Game 15: Manhattan Lady Jaspers (7-7, 2-1 MAAC) at Canisius Golden Griffins (5-9, 0-3 MAAC)
Monday, January 11, 2010-11 a.m.
Buffalo, N.Y.-Koessler Athletic Center (2,176)
TV: None
Radio/Internet: gogriffs.com
TODAY'S GAME
The 2009-10 season reaches its midway point today, as the Lady Jaspers (7-7, 2-1 MAAC) wrap up the Buffalo trip with a rare 11 a.m. game at Canisius (5-9, 0-3 MAAC). Manhattan has won three out of four and posted a 70-54 victory over Niagara on Saturday afternoon. After starting the season 5-2, Canisius has dropped seven straight, including a 60-48 loss to Iona on Saturday. The Lady Jaspers haven't won in the Koessler Athletic Center since the 2000-01 season.
ABOUT MANHATTAN
The Lady Jaspers continue their three-game road trip looking to sweep Niagara and Canisius in Buffalo for the first time in program history. Manhattan knocked off Niagara 70-54 on Saturday afternoon and has won three of its last four games. Senior guard Michelle Pacheco paces the Lady Jaspers with 15.8 points per game and leads the MAAC with 5.7 assists per game. Pacheco also averages 3.6 rebounds and a team-high 2.9 steals per contest. Sophomore forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer, who finished one rebound shy of a double-double against Niagara, ranks second on the team in scoring (13.1 ppg) and grabs a team-leading 6.4 rebounds per contest. Sophomore forward Nadia Peters ranks second in the MAAC in both field goal percentage (.571) and blocked shots (1.7 bpg). She is averaging a career-best 7.6 points per game and ranks second among the Lady Jaspers with 4.9 rebounds per game.
ABOUT CANISIUS
After starting the season 5-2, Canisius has lost seven straight, including its first three MAAC games of the season. The Griffs are coming off a 60-48 loss to Iona on Saturday and are averaging just 42.7 points over their last six games. For the season, Canisius is averaging a mere 50.9 points per game, which ranks last in the league. Senior guard Brittane Russell averages 13.3 points per game to lead Canisius. She also paces the Griffs in assists (3.7 apg) and steals (3.1 spg). Russell is second on the team with 5.0 rebounds per game. Senior forward Ellie Radke, last year's MAAC Sixth Player of the Year, leads Canisius with 5.2 rebounds per contest and ranks second on the squad with 10.1 points per game. Canisius has made at least one three-pointer in an NCAA-record 466 consecutive games. As a team, the Griffs rank second in the MAAC with 7.0 three-pointers per game.
MANHATTAN VS CANISIUS ALL-TIME
Canisius swept both meetings last season and leads the all-time series 27-17. Manhattan's last win over the Griffs was a 59-46 victory at Draddy Gymnasium on Feb. 1, 2008. The Lady Jaspers have lost eight straight at the Koessler Athletic Center, with their last victory coming during the 2000-01 campaign. Manhattan is just 2-11 against Canisius since 2003-04.
MANHATTAN 70, NIAGARA 54
After getting off to a slow start, Manhattan used a 20-3 run midway through the first half to take control of the game en route to a 70-54 victory over Niagara at the Gallagher Center on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Jaspers missed their first nine shots, but ended four straight possessions with three-pointers as part of a 17-0 run that gave them a 24-10 lead midway through the first half. Manhattan led 36-27 at halftime, and after the Purple Eagles got within eight, extended its advantage to a game-high 18 points, 62-44, with 5:35 remaining. Lindsey Loutsenhizer finished one rebound shy of a double-double, notching team-highs with 18 points and nine boards. Alyssa Herrington added 16 points and drained four treys, while Nadia Peters chipped in 10 points.
YOU LOOK FAMILIAR
Canisius Head Coach Terry Zeh is a familiar face to many Jaspers fans, having spent one season on the men's basketball staff at Manhattan. Zeh was an assistant under Fran Fraschilla during the1994-95 campaign, when the Jaspers went 26-5, won the MAAC regular season crown and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, where they upset Oklahoma in the first round.