Game 5: Manhattan Lady Jaspers (2-2) at Sacred Heart Pioneers (2-2)
Saturday, November 28, 2009-2 p.m.
Fairfield, Conn.-Pitt Center (2,100)
TV: None
Radio/Internet: sacredheartpioneers.com
TODAY'S GAME
The Lady Jaspers (2-2) conclude their two-game road trip with a short visit to the Pitt Center in Fairfield, Conn., for a matchup with defending Northeast Conference champion Sacred Heart (2-2) this afternoon. Manhattan is coming off a 69-66 loss at Columbia on Tuesday, while the Pioneers have won two straight, including an 83-70 victory at Stony Brook on Tuesday night. Sacred Heart was picked to defend its conference championship in the NEC Preseason Poll.
ABOUT MANHATTAN
The Lady Jaspers, who have alternated wins and losses over their first four games, look for their first road win of the season this afternoon. Manhattan is coming off a 69-66 loss at Columbia on Tuesday. Senior guard Michelle Pacheco distributed a career-high nine assists in that game, and she leads the MAAC with 7.3 assists per game. Pacheco is also Manhattan's leading scorer with an avearge of 16.5 points per game. Sophomore forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer ranks second on the team in scoring (13.0 ppg) and leads the Lady Jaspers with 6.8 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Alyssa Herrington adds 12.8 points per game and a MAAC-best 3.8 three-pointers per game. Sophomore forward Nadia Peters ranks second in the MAAC with 2.3 blocks per game. As a team, Manhattan averages 73.2 points per game to lead the conference in scoring. The Lady Jaspers also lead the MAAC in field goal percentage (.436) and assists (17.5 apg).
ABOUT SACRED HEART
After dropping their first two games, the Pioneers have rebounded with back-to-back wins over Harvard and Stony Brook. Sacred Heart went undefeated in Northeast Conference play last season and bowed out to Ohio State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Pioneers were picked to defend their conference title in the NEC Preseason Poll. Junior guard Alisa Apo leads the Pioneers in scoring, averaging 16.0 points per game. She also hands out a team-leading 7.0 assists per game. Sophomore forward Callan Taylor ranks second on the squad with 15.8 points per game and pulls down a team-high 8.0 rebounds per contest. Two other Sacred Heart starters average double-figures in scoring. Junior guard Maggie Cosgrove contributes 13.0 points per game, while freshman guard Kiley Evans averages 11.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per contest.
MANHATTAN VS SACRED HEART ALL-TIME
The only previous meeting between Manhattan and Sacred Heart was last season at Draddy Gymnasium, when the Lady Jaspers notched a 68-62 victory over the NCAA Tournament-bound Pioneers. Manhattan is 44-25 all-time against current members of the Northeast Conference, including a season-opening 71-34 victory over St. Francis (NY).
COLUMBIA 69, MANHATTAN 66
Trailing by three with 11 seconds left, the Lady Jaspers had two chances to send the game into overtime on Tuesday, but Alyssa Herrington's shot missed the mark and Abby Wentworth had her attempt blocked at the buzzer, giving Columbia a 69-66 win at Levien Gymnasium. Columbia broke a 64-64 tie with a three-pointer with 35 seconds left, then Michelle Pacheco drove for a layup to cut the Lady Jaspers' deficit to one. Manhattan was forced to foul, and Columbia's Sara Yee sank both free throws to set up the final sequence. Lindsey Loutsenhizer posted a game-high 16 points and added nine rebounds, while Herrington finished with 12 points. Pacheco tallied 11 points and dished out a career-high nine assists, and Wentworth posted 10 points and six rebounds.
