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JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Senior Emmy Andujar (Bronx, N.Y. / Rice) scored a game-high 22 points and junior Shane Richards (New York, N.Y. / York Prep) hit for 21 to lift Manhattan to a 72-65 overtime victory at Saint Peter's in a game that was televised live via ESPN3.
Andujar had five points in the extra session while Richards added four as the Jaspers hit on all seven free throws, including six-straight over the final 24 seconds of action, in moving to 8-8 and 5-2 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) with their fourth-straight win and sixth in seven games.
All four victories have come by 10 points or less with the latest serving as Manhattan's first overtime victory since besting Iona 80-77 on Feb. 28, 2014.
The Jaspers also defeated the Peacocks for the ninth-straight time as Saint Peter's falls to 9-10 and 3-5 in the league.
Manhattan 52.2 percent 12-of-23) after halftime and was a season-high 84.0 percent (21-of-25) from the line for the game in overcoming a 32-20 deficit in the paint. The Jaspers' MAAC-leading three-point defense also forced the Peacocks into just 21.4 percent (3-for-14) from long range.
Saint Peter's stormed out of the gates with an 18-10 lead with just under 10 minutes to play in the first half thanks to a 9-1 spurt before Andujar finally stopped the bleeding with a layup. Richards then tied the game up with two-straight triple before capping a 10-0 spurt with a pair from the line in giving Manhattan a 20-18 lead at the 5:24 mark..
The Peacocks would immediately respond with a pair of free throws and ended the opening stanza with five-straight points in building a 35-30 advantage at intermission. Saint Peter's was able to build its lead thanks to shooting 50.0 percent (11-of-22) from the floor and 78.6 percent (11-of-14) from the line.
Richards notched 13 points in the first half while Andujar chipped in with eight as the duo accounted for 70.0 percent of the Jaspers' offense.
After halftime, the Peacocks extended its lead out to six following a Desi Washington three pointer with 17:40 remaining in the second half. As in the first half, Manhattan turned up the pressure on defense and used six-straight points on four Ashton Pankey (Jr., Bronx, N.Y. / Maryland) free throws and an Andujar runner to tie the game up at 39-39 with just under 14 minutes remaining.
The Peacocks would reclaim the lead with four-straight points only to see Manhattan rip off a 10-2 run in taking a 49-45 lead with 9:03 remaining following an Andujar three-point play.
Later in the stanza, the Jasper lead would grow to a half-high five at 56-51 at the 3:46 mark of the second following senior RaShawn Stores' (Bronx, N.Y. / Robinson School (N.J.)) shot clock-beating three pointer.
However, Saint Peter's would fight back to tie the game at 59-59 with eight seconds to play to force overtime.
Andujar opened the scoring in overtime with an old-fashioned three-point play and Manhattan would not trail the rest of the way en route to posting its second win over the Peacocks in nine days.
Both Andujar and Richards recorded their fourth 20-point performance of the year with Pankey and Stores each adding eight. Andujar also became the first player in school history to notch 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 300 assists with his first helped of the game.
Marvin Dominique scored a team-best 16 to pace Saint Peter's.
The Jaspers will look to make it five in a row against Rider on Sunday, Jan. 18 with opening tip tabbed for 2 p.m. at Draddy Gymnasium.
