Game 1: St. Francis (NY) Terriers (0-0) at Manhattan Lady Jaspers (0-0)
Friday, November 13, 2009-7 p.m.
Riverdale, N.Y.-Draddy Gymnasium (2,345)
TV: None
Radio/Internet: JasperVision (www.gojaspers.com)
TONIGHT'S GAME
Manhattan opens the 2009-10 season with tonight's matchup against St. Francis (NY). The Lady Jaspers are opening up against the Terriers for the second straight season. Manhattan defeated St. Francis (NY), 63-59, in Brooklyn Heights to start the 2008-09 season. The Lady Jaspers, who finished 10-20 a year ago, were predicted to finish ninth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll. St. Francis (NY) went 4-25 last season and was picked 12th in the Northeast Conference Preseason Poll.
ABOUT MANHATTAN
The Lady Jaspers begin the John Olenowski era with tonight's matchup against St. Francis (NY). Manhattan returns nine letterwinners and three starters from last season's squad that finished 10-20 overall. Sophomore guard Alyssa Herrington, who was selected to the MAAC All-Rookie Team last season, averaged 9.8 points per game in 2008-09 and is Manhattan's top returning scorer. Herrington led the MAAC with 2.5 three-pointers per game last season and her 73 treys were one shy of the single-season school record. Sophomore forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer joined Herrington on the MAAC All-Rookie Team last season, and is Manhattan's top returning rebounder with an average of 6.4 boards per contest. Senior guard Michelle Pacheco, the lone senior on this year's squad, is Manhattan's third returning starter. She averaged 8.6 points and a team-high 3.5 assists per game last season.
ABOUT ST. FRANCIS (NY)
St. Francis (NY), which was picked to finish 12th in the Northeast Conference preseason poll, lost four starters from last season's squad that finished 4-25 overall. Just four players from that roster remain in 2009-10. The only returning starter is senior forward Kendra Williams, who averaged 11.4 points and a team-best 6.7 rebounds per game last season. Williams also averaged 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game in 2008-09. The only other returning Terriers who saw significant time last year are junior guard Shannon Gantt and senior guard Melissa Weithman. Gantt averaged 2.7 points per game last season, while Weithman averaged 2.2 points per game and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Junior guard Jacinda Williams becomes eligible this season after transferring from New Hampshire. She averaged 4.0 points and 1.7 assists in 29 games for New Hampshire during the 2007-08 season.
MANHATTAN VS ST. FRANCIS (NY) ALL-TIME
This is the 13th all-time meeting between the Lady Jaspers and Terriers. Manhattan's 63-59 victory last season renewed a series that began in 1978-79. St. Francis (NY) won that initial meeting, 78-71, but Manhattan has won 11 straight since. The last time the teams met at Draddy Gymnasium, the Lady Jaspers posted a 74-47 victory on Nov. 27, 1999.
