Greater Long Island coverage is funded in part by Toresco & Simonelli, a boutique injury and family law firm in West Islip. They fight for their clients. Click here to learn more and to get in touch.
Saint Peter’s broke the hearts of Kentuckians yet again, getting 17 points from Long Island’s KC Ndefo to beat Murray State 70-60 on Saturday night in the second round of the NCAA Tournament and complete its rise from obscurity into the Sweet 16.
Two days after tossing eight-time national champion Kentucky out of the bracket, the tiny Jesuit school from Jersey City, New Jersey, became the third 15 seed to advance to a regional semifinal, joining Oral Roberts last year and Florida Gulf Coast in 2013.
Ndefo, an Elmont native, did it all on the court. He led his team with points (17), rebounds (10) and blocks (6).
Check out this chase down block late in the game below.
Saint Peter’s (21-11) ended a 21-game winning streak and a memorable season for Murray State (31-3), located 265 miles from Lexington in Kentucky’s southeastern corner.
The memories will be lifelong for the Peacocks and coach Shaheen Holloway, a North Jersey hoops lifer who played at Seton Hall and apprenticed there as an assistant. On Friday, Pirates coach Kevin Willard endorsed Holloway as his replacement if he departs in the offseason.
Holloway has more immediate concerns: preparing his team for an East Region semifinal on Friday in Philadelphia against Virginia Tech or Purdue.
Holloway‘s got full confidence in his squad.
“I’ve got guys from New Jersey and New York City. You think we’re scared of anything?” he said in a postgame interview. “You think we’re worried about guys trying to muscle us and tough us out? We do that. That’s who we are.”
Doug Edert came off the bench to score 13 points for the Peacocks, including some big baskets late. Saint Peter’s built a 13-point lead early in the second half and never trailed, but Murray State still made it tense. Justice Hill hit a 3-pointer to get the Racers within 59-57 with 4:07 left. Edert followed with a 3 and a layup, and the Peacocks closed it out at the free-throw line.
Hill made five 3s for 19 points and Tevin Brown scored 14 for Murray State.
Top: Saint Peter’s KC Ndefo (11) goes up for a dunk against Murray State’s KJ Williams (0) during the first half of a college basketball game in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
