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CHARLOTTE – Two years ago, Saint Peter’s made a run
no MAAC team had matched. The Peacocks traversed a three-game stretch that
featured victories over second-seeded Kentucky, seventh-seeded Murray State,
and third-seeded Purdue to reach the Elite Eight.
2024 would not hold the same magic.
Following a series of nail-biting victories in Boardwalk
Hall over three of the top four seeds in the MAAC – first Rider, then
Quinnipiac, then Fairfield – the Peacocks strutted into Charlotte to square off
with second-seeded Tennessee. Peacocks guard Armoni Zeigler got the chance to
close a productive freshman campaign by battling his half-brother, Zakai, a
star Tennessee guard.
Shots didn’t fall. Fouls didn’t go their way. Tennessee had
stretches where it couldn’t be stopped, despite the Peacocks’ top-15 scoring
defense.
Tennessee ran past Saint Peter’s, 83-49, in Thursday’s
contest, but Saint Peter’s coach Bashir Mason kept perspective.
“One game for us, one loss, here on this stage,” Mason said
after the game. “It sucks. But I'm confident in my guys and the season that we
had. I feel great about us being back here soon.”
“I thought we experienced some adversity early in the game,
our emotions came out, and that didn't allow us to focus and play at the level
that we're capable of.”
Latrell Reid, the last link from that Saint Peter’s squad,
had another stellar scoring effort. Reid finished in double figures for the 22nd time this season, scoring 17 points in the contest on 6-of-13 shooting. Reid’s
last moment on the floor came in an ejection, though, as he was assessed a
technical and ejected.
“I'm sorry for getting ejected today,” Reid said. “I'm a
competitor, and I didn't mean for it to get the best of me today. That's just
not who I am. I don't think I got a tech all year. We were jawing, and that's
just what competitors do out there.”
Reid was also somewhat matter-of-fact in assessing his team’s
performance.
“We knew we couldn't make many mistakes, and we did that
tonight, and we paid,” Reid said. “We just didn't find our fight early enough.
Like I said, it happens, and it's just sad that it had to happen at this
moment.”
No matter what happened on the floor Thursday, it’s easy to
see that the Peacocks are trending the right way under Mason. Mason essentially
rebuilt the team following the Peacocks’ run two years ago, following the
departure of then-coach Shaheen Holloway and most of the returners from the
roster. Mason took the Peacocks to a 14-18 season last season, followed by the
19-14 tally and league title in the ’23-’24 campaign.
A look at the roster shows only Reid and guard Roy Clarke as
seniors on the Peacock roster, with nine underclassmen slated to return. The
transfer portal, naturally, looms large, but Mason ostensibly has a solid core
coming back to Jersey City.
Before the Peacocks could look forward, though, they had to
look back. That run from 2022 still lingered heavily in the air, and it clearly
stuck with Mason and Reid.
“As I was walking down here, I was just quickly reflecting
on the game and just also thinking about the history of Saint Peter's, the run
here, reflecting on who they beat to
make it to the Elite Eight,” Mason said. “Then you think about what our game
was like tonight, that run we did two, three years ago, that was impressive.
That was really impressive for that to happen for a small school in Jersey
City.”
“It goes to show how amazing that run was,” Reid added. “I
know everybody was expecting something like that again, but it just goes to
show how crazy this tournament is.”
The fans who followed Saint Peter’s on its run still
believe. A vast group of navy-and-white-clad fans made its way to Charlotte
from Jersey City, making itself heard throughout the night. The fans never let
up, even when the result appeared far less in doubt.
“Jersey City is a small city, but you see who came out, all
who came out,” wing Marcus Randolph said. “This is a great support system. We
love to see it.”
“That's just Peacock Nation right there”, Reid added. “They
show up. They show out. We're very happy that they did that, and we're very
appreciative. They've been doing that all year. We forever have love for those
guys.”
The Peacocks made a clear impression on Tennessee and its
coaching staff, as well.
“I have to really congratulate Saint Peter's for being here,
because I've said forever you don't take this tournament for granted,”
Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “For them to do what they did to finish the
season strong and get here is a real compliment to their coaches, coaching
staff, and players.”
Barnes is also a believer in Mason and what he’s building in
Jersey City.
“Getting to go to this tournament is hard,” Barnes said. “They
hit us at a time where we played well. I watched them when we were getting
ready. I met (Mason) years ago when he was at St. Benedict's. We talked about
that for a second (after the game). He's got a great future ahead of him. His
team is extremely well coached.”
In the end, what Mason said about Tennessee will likely
again soon be said about his side.
“Man, those guys are good.”
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