Lawrenceville, NJ (January 27, 2005)- Without two starters, Manhattan battled the Rider Broncs and hung tough for the first 20 minutes, but could not manufacture an upset, falling 75-46, tonight at Alumni Gym on the Rider campus. Jeff Xavier scored a collegiate-high 15 points to lead the Jaspers.
A scrappy Manhattan team raced out to 7-1 lead over the game's first four minutes before the Broncs used a 12-2 run to take a four point lead, 13-9, a lead they would not relinquish. The Jaspers were able to cut the lead to one point three times over the next five and half minutes, the last time when Xavier connected on a three pointer with 5:58 to play before the half to make the score 22-21 Rider. The Broncs closed out the half with an 11-2 run to take a 10 point lead, 33-23, into the break.
Rider scored the first four points of the second half, and Manhattan was not able to reduce the deficit to less than 11 points the rest of the way. Rider's biggest lead was 30 points, 73-43, with 1:52 left in the game.
Xavier added a game-high four steals to his 15 points. Arturo Dubois added eight points and seven rebounds, while Guy Ngarndi chipped in with five points and seven boards, and Darren Johnson added five rebounds in his first collegiate start.
Jerry Johnson posted a game-high 21 points to lead the Broncs, while Edwin Muniz added 18, and Jason Thompson chipped in with eight points and game-high 11 caroms.
The Jaspers return to action on Sunday, January 30, when they host Fairfield in a
MAAC-TV contest slated to begin at 4:00 p.m.