The Saint Peter’s Peacocks men’s basketball team is currently led by first-year head coach Bashir Mason. It is currently competing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
St. Peter’s basketball is a post-Covid team
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Saint Peter’s Cathedral’s victory against Kentucky in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament was the biggest story of the tournament.
Despite being one of the smallest teams in the field, the Peacocks used a stingy defense to pull out a win. The team has not won a regular season title, but it has made an impact on the national stage.
As the school’s athletic director, Holloway reshaped the team’s strategy. He recruited KC Ndefo, a 6-foot-7 junior who led the college in blocks per game last season.
He would likely use his graduate transfer eligibility after four years at Saint Peter’s.
Ndefo had a career high output in the game. His 17 points came on the heels of a dozen blocks.
During the 27-day layoff between December and January, the team was one of the longest-layoff Covid teams in the history of the NCAA Tournament.
The Peacocks have appeared in the NCAA Tournament
Saint Peter’s University has been to the NCAA Tournament four times. They earned an automatic bid in 2011. Their first game was against Fairfield, a 77-63 win. In the Sweet 16, they beat the third-seeded Purdue Boilermakers, 67-64.
The Peacocks are a team to watch. They play physical, tough basketball. Their leading scorer is junior guard Daryl Banks III. He averages 11 points per game.
During the regular season, the Peacocks went 15-3 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. They won three straight games, including a 60-54 victory over Monmouth in the league title game.
They have an excellent shot of advancing to the Elite Eight. In the Round of 32, they will face seven-seed Murray State. Despite being the lowest seed to make it to the Elite Eight, Saint Peter’s has not faced a higher seed than this.
Coach Shaheen Holloway earns around $300,000 a year
A former professional basketball player who led his team to the Sweet 16 in 2000, Shaheen Holloway is now the head coach of the Saint Peter’s Peacocks. The Peacocks are a small college in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Holloway has a wife and two kids. He has two homes. But he hasn’t moved a single time since he took his new job.
Holloway has a huge fortune. Currently, he’s making approximately $300,000 a year as the Saint Peter’s men’s basketball coach. This is more than Kentucky’s John Calipari makes.
Holloway also won the MAAC Tournament Championship in 2022. Holloway is currently the program’s all-time leader in assists.
He also had the first three NCAA Tournament wins for the Saint Peter’s program. Now, he expects to land top talent.
Holloway will receive a substantial raise from the $300,000 he was making at St. Peter’s. His salary is now $2.4 million over six years.
The Peacocks’ games in March were among the top seven most-watched prime time television events of the tournament
The Saint Peter’s University men’s basketball program went on an amazing run in March. Their win against Purdue, their first game in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, was a big deal.
After a first-round victory over Kentucky, the Peacocks fought back against Murray State and beat UCLA to reach the Elite 16.
After the victory over Purdue, the team began to prepare for their upcoming matchup with North Carolina. Coach Clarence Rupert knew his players had one more chance.
His players dug deep and won. They held the Tar Heels to just three points over the final five minutes.
In the second round, the team played a tough game against the Florida State Seminoles. Armando Bacot carried the team to a victory with 15 rebounds. Caleb Love led the way with 30 points.
The Peacocks are heading off in different directions
The Saint Peter’s Peacocks have a lot going for them. They are a relatively small, undersized team, but have a strong defense.
In fact, the Saint Peter’s defense has improved in KenPom defensive efficiency each of the last three seasons.
For the most part, the Saint Peter’s Peacocks will be playing in the same Motion style of offense that they are used to. That is, they will be moving up the floor and playing with the ball in half court, as well as in a 5-out Motion.
The Saint Peter’s Peacocks aren’t a very good offensive team. So they will be using their defense to help them win. Having a solid defense is the main reason they are in the NCAA Tournament.
There are some big names on the roster. Senior Daryl Banks III leads the team with averaging over 11 points per game. Clarence Rupert averages over 4.5 points per game, as does sophomore Doug Edert.
