Manhattan-Niagara Game Notes
Game 18: Niagara Purple Eagles (5-12, 3-5 MAAC) at Manhattan Jaspers (4-13, 3-5 MAAC)
Thursday, January 24, 2013-7:00 p.m.
Riverdale, N.Y.-Draddy Gymnasium (2,520)
Video: JasperVision HD
Audio: www.gojaspers.com
JASPERS VS. PURPLE EAGLES
After playing three straight on the road, Manhattan (4-13, 3-5 MAAC) returns to Draddy Gymnasium for the only time in a six-game stretch tonight against Niagara (5-12, 3-5 MAAC). The Jaspers are looking to rebound after a 70-52 loss at first-place Iona on Monday night. The Purple Eagles, meanwhile, snapped a two-game skid with a 48-45 home win over Monmouth on Sunday. This is the first meeting of the season between the Jaspers and Purple Eagles. Up next, Manhattan hits the road again to conclude its season series with both Monmouth and Siena.
ABOUT MANHATTAN
The Jaspers (4-13, 3-5 MAAC) return home tonight for the only time in a six-game stretch. Manhattan has dropped five of its last six, including a 70-52 decision at first-place Iona on Monday night. Senior guard Monica Roeder moved into eighth place on the Jaspers' all-time scoring list against Iona. She currently leads the team with 11.9 points per game. Sophomore forward Shayna Ericksen is averaging 10.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per outing in conference play. For the season, she tallies 9.5 points and 6.1 boards per contest while shooting a team-best .532 from the floor. Ericksen also leads the Jaspers with 1.9 steals per outing. Senior guard Allison Skrec hands out 5.2 assists per game, the fourth-best mark in the MAAC, to go along with 8.4 points a night. Junior guard Nicole Isaacs adds 7.7 points per game and drains 2.2 three-pointers per contest. The Jaspers are back on the road on Sunday afternoon, when they conclude the season series with Monmouth.
ABOUT NIAGARA
The Purple Eagles (5-12, 3-5 MAAC) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 48-45 victory over Monmouth on Sunday afternoon. Junior guard Meghan McGuinness leads Niagara in scoring with an average of 12.9 points per game, including 15.8 points a night in conference play. She also ranks third in the MAAC in three-pointers, draining 2.8 per outing. Senior guard Chanel Johnson, meanwhile, tallies 12.6 points and a team-best 5.8 rebounds per contest, and junior forward Val McQuade adds 9.6 points per outing. Freshman forward Victoria Rampado was named MAAC Rookie of the Week for her performance against Monmouth. For the season, she tallies 7.1 points per contest and ranks second on the squad in rebounding (5.0 rpg). Junior guard Kelly Van Leeuwen hands out 4.1 assists per game, while junior forward Gabby Baldasare contributes 4.8 rebounds per contest. Niagara continues its road trip with a visit to Marist on Saturday night.
SERIES HISTORY
The Jaspers and Purple Eagles split the season series in 2012-13, with each squad winning at home. Niagara posted a 48-43 victory at the Gallagher Center on Feb. 24, 2013, before Manhattan returned the favor with a 61-52 triumph in the regular season finale at Draddy Gymnasium eight days later. That win snapped the Jaspers' three-game losing streak against the Purple Eagles. Overall, this is the 50th all-time meeting between the schools, and Manhattan leads the series 25-24.
IONA 70, MANHATTAN 52
First-place Iona defeated the Jaspers by a 70-52 count at the Hynes Athletic Center on Monday night. The Gaels quickly jumped out to a 9-0 lead, but Manhattan rallied back, eventually going in front 26-25 on a Blake Underhill free throw with 4:37 left in the first half. However, Iona responded with a 7-0 run and led 34-29 at halftime. Manhattan cut its deficit to three early in the second half, but the Gaels scored 10 of the next 13 points to make it a double-digit game, 50-40. After the Jaspers pulled within nine, Iona went on a 13-0 spurt to open up a 22-point advantage en route to a 70-52 victory. Monica Roeder had a game-high 18 points to move into eighth place on Manhattan's all-time scoring list, while Ashley Stec notched her first career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.