Game 17: Manhattan (9-7, 2-2) vs. Fairfield (8-7, 3-1)
Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 2 p.m.
Draddy Gymnasium (2,345) - Riverdale, N.Y.
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Scouting Report
Manhattan (9-7, 2-2 MAAC)
Manhattan first year head coach Steve Masiello has the Jaspers off to a 9-7 overall record. In their nine wins this season the Jaspers are averaging an 18.4 point margin of victory. Manhattan has been one of the top defensive teams in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference as the Jaspers are second in the league with a 40.4% field goal defense and 32.7% 3-point field goal defense. Manhattan leads the conference in rebounding (36.2 rpg). The Jaspers are also the league leader in defensive rebound percentage (.683).
Junior guard George Beamon has anchored the Jaspers scoring efforts this season averaging 16.5 points per game which is the fourth highest in the MAAC. Beamon is only 168 points shy of becoming the 33rd player in program history to score 1,000 career points. Beamon is also second in the MAAC in free-throw shooting (85.9%), 3-point field goal percentage (44.1%) and tied for eight in field goal percentage (49.4%).
Manhattan's bench production has been primarily led by senior guards Kidani Brutus, Liam McCabe-Moran and sophomore forward Rhamel Brown. Brutus (7.6 ppg) and McCabe-Moran (6.9 ppg) are also two of the Jaspers top outside shooting threats as they have combined for 49 3-pointers. McCabe-Moran is third in the MAAC behind Beamon with a 43.6% shooting percentage beyond the arc. Brown is averaging 7.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and he leads the MAAC with 40 blocked shots. The 6'6" 215-pound Brooklyn native leads Manhattan and is third in the MAAC with a 60.0% field goal shooting percentage.
Senior forward Roberto Colonette has been one of the Jaspers top big men as he leads the team in rebounding (5.9 rpg) and has averaged 6.8 points per game. He has 16 blocks and 17 steals this season.
Jaspers' point guard Michael Alvarado moved into the starting line up for the last 12 games. He leads the team and ranks seventh in the MAAC with 3.1 assists per game, going along with an 8.3 scoring average. Alvarado is shooting 40.7% (11-27) from downtown.
Freshman forward Emmy Andujar, a two-time MAAC Rookie of the Week honoree, is the only Jasper to start all 16 games. The 6'5", 205-pound forward has averaged 8.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He is shooting 48.6% from the field and has 17 steals. Freshman guard Donovan Kates has been another weapon off the bench as he holds a 5.7 scoring average with 14 3-pointers and he is shooting 76.1% (35-46) at the free-throw line.
Fairfield (8-7, 3-1 MAAC)
Under the direction of first year head coach Sydney Johnson, the Stags are off to a 8-7 overall record and are 3-1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Stags marquee non-conference victory came at the 2011 Old Spice Classic on Nov. 24 when Fairfield knocked off Arizona State 55-44. In the MAAC, Fairfield's has two wins over Canisius and a victory at Niagara. The Stags are coming off a 73-60 loss at Siena on Friday.
The Stags are led by 6'5" 228-pound forward Rakim Sanders who ranks fifth in the MAAC averaging 15.9 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per contest. The senior transfer from Boston College is shooting 47.4% from the field this season.
Fairfield is also receiving double-figures in scoring from junior guard Derek Needham (11.7 ppg) and senior center Ryan Olander (11.1 ppg). Needham leads the MAAC with 39 3-point field goals, while the 7-foot Olander is third in the conference with 29 blocks.
The Stags lead the league holding opponents to 63.4 points per game and are fourth with a 42.1% field goal defense. Fairfield is also third in the league shooting 44.2% from the field as a team.
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