Rutgers Staves Off Manhattan 63-55 At The 2014 Holiday Festival

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NEW YORK, N.Y. - Manhattan trimmed a 13-point second-half deficit to two but was unable to get any closer in dropping a 63-55 decision to Rutgers in the first game of the 2014 Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden.

In defeat, the Jaspers fall to 2-6 while the Scarlet Knights improve to 6-4.

Senior Emmy Andujar (Bronx, N.Y. / Rice) led the way for Manhattan with 21 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Playing on the road for the seventh time in eight games to start the season, the Jaspers started slowly in the first half and trailed by a 35-25 count at the break. Rutgers was able to build its 10-point advantage at intermission thanks to shooting a blistering 59.1 percent (13-for-22) in the opening stanza.

After the break, the Scarlet Knights picked up where they left off in the first half in opening up a 42-29 lead with just over 16 minutes only to see Manhattan rally behind a tenacious full-court press.

Thanks to buckets by sophomore Jermaine Lawrence (Queens, N.Y. / Cincinnati) and Andujar along with a pair at the line from junior Ashton Pankey (Bronx, N.Y. / Maryland), the Jaspers ripped off six-straight points while trimming the deficit to 42-35 with 13:07 to play.

Manhattan would continue to battle and later in the half with the deficit at six, Lawrence converted a layup before Andujar hit a pair from the line to make it a two-point game at 48-46 with 6:34 to play.

On the ensuing possession, Andujar grabbed the long rebound before drawing a foul at the opposite end and headed to the line with a chance to draw the Jaspers even. Unfortunately, Andujar missed both and Malick Kone converted a layup on the other end in extending the lead back to four at 50-46 with 5:36 to play.

The Rutgers lead dwindled to two twice more, before the Scarlet Knights opened up a 55-50 advantage with 4:00 to play following a Junior Etou three-point play. Etou would hit two more from the line before Kadeem Jack converted a pair in extending the lead back out to nine at 59-50 with 1:39 remaining.

Andujar would respond with a pair of lay-ups in helping secure his fourth career 20-plus point game but Manhattan was unable to get any closer in dropping a 63-55 decision.

Pankey joined Andujar in double-figures with 10 points while adding six rebounds. Lawrence fell one point short of his career-high, finishing up with eight markers while pacing the Jaspers' second unit.

Jack finished with a game-high 24 points while Etou added 16 points to pace Rutgers.

Manhattan shot just 38.8 percent (19-for-49) from the floor, including 7.1 percent (1-for-14) from long range. The Jaspers, however, were able to stay within striking distance thanks to pressuring the Scarlet Knights into a season-high 21 miscues.

Rutgers was able to overcome the Manhattan pressure by making good on 46.3 percent (19-for-41) from the field and a blistering 92.0 percent (23-for-25) from the line. The Scarlet Knights also owned a 35-23 advantage on the glass.

The Jaspers returns to action at Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Dec. 17 with tip time slated for 7 p.m.

Manhattan University Athletics