Game 22: Siena Saints (7-12, 5-5 MAAC) at Manhattan Lady Jaspers (10-11, 5-5 MAAC)
Friday, February 5, 2010-6 p.m.
Riverdale, N.Y.-Draddy Gymnasium (2,345)
TV: None
Radio/Internet: JasperVision (gojaspers.com), sienasaints.com
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Lady Jaspers (10-11, 5-5 MAAC) look to break a third-place tie with Siena (7-12, 5-5 MAAC) on "Alumni Night" at Draddy Gymnasium. Manhattan is coming off a 54-46 loss at Rider on Sunday afternoon, while Siena was swept on the Buffalo trip last weekend. The Saints fell to Canisius, 51-41, on Sunday. This game is the opener of a Manhattan basketball doubleheader. The Jasper men take on Marist at 9 p.m. in a contest that will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
ABOUT MANHATTAN
Manhattan (10-11, 5-5 MAAC) is looking to rebound from a 54-46 loss at Rider on Sunday afternoon. The Lady Jaspers are currently in a three-way tie with Siena and Niagara for third place in the MAAC. Sophomore forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer, who notched her first double-double of the season on Sunday, leads Manhattan with 17.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in conference play. Overall, Loutsenhizer leads the Lady Jaspers in rebounding (6.6 rpg) and ranks second on the team in scoring (14.7 ppg). Senior guard Michelle Pacheco averages a team-high 15.0 points per game. Pacheco also ranks second in the MAAC in both assists and steals, averaging 5.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game. Sophomore forward Nadia Peters tied a career-high with 11 rebounds against Rider, and ranks second on the team with 5.2 boards per contest. Peters ranks third in the MAAC in both field goal percentage (.496) and blocked shots (1.6 bpg).
ABOUT SIENA
Siena comes into tonight's game with a 7-12 record and a 5-5 mark in MAAC play. The Saints were swept on the Buffalo trip last weekend, losing to Niagara in overtime, 65-63, then falling 51-41 at Canisius. Junior forward Serena Moore averaged 20.5 points and 8.5 rebounds last weekend and is the current MAAC Player of the Week. Moore paces the Saints in both scoring (12.9 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg). Senior guard Allie Lindemann averages 11.6 points per game and is shooting .396 from three-point range. Lindemann drains 2.3 three-pointers per game. Senior forward Sarah Fullmer ranks third on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg) and second in rebounding (6.6 rpg). She also averages a team-best 1.6 blocks per game. Senior guard Merrick Volpe dishes out a team-leading 3.4 assists per game. She also paces the Saints with 1.5 steals per game. Tonight's contest is the conclusion of a three-game road trip for the Saints.
MANHATTAN VS SIENA ALL-TIME
After Manhattan won both meetings during the 2007-08 season, Siena swept the season series in 2008-09. The Saints notched a 64-55 victory at Draddy Gymnasium on Jan. 23, then posted a 58-53 win in Loudonville on Feb. 1. This is the 47th all-time meeting between the MAAC rivals, with the Saints holding a 30-16 edge in the series.
RIDER 54, MANHATTAN 46
Poor shooting proved costly for Manhattan on Sunday, as the Lady Jaspers shot just 23.3 percent (7-of-30) from the field in the second half in a 54-46 loss at Rider. Manhattan fought back from a 20-13 first-half deficit to send the contest into halftime tied at 27-27. Manhattan was limited to just one point over the first 12 minutes of the half. However, the Lady Jaspers only trailed 40-28 when Lindey Loutsenhizer's old fashioned three-point play started a Manhattan rally. Manhattan pulled within five, 51-46, with 1:01 left before Rider made enough free throws down the stretch to finish off the victory. Loutsenhizer led the Lady Jaspers with 13 points and 12 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Nadia Peters also had a double-double, posting 10 points and tying a career-high with 11 rebounds.
ALUMNI NIGHT
Tonight, the Manhattan women's basketball team is celebrating "Alumni Night." Many of the greatest players in program history, as well as some recent alumni, are back for tonight's game. Between contests of tonight's Manhattan basketball doubleheader, the women's program is hosting an alumni reception in the Faculty Dining Hall.