On a cold winter night, the Quinnipiac Bobcats men’s basketball team couldn’t find a way to get warm behind the arc, shooting 4-for-32 on 3-pointers in a 71-51 loss against the Saint Peter’s Peacocks.

It was the fewest made 3-pointers and the lowest 3-point shooting percentage for the Bobcats this season.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to learn,” head coach Baker Dunleavy said. “I think it’s gonna happen again. You identify how to win a game where you can’t make a shot.”

The team lives by its 3-pointer-based offense. Coming into the game, the Bobcats were ranked fourth in the nation with 10.7 made 3-pointers per game. The team is 7-0 when making 11 or more 3-pointers but with the loss, they fall to 2-7 when they convert on 10 or fewer.

The Peacocks found success off the bench outscoring the Bobcats 48-10. Sophomore forward KC Ndefo led the team with 16 points. Ndefo, a 50.9% free throw shooter coming into the game, finished the game converting a career-high eight of nine free throw attempts.

The first half was a sign of things to come as the teams combined to shoot 5-for-37 from the field in the first 11 minutes of the game. The Peacocks bounced back in the second half, shooting just over 42% in the period. However, the Bobcats found even less success, making just three of their 29 attempts from the field and shooting just under 19% for the game.

The Bobcats struggled with its interior defense, allowing 53 rebounds, including 18 offensive rebounds that led to 21 second-chance points for the Peacocks. The Peacocks were aggressive in driving to the lane and scored 28 points in the paint compared to just 12 for the Bobcats.

“Numbers-wise it looks like we played good defense but they got to the free-throw line 28 times in the game and they got 18 offensive rebounds,” Dunleavy said. You’re not gonna win any games like that.”

Junior forward Kevin Marfo finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds, continuing his run as the only player in the NCAA with double-digit rebounds in each of his team’s games this season.

“I thought he was, as usual, our toughest player,” Dunleavy said. “That’s what he is. He’s just a guy that embodies physical toughness. He’s a beast. We need him out there every game. He does a great job for us and I’m proud of the way he played.”

After going 4-0 to start conference play, the Bobcats have lost two straight heading into their matchup against the Fairfield Stags on Friday, Jan. 24. Even with the poor shooting performance, the team doesn’t seem discouraged as there is still a long way to go.

“You’re gonna have a lot of ups and downs and its kind of who can weather the storm,” Dunleavy said. “I think being 4-2 isn’t the issue; being 4-2 is fine. It’s not a matter of the record it’s a matter of what teams get better between now and the 20th because it’s a long MAAC season.”