Bridgeport, CT - The #8 seeded Saint Peter's College Peahens advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2011 Spark Energy MAAC Basketball Championships this afternoon with a 57-47 victory over the #9 seeded Rider University Broncs. Junior Jynae Judson posted her seventh double-double of the season, leading all players with 20 points while grabbing 10 rebounds. The Peahens will take on the top seeded #21/18 Marist Red Foxes tomorrow at 1:30pm.
Saint Peter's lost the opening tip, which the Peahens have done in all of their wins this season, as neither team scored a basket in the first three minutes. The Peahens though scored first, on a layup by Judson at the 16:46 mark. Rider scored their first points via a three-pointer as the Broncs used a 7-2 run, taking a 7-4 lead early. A block by senior Jessica Coles at the 13:25 mark, set the defensive tone in the game.
Judson scored seven of the first nine Saint Peter's points as Rider extender their lead to nine, their largest of the game. A three-pointer by Rider's Shereen Lightbourne, one of four three's seen by the Broncs in the half and game, gave Rider an 18-9 lead with 2:40 remaining in the half. Saint Peter's, shooting just 31.3% in the half, made six of nine shots from the field in the last 160 seconds of the half, closing out the first frame on a 13-0 run. The Peahens scored 17 of their 22 points in the half off turnovers, as Saint Peter's led, 22-18.
For the half, there was only two free throws attempted, both by Rider. The Broncs outshot the Peahens, 35% to 31.3%.
Saint Peter's controlled the pace of the second half(52.2%), en route to their first MAAC tournament win since March 7, 2008 when the Peahens defeated Manhattan, 68-65. Rider pulled within two, 23-21, with 17:16 remaining. The two point deficit was the closest the Broncs trailed as the Peahens led by as many as 14 points in the half. Saint Peter's used stingy defense, allowing Rider to shoot just 22.9% from the field in the second half.
Ahead 25-21, Saint Peter's used an 11-4 run, leading by double-digits for the first time in the half. The eighth seeded Peahens put the game out of reach after a layup and two successful free-throw attempts by Quiana Porter (nine points) down the stretch.
Freshman Teresa Manigrasso scored seven points in the game while totaling four steals. Another freshman in Aziza May, scored six points.
Afterwards, Head Coach Stephanie DeWolfe, winning her third MAAC Tournament game in her career stated, ''Defense kept us in the game in the early goings. We are a young team but we weathered the storm and right now, we are peaking at the right time."
Peahens' Forward Judson also added, "We worked hard and stuck together during the hard times this year. Our defensive play motivated us and led to more offensive chances. "
The win was the second against Rider in a MAAC tournament game in as many tries. The first time the two teams met in a MAAC tournament game was a 74-53 Peahens victory on March 1, 2007. Dating back to the 2005-06 year, Saint Peter's has defeated Rider in 12 of the last 14 games (including tournament games). Saint Peter's improves to 38-20 All-Time in MAAC Tournament games.
Saint Peter's has now won three games in a row for the first time since a six-game winning streak that lasted from February 1st to February 23rd of 2009.