Game 10: Manhattan (5-4) vs. Fordham (3-3)
Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 7 p.m.
Draddy Gymnasium (2,345) - Riverdale, N.Y.
104th "Battle of the Bronx"
'Whiteout' Draddy Gymnasium
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Scouting Report
Manhattan (5-4)
Manhattan is coming off a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) wins after limiting Rider and Saint Peter's to 48.5 points per game. The Jaspers have produced five wins in total under first year head coach Steve Masiello's new up-tempo style. Manhattan has gone at least 10 players deep in each of their nine games this season.
The Jaspers lead the MAAC in field goal percentage defense (40.2%) and rank second in free-throw shooting with a 72.9% team mark. Manhattan is third in the conference with 37.2 rebounds per game and sit second with +4.4 rebounding margin. Manhattan has won the battle of the boards in six of its last seven games and have a outrebounded their last three opponents 115-83 (+10.6 margin per game).
The Jaspers are led by junior guard George Beamon who is averaging a team-high 16.1 points per game, which ranks sixth in the MAAC. Beam leads NCAA Division I in free-throw shooting with a 97.4% (37-38) mark at the charity stripe. Beamon has hit 27 straight free-throw attempts and has not missed at the line since Nov. 21, 2011 in the Jaspers' 85-83 victory over Fresno State in the NIT Season Tip Off. Beamon is shooting 46.1% from the field and he is averaging 5.0 rebounds per game.
Senior Roberto Colonette and sophomore Rhamel Brown have anchored the Jaspers post production. Colonette is Manhattan's top rebounder with 6.8 boards per game, going along with a 7.8 scoring average through nine games this season. Brown has been dominant off the Manhattan bench in the last two contests averaging 8.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 5.5 blocks. Brown is one of the top shot blockers in the country as he is averaging a MAAC best 2.4 rejections per contest.
Jaspers' point guard Michael Alvarado has worked his way into the starting line up for the last five contests. As a starter, Alvarado is averaging 10.8 points and 3.2 assists, while shooting 80% (20-25) at the free-throw line. The 2011 All MAAC Rookie Team honoree erupted for a season-high 22 points at Colorado State on Nov. 22.
Seniors Kidani Brutus and Liam McCabe-Moran have led Manhattan in 3-point shooting. Brutus, a co-captain from the Bronx, has a team-high 15 3-point field goals and is averaging 7.2 points per game. McCabe-Moran is shooting a team-high 44.0% (11-25) from beyond the arc. The 6'4", 190-pound guard is averaging 6.2 points per game.
Freshmen Emmy Andujar and Donovan Kates have been key contributors in the Jaspers line up. Andujar is the only Manhattan player to start all nine games this season. He is averaging 7.4 points and 5.4 rebounds. Kates is a 6'6" sharp shooter from Hopkinsville, Ky. who is averaging 5.1 points per game.
Fordham (3-3)
Fordham enters the contest winning two of its last three games, including a 54-53 home victory over Hampton on Monday. The Rams are led by junior forward Chris Gaston who is nearly averaging a double double with 14.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
Rams freshman guard Devon McMillan has led the Fordham backcourt averaging 12.5 points and 3.0 assists in six starts this season. Branden Frazier, a 6'1" sophomore guard, is the third Ram who is averaging double-figures this season with 10.8 points per game.
Kervin Bristol, a 6'10" 225-pound forward, is Fordham's top rebounder with 8.0 boards per game.
The Rams picked up all three of their wins at home as Fordham is 0-2 on the road this season. Fordham is coach by Tom Pecora who is in his second season.
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