Jersey City, NJ (February 27, 2005)- CJ Anderson and Jason Wingate each tallied 17 points to pace Manhattan, but the Jaspers could not overcome a game-high 33 points from Keydren Clark as Saint Peter's defeated Manhattan, 85-64, this afternoon at the Yanitelli Center on the Saint Peter's campus. The Jaspers close out the regular season with a 14-13 record, 9-9 in MAAC play, and will be the #6 seed in the upcoming MAAC Tournament.
Manhattan scored the first five points of the game before consecutive three pointers from the Peacocks Cory Hinnant gave Saint Peter's a 6-5 lead with 15:38 left in the opening stanza. The Jaspers held a slim, 14-13, advantage after an Anderson jumper with 12:03 left in the half before the Peacocks used a 24-9 run, capped by five straight points from Clark, to open up a 14 point advantage, 37-23, with 4:01 left before the break. The teams each posted a four point spurt the rest of the half as the two teams went into the locker rooms with Saint Peter's leading, 41-27.
In the opening minutes of the second half, the Jaspers were able to get to the free throw line with a chance to cut into the lead, but missed their first seven opportunities. Manhattan was never able to get the lead under 13 points and the Peacocks were able to stretch the lead to as many as 26 on the way to the win.
Anderson added seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block to his 17 points, while Wingate pulled down five caroms and handed out three assists to go along with his career-high 17 points. Jeff Xavier added 11 points and four steals.
Manhattan begins the MAAC Tournament on Friday, March 4, when the Jaspers will take on the #9 seeded Loyola Greyhounds at 9:30 p.m. in an opening round game. The MAAC Tournament will be played at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, NY.