Siena got down early, trailing by as much as seven early in the first half and the Saints found themselves in a tough fight in Jersey City.

Without Edwin Ubiles due to a back issue and the reigning MAAC Player of the Week Alex Franklin struggling for most of the game, the Saints got a dominant effort from Ryan Rossiter and a crucial drive and lay-in by Franklin with 36.2 seconds left to propel the Saints to a 66-58 victory Thursday night.

Ryan Rossiter led the Saints with 21 points on 9-15 shooting but finished one rebound short of his seventh-straight double-double. Ronald Moore finished one assist short of a double-double with 10 points and 9 assists.

St. Peter’s harassed Rossiter in the second half, at a point two defenders camped over his back wtih just over 13 minutes left. Rossiter left the game for a minute but returned after a brief stay on the bench.

Siena turned up the defense in the second half, pressing and playing aggressive multiple defenses to stifle the Peacocks in the 2nd half. Siena was able to force 19 Peacock turnovers.

O.D. Anosike came off the bench to rattle in 4 points in a tough stretch with under 10 minutes left and Kyle Griffin’s first points of the night, Siena’s first three point field goal of the night, gave the Saints a six-point lead with 8:41 to go.

Clarence Jackson made two crucial free throws with 28 seconds left to seal the Siena victory. Jackson scored 15 points on 4-11 shooting and made 7 of 10 free throws on the night.

Alex Franklin, the reigning MAAC Player of the Week, registered 10 rebounds and scored 9 points while going just 4 for 11 from the field and making just one of five free throws.

St. Peter’s kept the game too close for comfort by making 5-10 three point field goals in the second half. Wesley Jenkins led the Peacocks with 13 points on 5-15 shooting but the Peacocks made just three of eight free throws.