Game 21: Manhattan Lady Jaspers (10-10, 5-4 MAAC) at Rider Broncs (2-18, 0-9 MAAC)
Sunday, January 31, 2010-2 p.m.
Lawrenceville, N.J.-Alumni Gymnasium (1,650)
TV: None
Radio/Internet: gobroncs.com
TODAY'S GAME
The Lady Jaspers (10-10, 5-4 MAAC) look to extend their winning streak to three games and move above .500 for the season this afternoon at Alumni Gymnasium against Rider (2-18, 0-9 MAAC). Manhattan has won three out of four, including a 66-48 triumph over Saint Peter's at Draddy Gymnasium on Friday. The Broncs have dropped 11 straight games, including Friday night's 85-60 loss to Iona. Manhattan currently sits tied for third at the midway point of the MAAC schedule.
ABOUT MANHATTAN
The Lady Jaspers (10-10, 5-4 MAAC) come into today's game the winners of two straight and three out of their last four. Manhattan posted a 66-48 home victory over Saint Peter's on Friday night. Senior guard Michelle Pacheco and sophomore forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer, the Lady Jaspers' top two scorers, both surpassed the 20-point plateau in that game. Pacheco averages a team-leading 15.3 points to go along with a MAAC-best 5.1 assists and 3.0 steals per game, which ranks second in the MAAC. Loutsenhizer averages 14.8 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds per game. In MAAC play, she is averaging a team-leading 17.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest. Junior guard Abby Wentworth is Manhattan's third double-digit scorer, averaging 10.0 points per game. Wentworth also averages 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. Sophomore forward Nadia Peters ranks third in the MAAC in both field goal percentage (.508) and blocked shots (1.6 bpg).
ABOUT RIDER
Rider has dropped 11 straight, including all nine of its MAAC contests. The Broncs enter today's game with a 2-18 overall record after an 85-60 loss to Iona on Friday night. Senior guard Amanda Sepulveda, who notched her 1,000th career point on Friday night, leads Rider in scoring, averaging 10.6 points per game. She also averages a team-high 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals per contest. Junior guard Cintella Spotwood ranks second on the team in scoring (10.1 ppg) and third in rebounding (4.8 rpg). Freshman forward Caitlin Bopp, a four-time MAAC Rookie of the Week, leads the Broncs and ranks second in the MAAC with 9.5 rebounds per game. She also averages 7.6 points per game. Freshman forward Carleigh Brown grabs 5.1 rebounds per contest. Today's game concludes a span where Rider played six out of seven at home. The Broncs' next three games are on the road.
MANHATTAN VS RIDER ALL-TIME
Manhattan has won two straight and nine of its last 10 against Rider. The Lady Jaspers have won their last four games at Alumni Gymnasium and their last five overall at Rider (last year's game was at the Soverign Bank Arena). The Lady Jaspers, who posted a 56-44 victory over the Broncs at Draddy Gymnasium on Jan. 3, lead the all-time series 22-7.
MANHATTAN 66, SAINT PETER'S 48
On "Pack the House" Night at Draddy Gymnasium, 1,428 fans saw Manhattan's top two scorers at their best, as Michelle Pacheco and Lindsey Loutsenhizer combined for 43 points in the Lady Jaspers' 66-48 victory over Saint Peter's. Pacheco finished with 22 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals, while Loutsenhizer tallied 21 points and a game-high seven boards. The Lady Jaspers built an early 11-4 lead before the Peahens rallied back within two. A Pacheco trey on the other end sparked a 12-3 Manhattan rally that pushed the Lady Jaspers' lead to double-digits, and they led 29-17 at halftime. Saint Peter's got within six points in the second half, but Manhattan responded with a 5-0 run to push the lead back to double figures, where it would remain the rest of the way. The Lady Jaspers ended the game on a 24-12 run to cap a 66-48 victory.
