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BY JASON BERNSTEIN
FOR THE JERSEY JOURNAL
JERSEY CITY – The Saint Peter’s University men’s basketball team’s season on the line against Canisius, after having a bye game in the MAAC tournament .
Instead, the Peacocks now find themselves just 40 minutes away from their fifth straight MAAC semifinals appearance.
Saint Peter’s – playing in the their seventh straight quarterfinal game in the MMAC tournament, as well a national TV audience – scored the game’s first 15 points and never looked back, rolling to a 61-58 victory against Canisius University at Times Union Center in New York.
Quinn Taylor scored a season-high 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting for the Peacocks, who have won 10 of their last 11 games, including three in a row since the loss to Iona during conference play. Taylor was one of four to finish in double figures in the victory.
Quadir Welton had 11 points and 16 rebounds, while Chazz Patterson and Antwon Portley scored 13 points apiece. The 13 points were a season-high for Patterson, this year’s MAAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Saint Peter’s (19-13) will face Iona College for the semifinals of the MAAC tournament on Friday at 9 p.m. in Albany New York. The game will be televised on ESPN 3. Iona College defeated Rider University 75-63 in the other quarterfinal game.
Saint Peter’s last postseason championship of any kind came in 2011 when it won the MAAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
“I felt really good tonight, and got it going early. My teammates found a way to get me open shots, and I took advantage of that,” said freshman guard Quinn Taylor , a Tascosa High School alum. “We know coach put us in situations to win, therefore we have to go out and execute the game plan.”
“We weren’t supposed to have this, so it was a blessing for me being a senior,” said Welton. “We played very well and as long as we’re playing like this we cannot lose. The fans came out and supported us. I was very excited and the energy was great.”
Welton, a 6-foot-6 senior, powered his way inside for six points within the first five minutes. Then, back-to-back 3-pointers off the bench from Taylor increased the Peacocks lead to 15-0.
Canisius Chris Acox snapped the opening run on a free throw with 11:20 left in the half, but didn’t cool off Saint Peter’s. Patterson keyed a 17-2 Peacocks run with eight points, including a 3-pointer to give Saint Peter’s its largest lead of the half at 34-8 with 3:58 remaining.
Patterson, Taylor, and Portley all made three treys apiece in the first half, giving the Peacocks a 37-19 lead at the intermission.
Daniel Fowler had six points to spark Canisius 8-2 run to start the second half and cut the lead to 12. But Taylor dashed any hopes of a comeback, erupting for 14 points, including four 3-pointers, as part of a 19-4 Peacocks run. Wyche (eight points, nine assists, four steals) gave Saint Peter’s its biggest lead of the night with a layup to make it 60-31.
“This is by far the most satisfying and enjoyable season that I’ve ever had coaching just because of how selfless these guys have been,” head coach John Dunne said. “These guys from the beginning have been so selfless and given everything on and off the court.”
Devin Sibley scored a game-high 20 points for Canisius (16-13), which was led by interim coach Bob Richey after former head coach Niko Medved resigned to become the coach at Drake on Sunday. Fowler had 14 points and Acox added 11.