Game 25: Manhattan (17-7, 10-2) vs. Iona (18-5, 10-2)
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 7 p.m.
Draddy Gymnasium (2,345) - Riverdale, N.Y.
MAAC National Game of the Week on ESPN3.com
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Scouting Report
Manhattan (17-7, 10-2 MAAC)
Manhattan is the most improved team in NCAA Division I standing with 17-7 overall, which is already 11 more wins from last season. Under the direction of first year head coach Steve Masiello, the Jaspers hold the longest active win streak in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference by posting victories in their last eight contests.
The Jaspers 10-2 conference record has Manhattan locked in a first place tie with MAAC preseason favorite Iona and Loyola. It is the Jaspers best MAAC start since 2003-2004 when Manhattan went 14-1 through its first 15 conference games.
Manhattan has been one of the top defensive teams in the nation as the Jaspers are ranked 22nd in NCAA Division I with a 39.1% field goal defense, tied with Ohio State. The Jaspers also lead the MAAC in 3-point field goal percentage defense (32.3%), rebounding (37.1), blocked shots (5.0 bpg) and defensive rebounding percentage (68.3%).
Junior guard George Beamon has been a key to the Jaspers success. Beamon is coming off his 38th straight double-digit scoring effort and he ranks second in the MAAC averaging 17.4 points per game. Beamon is 14 points shy of becoming the 33rd player in Manhattan men's basketball history to join the 1,000-point club.
Sophomore Michael Alvarado has been superb at the point guard position as his 81 assists are the fourth most in the MAAC this season. Alvarado is averaging 8.2 points, he has 38 steals and he is shooting 41.2% from the field.
Rhamel Brown has helped anchor the Jaspers post production in 24 appearances this season. Brown, a sophomore forward from Brooklyn, leads the MAAC with 62 blocks and he is tied for 18th nationally averaging 2.6 per game. He has also posted 7.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest.
The Jaspers have also relied on freshman forward Emmy Andujar who is second on the team in scoring (8.5 ppg) and assists (3.0 apg). Andujar is shooting 51% from the field and he leads the Jaspers with seven 5+ assist games. In the Jaspers two wins last week over Canisius and Niagara, Andujar averaged 6.5 points, 7.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds. His assist:turnover ratio in these two contests was 7.0 to 1.
Senior co-captain Kidani Brutus leads Manhattan with 44 three-point field goals. The Jaspers are third in the MAAC with 175 three-pointers.
Iona (18-5, 10-2 MAAC)
Iona enters its first place showdown with Manhattan riding a three game win streak and the Gaels have won five of their last six contests. Iona has had one of the most powerful offenses in all of NCAA Division I as Iona is ranked top-5 nationally averaging 83.2 points per game. Saturday's showdown will feature the Gaels top offense in the conference that leads the league with a 49.9% field goal mark versus the Jaspers top defense that is tops in the league limiting opponents to a 39.1% field goal defense.
Iona has a plethora of talent, including the MAAC scoring leader senior Mike Glover who leads the league in scoring (18.5 ppg). Glover ranks second in the country shooting 66.4% from the field.
The Gaels backcourt features senior guard Scott Machado who leads the nation averaging 10.0 assists, while also posting 13.4 points per game. Lamont Jones, a junior transfer from Arizona, is averaging 16.1 points per game. Jones is coming off a career-high 43 point performance in a 105-86 win over Canisius on Thursday.
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