Albany, NY (March 8, 2004)- Top-seeded Manhattan won its second straight MAAC Championship with a 62-61 win over second-seeded Niagara tonight at the Pepsi Arena. Senior Luis Flores was named Tournament MVP after scoring 47 points in the Jaspers' two wins. Flores also became Manhattan's all-time leading scorer, as he has tallied 2000 points in his three seasons wearing the Green and White. Senior Dave Holmes joined Flores on the All-Tournament Team.
Manhattan led by six at the break, and extended the lead to 14, 52-38, on two Flores free throws with 8:14 remaining. The two free throws gave Flores his 2000th point, making him the first player in Manhattan men's basketball history to reach 2000 points in a career. At that point, the Purple Eagles (21-9) went on a 17-6 run to pull with three, 58-55, with 2:10 left on a Juan Mendez layup. A Lorenzo Miles three drew Niagara to within one, 62-61, with 12 seconds left. After Manhattan missed two free throws, the Purple Eagles worked the ball over half court, but Trammel Darden's three-pointer fell short at time expired, giving the Jaspers consecutive MAAC Tournament Championship and a second straight NCAA Tournament berth.
The game see-sawed in the early going, with one tie and four lead changes over the first four minutes of the game. With the Jaspers leading by one, 14-13, with 12:00 minutes left, Manhattan embarked on a 7-0 run, capped by a Jason Wingate layup, to take a 21-13 lead with 6:31 remaining. Niagara got as close as three, 25-22, on a James Mathis layup with 4:18 to go before the Jaspers pushed the lead back to six heading into the locker room.
Holmes paced the Jaspers with 16 points, while pulling down seven rebounds. Flores chipped in with 14 points, as seven Manhattan players scored five points or more. Jason Benton scored eight points, and pulled down a team-high eight caroms.
Mendez led all scorers with 26 points and 12 rebounds for Niagara, while Darden added 18 points. James Reaves scored four points and pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds, as the Purple Eagles won the battle of the boards, 49-38.
Manhattan now awaits Selection Sunday to find out where the Jaspers will be heading for the NCAA Tournament. Seedings will be announced on Sunday, March 14.