Feb. 16, 2011
Box Score
Saint Peter's used an 18-4 run with just under 10 minutes to play to turn a six-point deficit into an eight-point lead, and knocked off Siena 67-57 in Albany Monday night. Jeron Belin scored 17 of his team-high 19 points in the second half to lead the Peacocks.
The Saints dropped their fourth-straight MAAC game, but remain in a sixth place tie with Canisius, which lost 67-65 in overtime at Niagara tonight.
Siena got 21 points and 16 rebounds from MAAC Player of the Year frontrunner Ryan Rossiter, but once again it wasn't enough.
Saint Peter's led just 31-30 at halftime after Siena scored 12 of the final 16 points of the first half. The Saints carried that momentum into the second half, scoring nine of the first 11 points to grab a 39-33 lead.
The lead was 46-39 with 9:52 left, and Siena seemed in control of the game, but the Saints scored just four points over the next six minutes, and Saint Peter's made its move. With the score tied 49-49 and 5:35 on the clock, Saint Peter's scored eight straight points behind Belin to take command.
Belin and senior guard Nick Leon combined to make 11-27 field goals and score 34 points, while the rest of the Saint Peter's team shot 12-40 from the floor and accounted for just 33 points. Siena struggled to score against the Peacocks physical defense, making just 21-62 shots.
Clarence Jackson (13) and Rakeem Brookins (11) joined Rossiter in double figures for the Saints. The Peacocks out-rebounded Siena 42-41, marking just the second time that's happened to the Saints in 15 games.
Siena needs to win its final two MAAC games (at Fairfield 2/25 and home against Marist 2/27) to assure itself of a First Round bye in the MAAC Tournament. First, the Saints will play host to Maine on Saturday at 7 p.m. in a BracketBusters game that doubles as this year's Gold Rush contest.
