Washington's Heroics Lift Saint Peter's Past Fairfield
MAAC Sports
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Junior guard Desi Washington drilled a three-point field goal with 1.4 seconds left in overtime to lead the 7th-seeded Saint Peter’s University men’s basketball team to a 65-62 overtime victory over 10th-seeded Fairfield.
With the victory, the Peacocks advanced to the quarterfinal round, where they will face second-seeded Manhattan on Saturday, March 8 at 6:30 p.m.
It was the third time in three meetings this season that Washington’s heroics proved decisive against the Stags. On Jan. 8, Washington hit a three-pointer as time expired to give the Peacocks a 56-55 victory, and on Feb.25, Washington’s three-pointer in the final seconds propelled Saint Peter’s to a 63-62 win.
Saint Peter’s and Fairfield battled through eight lead changes and 12 ties during regulation to send the game into overtime with the score tied at 58-58. Fairfield’s largest lead of the game was six points, while Saint Peter’s largest lead was five, and the score was tied 30-30 at the half.
In the extra period, a jumper by senior Maurice Barrow put the Stags up 60-58, but a pair of free throws by Saint Peter’s freshman Quadir Welton tied the score at 60-60. The Peacocks went up with 2:04 remaining when Kris Rolle scored a layup, but the Stags were finally able to tie it on a Barrow layup with seven seconds remaining at 62-62, setting the stage for Washington’s heroics.
Washington led Saint Peter’s with 14 points, while junior forward Marvin Dominique scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Barrow, playing his final game for the Stags (7-25), scored 14 points.