JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Saint Peter’s goes about its offseason business in relative silence. Not much in terms of reported interest, visits, or anything. Even when a player commits, the school rarely boasts about it. There’s hardly such a thing as a big-name player in the MAAC, but the Peacocks’ 8-1 start in conference play is fueled by players that neither I nor anybody truly expected to make up one of the league’s best units.
Lucas Scroggins, Jahki Gupton, and Zaakir Williamson aren’t putting up All-MAAC-level numbers over the course of the whole season. But, turn on any Saint Peter’s game, and you will see their fingerprints all over the identity with which SPU plays. On Monday against Iona, all three scored in double figures, playing 74 of the 80 allotted minutes between the power forward and center spots. They got the Gaels on their heels early, keeping them out of the paint and dominating the glass as Saint Peter’s surged early in the second half for a 77-63 win. The 8-1 mark exceeds the 7-2 start from each of the last two SPU NCAA Tournament teams in 2022 and 2024, and matches the best start in conference play since 1994-95.
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Williamson scored just 4.9 points per game last season. His return to Saint Peter’s wasn’t announced with an Instagram post or a press release like some of the “bigger names” in the MAAC, but he’s become as impactful of a big man as there is on both ends.
Early in the game, Williamson blocked Iona’s Lamin Sabally twice, sending a message that the paint was his to patrol, and that nobody would unseat him. Iona didn’t have its poise in the paint for the rest of the game from that point forward. He’s averaging 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals per game over the last eight, but also scoring 12.6 points in that span.
It’s Williamson’s best stretch since joining the Peacocks.
“I’ve known him since high school,” SPU head coach Bashir Mason said. “I used to call him a dancing bear because he was a nimble big guy, and I think he’s just got his confidence. It’s never been a skill set thing with him; it was just confidence since I’ve coached him. Right now, he’s in a really good space and a really good groove.”
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The commitments of Scroggins and Gupton created similarly little fanfare, coming in mid-June, when most rosters were already full. But they’ve each been among the most impactful defensive forwards in the MAAC.
Scroggins makes energy plays. Dunks, blocks, and he keeps the play alive on the offensive glass. Sure, he won’t touch the ball very often, but when he does, he makes things happen.
“Lucas is playing lights out,” Mason said. “He’s been the one getting the lobs, offensive rebound putbacks that have been able to spark runs for us.”
Gupton is around the ball more. He’s starting to put the ball in the hoop more as well, with all three of his highest scoring games on the season coming within the last five contests.
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All of a sudden, it’s a near double-double.
“His ceiling is so high,” Mason said. “I get so mad at him during games and in practice, and then I look at the stat sheet and he’s got a double-double, and I’m just like… ‘maybe you’re the problem, coach?’”
All things considered, it’s the most underrated unit in the MAAC.
Other Games
Sacred Heart 105, Rider 85: Sacred Heart had its back against the wall at 1-6, but has now won back-to-back games on the road, playing the type of basketball that it was built to play. It’s similar to last year, when it went from 2-5 to 7-5 with a fast-paced five-game winning streak. We’ll have to see if this streak holds up as long as that one. Mekhi Conner had a near triple-double, and Anquan Hill scored 26 points.
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Siena 85, Fairfield 77: Monday was Siena’s best offensive outing of the season, and one of the most impressive offensive performances of anybody in the MAAC this year. They scored 1.32 points per possession on 75% inside the arc, 50% from beyond the arc, and 84% from the line. Gavin Doty didn’t miss a shot and scored 24 points. Five different players had multiple assists. The Saints have the top-ranked offense in the MAAC right now.
Mount St. Mary’s 68, Niagara 58: Make it back-to-back years sweeping the Buffalo trip for Mount St. Mary’s under Donny Lind. The Mount completely flipped this game, going from down 12 late in the first half to leading by as many as 17 in the second. It’s now four losses in the last five games for Niagara. Mount St. Mary’s put up two of its five best offensive performances of the season this weekend.
Merrimack 68, Marist 55: Merrimack’s zone flustered Marist’s guards, allowing a combined five made field goals from Jadin Collins-Roberts, Elijah Lewis, Justin Menard, and Rhyjon Blackwell. Jason Schofield’s ability to catch the ball in the middle or post and go straight up allowed him to score 15 points in 17 minutes, but he picked up 4 quick fouls. Meanwhile, Merrimack’s guards tore apart Marist’s drop coverage, as Kevair Kennedy, Tye Dorset, and Ernest Shelton scored a combined 55 points. The Warriors are 8-1.
Quinnipiac 98, Manhattan 92 (OT): Manhattan had a chance to win the game on the final possession of regulation, but John Gallagher didn’t call a timeout to set up a play, and the Jaspers looked out of sorts, and missed a shot. Asim Jones put together another stellar game, dropping a career-high 30 points in 42 minutes. He’s averaging 17.1 points and 5.4 assists per game since December 29.
