Albany, N.Y. (March 5, 2005)-Saint Peter's shot over 50 percent from the field, including an 11-21 clip from beyond the arc, to spoil Manhattan's bid to capture both the 2006 MAAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships. One of the hot hands for the Peacocks was MAAC Player of the Year Keydren Clark who led five Saint Peter's players in double figures with a game-high 29 points. Three Jaspers countered by scoring in double figures including sophomore center and Second Team All-MAAC selection. Dubois finished 10-15 from the field for 24 points and snatched a game-high nine boards, while sophomore
Jeff Xavier added 14 points and freshman
Devon Austin tallied 12.
Dubois and Xavier combined for 25 points and 12 rebounds in the first half to power Manhattan to a 41-39 advantage at the break. Saint Peter's, however, opened the second half with a 17-4 spurt to build its largest advantage of the game at 11 with a little more than 15 minutes to play. Dubois ended the Saint Peter's run by muscling in a layup. After a Saint Peter's score more than a minute later, Xavier knocked down a three-ball to put the Peacocks lead at eight, but Manhattan would temporarily lose the services of the sophomore guard just minutes later. While hustling after a loose ball, Xavier hit the deck and Clark fell on top of him. The All-MAAC Second Team selection lost two teeth and endured a laceration on his chin, but would show his toughness by returning to the game minutes later after being patched up.
The Manhattan deficit lingered around eight points for most of the second half until Dubois set up senior
Mike Konovelchick for a three at the top of the key which pulled the Jaspers within four points with 5:32 remaining. The Peacocks' Todd Sowell answered back on the next possession with an offensive putback after a rare Saint Peter's three-point miss. Dubois would get the lead back down to four at two more junctures down the stretch, but Manhattan could get no closer.
Saint Peter's jumped out to an early seven-point advantage in the opening minutes of the game, but the Jaspers stormed back. After Xavier stole the ball away from Kevin Spann, senior
Kenny Minor found Dubois for a layup to cut the deficit to 19-18 with 11:50 remaining in the first half. On the ensuing Saint Peter's possession, it was Dubois that came up with a Manhattan steal, again robbing Spann. Austin then nailed a three to give the Jaspers their first lead of the game at 11:14. Minutes later, Xavier drained a three-ball to extend the Manhattan advantage to nine, the largest it would be on the night.
Despite falling in the conference tournament, Manhattan is still guaranteed another post-season game due to capturing the Regular Season title with a win over Iona last Sunday. The win guaranteed the Jaspers an automatic invitation to the NIT.
