White Plains, NY (November 24, 2003)- Senior guard Luis Flores scored a game-high 26 points and won the game MVP award for the second straight year, as Manhattan College opened up the 2003-04 season with a 72-57 win over Columbia University tonight at the Westchester County Center in the second game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Iona defeated Vermont, 58-55, in the opener.
In a game that saw a combined 58 fouls, Columbia (0-2) came out with a hot shooting touch, connecting on five of its first six shots, and held a one point lead, 13-12, with 11:04 left in the opening stanza. Manhattan (1-0) held tough, using a pressing defense to causing 11 turnovers over the same span.
A Mike Konovelchick jumper and three pointer put Manhattan ahead, 17-13, with 9:15 left in the half, and the Jaspers stretched the lead to as many as nine points before heading into halftime with a 32-26 lead. Columbia shot 45.0% from the floor in the first half (9-20), including four of six from beyond the arc, while Manhattan shot just 30.8% (8-26). However, the Jaspers went to the line 20 times in the first half, compared to just nine for the Lions. Columbia committed 16 turnovers, while tallying just one steal, while Manhattan turned the ball over just six times, while tallying eight first half steals. Konovelchick and Columbia's Matt Preston led their respective teams with 10 points at the half.
In the second half, Columbia cut the Manhattan lead to just two twice, the second making the score 38-36 with 16:22 remaining in the game. But Manhattan found its shooting touch, and went on a 9-2 run to open a nine point lead. After Columbia climbed back to within five, at 47-42, with 11:28 left, the Jaspers used a 9-0 run to open up the game and take a 14 point lead, 58-44, with 6:57 remaining. Columbia would get no closer than 10 the rest of the way, as the Jaspers improved to 68-30 in season openers. Manhattan shot 50.0% (9-18) in the second half, while holding the Lions to 39.3% (11-28).
Manhattan converted on 32 of 47 from the line (68.1%), while Columbia connected on 13-21 from the charity stripe (61.9%) The Lions finished the game with 22 turnovers and just four steals. The Jaspers turned the ball over just 12 times, and tallied nine steals.
Senior Dave Holmes added 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds for Manhattan, while Konovelchick chipped in with 14 points, and junior Peter Mulligan put up 10 points in his Jasper debut. Preston led the Lions with 20 points.
Flores' 26 points moved him up one spot from tenth to ninth on the Manhattan all-time scoring list, passing Jamal Marshall (1991-95), who tallied 1307 points in his career. Flores (1328 points in a Manhattan uniform) trails John Leonard (1978-82) by just one point for eighth.
Manhattan returns to action on Saturday, November 29, when the Jaspers take on Bronx rival Fordham at 7:00 p.m. at Draddy Gym in the home opener for Manhattan.