Game 33: Manhattan (20-12) vs. Albany (19-14)
2012 CollegeInsider.com Tournament
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 7 p.m.
SEFCU Arena (4,538) - Albany, N.Y.
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Scouting Report
Manhattan (20-12, 12-6 MAAC)
Manhattan enters the 2012 CollegeInsider.com Tournament coming off its best campaign since 2005-06. The Jaspers finished third in the MAAC with a 12-6 record, and were 20-12 overall. It is only the 11th time in its 106-year history that the program has seen a 20-win campaign. The Jaspers finished the regular season strong winning 11 of their last 15 contests.
Jaspers' first year head coach Steve Masiello has orchestrated the biggest turnaround in NCAA Division I by posting 14 more wins than last season with a team coming off a 6-25 overall record and last place finish in the MAAC. Masiello implemented a hard-nosed, high energy style that has transformed Manhattan into one of the premier defensive teams in the conference.
Manhattan led the MAAC in several defensive categories, including field goal defense (40.4%), 3-point field goal defense (32.7%) and blocked shots (4.9 bpg). On the offensive side of the court, the Jaspers were one of the top three teams in free-throw percentage (73.2%), 3-point field goal percentage (36.6%) and scoring offense (71.1 ppg).
Jaspers' junior George Beamon led the MAAC in scoring averaging 18.6 points. The 6'4" guard was even better in conference games with 19.6 points per game. He also led Manhattan in steals (44), he was second on the team in rebounding (5.5 rpg), and stands in the top-10 of the MAAC in 3-point field goal percentage (42.8%), steals (1.5 spg) and free-throw percentage (79.7%). Beamon earned a spot on the 2012 All-MAAC First Team
Sophomore forward Rhamel Brown became the first Jasper to earn the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year award. Brown set a program single season record with 79 blocks and he entered the week ranked 18th in NCAA Division I with 2.5 blocks per game.
Manhattan freshman forward Emmy Andujar garnered MAAC All-Rookie Team honors. Andujar started 30 of 31 appearances and he filled the stat sheet with 8.4 points, a team-high 5.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. Sophomore point guard Michael Alvarado was an All-MAAC Third Team honoree leading the Jaspers and ranking sixth in the MAAC with 3.3 assists per game, going along with an 8.4 scoring average. Alvarado missed the last four games of the season with an injury.
Albany (19-14, 9-7 America East)
Albany posted a 19-14 overall record and finished fourth in the America East with a 9-7 conference ledger. The Great Danes won their final three games of the regular-season before being knocked off by top-seeded Stony Brook in the America East Conference semifinals on March 4.
The Great Danes are led by junior guard Gerardo Suero who led the America East in scoring and entered the week sixth in NCAA Division I with 21.7 points per game. Suero was a First Team All-Conference selection and he was named the CollegeInsider.com America East Player of the Year.
Albany led the America East in scoring offense averaging 71.9 points per contest, as well as in every shooting category, field goal pct. (44.5%), three-point field goal pct. (35.9%) and free-throw pct. (75.4%).
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