior Sidney Sanders Jr. (Charleston, S.C./Burke) scored 13 of his team-high 19 points after halftime and added a team-best four assists and five rebounds. Freshman Matt MacDonald (Buffalo, N.Y./Canisius) pulled down a career-high six rebounds to lead FDU on the boards.

Washington led all scorers with 21 points for Saint Peter's. Marvin Dominique added a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

The Knights will have a quick turnaround when they travel to the Rutgers' campus in Piscataway, N.J. to take on Norfolk State for a 5 p.m. contest in the consolation bracket of the NIT Season Tip-Off on Monday, Nov. 25.