Game 30: #5 Niagara Purple Eagles (12-17) vs #4 Manhattan Lady Jaspers (15-14)
2010 Citizens Bank MAAC Basketball Championships, Quarterfinals
Friday, March 5, 2010-approx. 3:30 p.m.
Albany, N.Y.-Times Union Center (8,065)
TV: None
Radio/Internet: maacsports.com (video), gojaspers.com (audio)
TODAY'S GAME
The fourth-seeded Lady Jaspers (15-14, 10-8 MAAC) open the 2010 Citizens Bank MAAC Basketball Championships this afternoon with a quarterfinal matchup against fifth-seeded Niagara (12-17, 9-9 MAAC). In the semifinals, the winner takes on either top-seeded Marist or the winner of Thursday's first round game between Saint Peter's and Canisius. On Sunday, Manhattan wrapped up the regular season with a 65-62 victory over Marist, while Niagara fell to Saint Peter's, 63-59.
ABOUT MANHATTAN
Manhattan (15-14, 10-8 MAAC) earned the No. 4 seed in the MAAC Tournament with a 65-62 win over Marist on Sunday afternoon. Senior guard Michelle Pacheco, a First Team All-MAAC selection, posted a career-high 28 points in the victory. Pacheco ranks second on the team and fourth in the MAAC with an average of 15.3 points per game. She leads the MAAC with 5.0 assists per game and ranks second in the league with 2.9 steals per contest. Sophomore forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer earned a place on the All-MAAC Second Team after leading the Lady Jaspers in both scoring (15.6 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg) during the regular season. Loutsenhizer ranks second in the MAAC in field goal percentage (.471), and averaged 17.5 points in MAAC games, the highest total in the league. Junior guard Abby Wentworth contributes 9.4 points and 2.4 steals per game, while sophomore forward Nadia Peters is second in the MAAC in blocked shots 1.6 bpg).
ABOUT NIAGARA
The Purple Eagles (12-17, 9-9 MAAC) enter the MAAC Tournament as the No. 5 seed. Niagara has dropped three straight, including a pair of home games last weekend. The Purple Eagles are coming off a 63-59 loss to Saint Peter's on Sunday. Junior forward Liz Flooks, a Second Team All-MAAC selection, leads Niagara in scoring, averaging 12.8 points per game. She also contributes 4.8 rebounds per game, the second-highest total on the squad. Flooks is one of the MAAC's most proficient three-point shooters, draining 1.9 treys per game and shooting .400 from beyond the arc. Freshman guard Kayla Stroman was selected to the MAAC All-Rookie Team. She averages 9.2 points and a team-leading 4.4 assists per game. Stroman also leads the Purple Eagles with 2.1 steals per game. Senior forward Rachele Folino contributes 9.1 points and a team-high 5.5 rebounds per contest.
MANHATTAN VS NIAGARA ALL-TIME
Manhattan swept the regular season series with Niagara in 2009-10 and has won four straight against the Purple Eagles. The Lady Jaspers notched a 70-54 win at the Gallagher Center on Jan. 9, then posted a 55-53 victory in the rematch at Draddy Gymnasium on Feb. 13. The Lady Jaspers and Purple Eagles have met in the MAAC Tournament once, a 57-53 Manhattan victory in the first round of the 2007 event. Manhattan leads the all-time series 22-20.
THIS SEASON
Jan. 9, 2010-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 Jan. 9. 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.
Feb. 13, 2010-Manhattan 55, Niagara 53
Michelle Pacheco's 15-foot jumper as time expired gave Manhattan a 55-53 victory over Niagara at Draddy Gymnasium on Feb. 13. Niagara had tied it at 53-53 with 30.1 seconds remaining, then, after each team took a timeout, the Lady Jaspers held for a final shot. Pacheco released just before the buzzer sounded, and the shot was nothing but net, giving Manhattan its third straight win. After Niagara led for much of the early going, an 8-0 Manhattan run gave the Lady Jaspers an advantage that they would carry into the locker room, 36-28. Manhattan pushed its lead to 10 early in the second half before the Purple Eagles stormed back to tie the score. Lindsey Loutsenhizer led the Lady Jaspers with 18 points and eight rebounds. Abby Wentworth added nine points and five boards.
TOURNAMENT SCENARIOS
The Lady Jaspers finished fourth in the MAAC during the regular season and earned the No. 4 seed in the MAAC Tournament for the second time in three seasons. This marks the second time in four years that Manhattan is playing against Niagara in its MAAC Tournament opener. The winner of today's quarterfinal game takes on either top-seeded Marist or the winner of the Saint Peter's/Canisius first round game in the semifinals. Saturday's semifinal game is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., while Sunday's MAAC Championship Game begins at 12 p.m.
MANHATTAN 65, MARIST 62
Playing in her final home game in a Manhattan uniform, Michelle Pacheco notched a career-high 28 points to lead the Lady Jaspers to their first win over Marist since 2004, a 65-62 victory at Draddy Gymnasium on Sunday afternoon. Marist made eight of its first nine shots to take an 18-9 lead before Manhattan charged back to take a 24-22 advantage. The Lady Jaspers led 31-30 at halftime, but the Red Foxes stormed out of the gate in the second half, opening up a 46-35 advantage. After Manhattan rallied to tie the score, Pacheco's steal and layup gave the Lady Jaspers a 63-60 lead with 43 seconds left. Marist pulled within one, then had a chance to take the lead, but turned the ball over with 10 seconds left. Lindsey Loutsenhizer tallied 14 points and five rebounds, while Nadia Peters added 10 points.
