Manhattan-American Game Notes
GAME #9: AMERICAN EAGLES (3-5) AT MANHATTAN JASPERS (1-7)
Wednesday, December 17, 2014-7 p.m.
Riverdale, N.Y.-Draddy Gymnasium (2,520)
Video: JasperVision
Audio: www.gojaspers.com
GAME INFORMATION
After playing five straight on the road, the Jaspers (1-7) begin a school-record eight-game homestand by welcoming American (3-5) to Draddy Gymnasium. Manhattan, which is looking to snap a six-game losing streak, is coming off a 70-41 loss to local rival Fordham on Sunday afternoon. American has lost two straight, including a 94-50 decision at No. 14 Maryland on Friday night. This is the first time that the Jaspers and Eagles are ever meeting in Riverdale. Manhattan welcomes another opponent--Buffalo--to Draddy Gymnasium for the first time on Friday night.
THE JASPERS
Manhattan (1-7) returns home for the first time since Nov. 22 looking to snap a six-game losing streak. The Jaspers dropped a 70-41 decision to Fordham in the “Battle of the Bronx” on Sunday. Junior forward Shayna Ericksen paces the squad in both scoring and rebounding. She notches 10.1 points and 7.5 boards per game. Ericksen also ranks second in the MAAC in field goal percentage (.528). Freshman guard Nyasha Irizarry notches 6.5 points per outing, while freshman center Kayla Grimme contributes 5.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest. She's also second in the league with 1.9 blocks per game. Junior guard Jacqui Thompson distributes a team-best 2.8 assists a night and is shooting .833 from the free throw line. Sophomore guard Maeve Parahus is Manhattan's top three-point threat. She drains 1.4 treys per contest. The Jaspers continue their school-record eight game homestand against Buffalo on Friday night before taking a nine-day break for the holidays.
THE EAGLES
American (3-5) has dropped each of its last two contests, including a 94-50 loss at No. 14 Maryland on Friday. The Eagles are in the midst of a seven-game road trip that continues at Maryland-Eastern Shore on Saturday. Senior guard Jen Dumiak leads the Eagles in scoring, rebounding and assists. She tallies 14.6 points, 5.6 boards and 5.8 helpers per game. Junior forward Michelle Holmes tallies 10.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per outing to go along with 2.1 steals a night. Senior forward Arron Zimmerman, meanwhile, contributes 9.3 points per contest and drains a team-high 1.9 three-pointers per game. Along with Dumiak, Holmes and Zimmerman, senior guard Shaquilla Curtis and sophomore guard Jordan Light have started every game for American this season. Former Marist assistant Megan Gebbia led the Eagles to the Women's NIT last season in her first year as head coach, and American was picked to finish second in the Patriot League this season.
MANHATTAN VS. AMERICAN ALL-TIME
This is just the third all-time meeting between Manhattan and American. The Jaspers and Eagles haven't played since Nov. 24, 1989, when Manhattan opened the season with a 67-57 victory at the Sun and Fun Classic in Miami, Fla. The only other previous matchup was a 67-65 American victory in Washington, D.C, on Jan. 11, 1981. Manhattan and American have never met in Riverdale.
LAST GAME
In the annual “Battle of the Bronx,” Manhattan suffered a 70-41 loss to rival Fordham at Rose Hill Gym on Sunday. It was the Jaspers' sixth consecutive defeat. Manhattan had an early 8-6 lead before the Rams went on a 16-0 run to open up a 22-8 advantage with 8:35 left in the first half. Fordham led by 16 points, 34-18, at halftime. Alex Cohen hit a three-pointer to make it a 15-point game, 38-23, early in the second half, but Manhattan would pull no closer. The Rams responded with a 10-0 rally that increased the margin to 25 points, and Fordham led by as many as 31 Mikki Guiton paced the Jaspers in both scoring and rebounding, notching career-highs with nine points and five boards. Blake Underhill tallied six points and four assists, while Ashley Stec grabbed five rebounds.
