Manhattan-Rider Game Notes
Game 16: Manhattan Jaspers (3-12, 2-4 MAAC) at Rider Broncs (7-8, 3-3 MAAC)
Thursday, January 16, 2014-5:00 p.m.
Lawrenceville, N.J.-Alumni Gymnasium (1,650)
Video: MAAC.tv, BroncVision
Audio: www.gobroncs.com
JASPERS VS. BRONCS
Manhattan (3-12, 2-4 MAAC) continues its three-game road trip this evening with a matchup against Rider (7-8, 3-3 MAAC) at Alumni Gymnasium. The Jaspers, who are looking to snap a four-game skid, are coming off a 77-74 loss at Quinnipiac on Sunday afternoon. The Broncs had a two-game winning streak snapped by Canisius, 76-72, on Sunday. This is the second game in a span where Manhattan plays five out of six on the road. After getting the weekend off, the Jaspers visit first-place Iona on Monday night.
ABOUT MANHATTAN
The Jaspers (3-12, 2-4 MAAC) have dropped four straight, including a 77-74 defeat at Quinnipiac on Sunday afternoon. Senior guard Monica Roeder had 14 points in that game to move within one point of Manhattan's all-time Top 10. She currently paces the team with 11.3 points per game. Sophomore forward Shayna Ericksen is averaging a team-best 13.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest in conference play. Overall, Ericksen tallies 10.4 points and 5.9 boards per outing, and her .593 field goal percentage is the best in the conference. She also paces the Jaspers with 1.7 steals a night. Senior guard Allison Skrec contributes 8.4 points per game to go along with a team-leading 5.1 assists per outing. Junior guard Nicole Isaacs, meanwhile, pours in 8.0 points a night and drains 2.3 three-poiners per contest. Sophomore guard Blake Underhill, who tallied a career-high 22 points against Quinnipiac, adds 6.5 points per game. Manhattan concludes its three-game road trip against first-place Iona on Monday night.
ABOUT RIDER
The Broncs (7-8, 3-3 MAAC) have won five of their last eight contests, but are coming off a 76-72 loss to Canisius on Sunday. Senior guard/forward MyNeshia McKenzie, a Preseason First Team All-MAAC selection, averages a double-double. She's currently second in the league in both scoring and rebounding, notching 20.3 points and 10.8 boards per contest. McKenzie also paces the Broncs with 1.5 steals per game. Sophomore guard Mikal Johnson ranks second on the team in scoring with an average of 10.7 points per outing, while junior guard Lashay Banks contributes 9.8 points and 4.2 rebounds a night. Junior forward/center Marritta Gillcrease is third in the MAAC with 1.7 blocks per game. She also pulling down 6.3 rebounds per contest. Sophomore guard Manon Pellet, meanwhile, hands out a team-best 2.5 assists per outing. This evening's contest marks the end of a three-game homestand for Rider, is back in action at Saint Peter's on Saturday.
SERIES HISTORY
Last season, Rider swept the Jaspers for the first time since the 2004-05 campagin. The Broncs notched a 48-41 victory at Draddy Gymnasium on Jan. 6, 2013, and mounted a 60-57 triumph in the rematch at Alumni Gymnasium on Jan. 31, 2013. Prior to last season, Manhattan had won 13 of the previous matchups between the schools. Overall, this is the 37th all-time meeting between the Jaspers and Broncs, with Manhattan holding a 26-10 edge in the series.
QUINNIPIAC 77, MANHATTAN 74
A potential game-tying three-pointer by Nicole Isaacs was just off the mark, and the Jaspers suffered a 77-74 defeat at Quinnipiac on Sunday afternoon. Manhattan trailed by six with 22 seconds left, but got a three-point play from Shayna Ericksen, then grabbed the rebound after the Bobcats missed a free throw, giving them the final shot in a contest that they trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half. Manhattan raced out to an early 24-12 lead, but Quinnipiac rallied to take a 36-33 halftime advantage. The Bobcats extended the margin to 56-42 with 13:17 remaining before the Jaspers began their comeback. Blake Underhill had a career-high 22 points in the game, while Shayna Ericksen finished one rebound shy of a double-double with 17 points and nine boards, and Monica Roeder added 14 points.
RIDER CONNECTIONS
Manhattan assistant coach Christine Sikiric is a 2005 Rider graduate, and she started 56 of 57 career appearances for the Broncs after transferring from UMBC. Sikiric, then known by her maiden name Catalanotto, averaged 6.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and a team-high 3.3 assists per game during her two seasons at Rider.