Early in the second half, which opened with Saint Peter’s ahead 42-37, it was Derkack who woke everyone up. After a Peacocks turnover he launched a spectacular skip pass to breaking teammate Jeremiah Williams for a transition layup.

Two hours of suffering on Monday could lead to euphoria two months down the line.

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Freshman guard Dylan Harper's 24 points led No. 24 Rutgers to a tightly contested 75-65 win over Saint Peter's on Monday night in Piscataway, N.J. Lathan Sommerville scored 14 points

Steve Pikiell's Scarlet Knights host the Saint Peter’s Peacocks in men's basketball, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, at Jersey Mike's Arena on the Busch Campus of Rutgers University.

Rutgers faced an early-season test against a well-coached and tough Saint Peter’s squad that was in search of a signature victory in-state. Trailing with just over four minutes left in the contest, 24th-ranked Rutgers had to dig deep and show off the qualities of a Steve Pikiell coached team on the defensive end of the floor.