ITHACA, N.Y. – Saint Peter's shot just 29 percent from the floor for the game, but hit its first two field goals in overtime and overcame Cornell's suffocating defensive work to grind out a 59-52 victory on Sunday afternoon at Newman Arena. The Big Red slipped to 6-6, while the Peacocks improved to 6-7.

Cornell senior Shonn Miller had his third consecutive dominating individual effort with 24 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, but the Big Red couldn't overcome its own shooting woes (33 percent shooting) and costly turnovers (20) in dropping its first home game of the season (3-1). Miller hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 31 seconds left, and sophomore Darryl Smith harassed the Peacocks' Desi Washington into an airball on the last shot of regulation. After a long delay that featured three different times on the clock, the Big Red wasn't able to get a shot off in the final 0.3 seconds and the game went to overtime.

The visitors grabbed the momentum back after the stoppage, as Tyler Gaskins hit a 3-pointer and Marvin Dominique hit a 16-footer to give Saint Peter's a five-point lead, its largest of the game, just 1:13 into the extra session. Cornell got back within three on a David Onuorah dunk on a great lookaway feed from Galal Cancer, but that was as close as it would get. The Peacocks hit 9-of-10 free throws in the final 1:03 to improve to 3-0 all-time against the Big Red.

Devin Cherry had 14 points and six rebounds, Dave LaMore had a career-high eight rebounds and Cancer was credited with five points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals in the loss.

Dominique led Saint Peter's with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Gaskins added 16 to go along with seven boards, three assists and three steals and Washington had 13 points despite his 2-of-16 shooting from the floor.

Both teams struggled to convert against the opposing defenses and the scored was just 9-9 with a little more than four minutes remaining before halftime. A 5-0 Big Red run, punctuated by a Miller 3-pointer, was answered by a 6-0 spurt by Saint Peter's to allow the visitors to regain a lead at 15-14 with just under two minutes left. Cornell went into the locker room with momentum, as Cherry pulled up and hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to send the home team into the locker room up 17-15.

In a game that featured 11 ties and 13 lead changes, both teams made big shots after halftime, though not many of them, as the defenses continued to dominate. The Big Red led most of the second half, though the Peacocks built a three-point lead in the final minute with two free throws by Marvin and two more by Washington to turn a 42-41 deficit into a 45-42 lead. Miller answered in a big way for the Big Red, catching a toss-back from Cherry and draining a 22-footer to knot the score at 45-45 with 31 ticks left. The defense was up to the task, forcing a tough 3-pointer by Washington after an outstanding defensive stand. After originally having 2.3 seconds on the clock, an inbounds timeout was reviewed and 1.1 seconds were put on the clock. A second review cut that to 0.3 seconds, allowing Cornell only an opportunity to tip the ball in the basket. The inbounds pass was errant, and the teams readied for overtime.

Saint Peter's shook its cold shooting just long enough to claim the five-point lead to begin overtime and never looked back.

Cornell closes out the calendar year when it visits Central New York rival Syracuse on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 6 p.m. at the Carrier Dome in a game that will be televised by ESPNU.