Manhattan visits Saint Peter’s on Friday, February 27, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Yanitelli Center in Jersey City, New Jersey. Saint Peter’s enters as the home favorite with the spread around 7 to 8 points and the total in the mid-140s.
In the MAAC race, Saint Peter’s (12-6 MAAC) is positioned above the middle of the standings, while Manhattan (8-10 MAAC) is trying to improve seeding in the final stretch of conference play. This is the second meeting in conference play after Saint Peter’s won 80-75 at Manhattan on February 5.
Odds
| Odds Type | Manhattan | Saint Peter’s | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetUS | +7.5 (-105) ML +285 | -7.5 (-115) ML -355 | O/U 146 Over -110, Under -110 |
Odds as of 11:00 a.m. ET on February 27, 2026.
Team Snapshot
This table summarizes each team’s current profile entering tip.
| Team | Record (Home/Away) | Last 10 | ATS | O/U | Off Eff (ORtg) | Def Eff (DRtg) | Tempo (Pace) | Key Injury Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manhattan | 12-17 Away: 3-11 | 4-6 | 11-16-1 | 13-15 | 107.3 | 113.8 | 69.1 | No injuries reported |
| Saint Peter’s | 15-11 Home: 12-1 | 5-5 | 14-9-1 | 10-14 | 106.7 | 101.9 | 66.8 | No injuries reported |
Recent Form & Statistical Edge
Manhattan: offense can score, defense hasn’t traveled
Manhattan’s season has been defined by a capable offense paired with a leaky defense. The Jaspers are scoring 75.5 points per game, but allowing 80.5, and that gap tends to widen away from home (3-11 road record). Even when Manhattan’s shot-making is steady, the defensive end often puts them in positions where they must win higher-scoring games.
From a shooting profile standpoint, Manhattan’s 3-point percentage (32.8%) is playable, but the bigger issue is what it allows. Opponents are hitting 37.0% from three against the Jaspers, and that is a difficult way to survive on the road when rotations tighten and second-chance defense matters. Manhattan also carries a sizable rebounding deficit (33.5 rebounds per game vs 38.9 allowed, a -5.5 margin), which shows up in extended possessions and foul pressure late in halves.
The encouraging sign for Manhattan is ball security. At 10.6 turnovers per game and a low turnover rate (12.5% in conference advanced splits), the Jaspers can usually get into their offense. That matters against Saint Peter’s, which is built around disruption. If Manhattan can keep this game from turning into a live-ball turnover track meet, it has a clearer path to hanging inside the number.
Saint Peter’s: defense and home court are the foundation
Saint Peter’s enters with one of the MAAC’s best defensive efficiency marks (101.9 DRtg) and a 12-1 home record, which is the headline matchup context. The Peacocks are not a pure run-and-gun team (66.8 pace), and their best version often looks like this: defend, force turnovers, win the glass just enough, and manufacture points at the line and on second chances.
Statistically, Saint Peter’s pressure is real. The Peacocks post a 14.0% steal rate in conference advanced splits, while also forcing 14.5 turnovers per game on the season profile. That pressure can flatten opposing offenses for long stretches, especially teams that rely heavily on a lead guard to create. Even if Manhattan protects the ball early, Saint Peter’s is consistent at making opponents work deep into the clock.
On the glass, Saint Peter’s profiles as the more reliable side in this matchup. The Peacocks are plus-1.7 rebounds per game overall, and their offensive rebounding rate (36.4%) stands out. Against a Manhattan team that is often underwater on defensive rebounding, that is a clear path to extra possessions without needing elite half-court shooting.
Matchup Keys
- Rebounding margin vs offensive rebounding: Manhattan is -5.5 rebounds per game, while Saint Peter’s is +1.7 and posts a strong 36.4% offensive rebounding rate. Second-chance points are a primary separator here.
- Turnovers and live-ball pressure: Saint Peter’s defensive identity includes a 14.0% steal rate and 14.5 opponent turnovers forced per game. Manhattan’s low turnover profile (10.6 per game, 12.5% TO rate) is one of the few clean counters.
- 3-point prevention: Manhattan allows 37.0% from three. Saint Peter’s own 3-point percentage (30.4%) is not a strength, but if the Peacocks generate cleaner catch-and-shoot looks off offensive boards and broken-floor possessions, the matchup swings toward the favorite.
- Tempo control: Manhattan plays faster in conference context (69.1 pace) than Saint Peter’s (66.8). If Saint Peter’s dictates pace at home, Manhattan’s road offense has less room for error.
- Interior finishing and rim presence: Saint Peter’s blocks 3.9 shots per game, while Manhattan has been out-blocked on the season profile (opponents 4.0 blocks per game). In a game where Manhattan may need points at the rim and at the line to travel, that matters.
Best Bet
Pick: Under 146.5 (-110)
Saint Peter’s defensive efficiency (101.9 DRtg) and slower pace profile (66.8) tend to pull games into longer possessions, and that’s amplified at home where the Peacocks have been most consistent. Manhattan can score, but its cleanest offensive path is usually in transition or via free throws, and Saint Peter’s turnover pressure is a mechanism that can create empty trips for the road team. If Saint Peter’s also gets its usual edge on the offensive glass, it can score without pushing tempo, which is a favorable script for an under in the mid-140s.
Projected Score
Saint Peter’s 74, Manhattan 68
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