Game 3: Maryland Eastern Shore Lady Hawks (0-1) at Manhattan Lady Jaspers (1-1)
Sunday, November 22, 2009-2 p.m.
Riverdale, N.Y.-Draddy Gymnasium (2,345)
TV: None
Radio/Internet: JasperVision (gojaspers.com), WGOP-AM 540 (Pocomoke City, MD)
TODAY'S GAME
After putting up a good fight against 14th-ranked Virginia, Manhattan (1-1) returns home this afternoon for a matchup with Maryland Eastern Shore (0-1). The Lady Jaspers knocked off St. Francis (NY), 71-34, in their season opener before dropping an 86-68 decision to Virginia last Sunday. The Lady Hawks opened their season last Sunday with a 102-65 loss at UMBC. Maryland Eastern Shore was picked to finish second in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Preseason Poll.
ABOUT MANHATTAN
The Lady Jaspers have had a week off since their 86-68 loss at No. 14/18 Virginia last Sunday afternoon. Sophomore guard Alyssa Herrington sank six three-pointers and tallied a career-high 22 points against Virginia. For the season, Herrington is averaging 14.0 points and 4.0 three-pointers per game. Senior guard Michelle Pacheco leads Manhattan in scoring, averaging 17.0 points through the first two games. Pacheco also distributes a team-leading 6.0 assists per game, and she tied a career-high with eight assists in the loss to Virginia. With 10.0 points per game, sophomore forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer is the third Lady Jasper averaging double-figures in the scoring column. Junior guard Abby Wentworth leads the Lady Jaspers with 5.5 rebounds per game. As a team, Manhattan has held its two opponents to .091 (3-of-33) shooting from three-point range. Following today's game, the Lady Jaspers play four of their next five contests on the road.
ABOUT MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
Maryland Eastern Shore opened the season with a 102-65 loss at UMBC last Sunday. The Lady Hawks, who finished fourth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference last season, were picked to finish second in the MEAC Preseason Poll. Senior guard/forward April McBride has been selected to the All-MEAC First Team in each of the past two seasons, and she was named Preseason All-MEAC this year. McBride led the Lady Hawks in both scoring (16.2 ppg) and rebounding (8.6 rpg) last season. She had nine points and eight boards against UMBC in the season opener. Junior guard Casey Morton distributed a team-best 3.1 assists per game in 2009-10, while sophomore forward/center Adobi Agbasi averaged 1.6 blocks per game last season. Morton led UMES with 12 points and three steals against UMBC, and freshman forward/center Krystal Watson contributed 10 points and five rebounds off the bench.
MANHATTAN VS UMES ALL-TIME
It has been 18 years since Manhattan and Maryland Eastern Shore last met in women's basketball. The Lady Jaspers won the only previous meeting between the schools, 78-51 at Draddy Gymnasium on Nov. 30, 1991. Manhattan is 7-1 all-time against members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, with the only loss coming against Norfolk State.
VIRGINIA 86, MANHATTAN 68
The Lady Jaspers hung with No. 14/18 Virginia for a while, but the Cavaliers proved too strong in the end, posting an 86-68 victory at John Paul Jones Arena last Sunday. After the Cavaliers jumped out to an 8-2 lead, the Lady Jaspers came back to tie it at 10-10. Virginia responded with a 12-0 run, and increased its lead to 38-15 with 2:28 left in the first half. Back-to-back Alyssa Herrington three-pointers ignited an 8-2 Manhattan run that cut the Lady Jaspers' deficit to 40-23 at halftime. Manhattan got within 12 midway through the second half, but was unable to pull any closer. Herrington notched a career-high 22 points, including six three-pointers, while Michelle Pacheco had 15 points and tied a career-high with eight assists.