Manhattan-Fairfield Game Notes
Game 26: Manhattan Jaspers (8-17, 7-9 MAAC) at Fairfield Stags (17-8, 12-4 MAAC)
Friday, February 21, 2014-7 p.m.
Fairfield, Conn.-Alumni Hall (2,479)
Video: MAAC.tv, FairfieldStags.tv
Audio: www.fairfieldstags.com
JASPERS VS. STAGS
The winners of two straight and three out of four, Manhattan (8-17, 7-9 MAAC) concludes its three-game road trip tonight at Alumni Hall against Fairfield (17-8, 12-4 MAAC). The Jaspers have won back-to-back contests for the second time this season and are looking for their first three-game winning streak. Manhattan swept the Canisius-Niagara trip for the second time ever last weekend, posting a 64-56 victory over the Purple Eagles on Saturday. The Stags, meanwhile, knocked off Saint Peter's by a 71-39 count on Saturday for their fifth consecutive win.
ABOUT MANHATTAN
Fresh off the second Buffalo sweep in program history, the Jaspers (8-17, 7-9 MAAC) are looking for their first three-game winning streak of the season. With a 64-56 victory at Niagara on Saturday, Manhattan moved into sole possession of sixth place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) standings with four games remaining on the schedule. Senior guard Monica Roeder paces the team with 12.2 points per game, while sophomore forward Shayna Ericksen tallies 9.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest. Ericksen also ranks second in the MAAC in field goal percentage (.543). Senior guard Allison Skrec has handed out 10 assists in each of the last two games, and her 6.0 assists per game are 22nd-most in the nation. Skrec also notches 9.4 points per outing. Junior forward Ashley Stec and junior guard Nicole Isaacs, meanwhile, each contribute 7.1 points a night. The Jaspers return to Draddy Gymnasium on Sunday, when they host eight-time defending MAAC champion Marist.
ABOUT FAIRFIELD
Fairfield (17-8, 12-4 MAAC) has won five straight, including a 71-39 rout of Saint Peter's on Saturday, and sits in third place in the MAAC. Senior forward Katie Cizynski paces the Stags in both scoring and rebounding. She averages 16.1 points and 8.2 boards per game. Senior guard Alexys Vazquez pours in 10.5 points a night, and her 2.8 three-pointers per outing are second-most in the MAAC. Vazquez is also fourth in the league in three-point percentage (.425). Senior center Brittany Obi-Tabot, meanwhile, notches 10.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest. Sophomore guard Kristin Schatzlein contributes 9.0 points a night, while junior guard Felicia DaCruz tallies 7.2 points per game. She ranks third in the MAAC with 5.1 assists per outing, and her 3.0 assist/turnover ratio is the second-best mark in the conference. That quintet has started all 25 games together. This is the final home game of the season for the Stags, who visit Siena on Sunday.
SERIES HISTORY
Fairfield is the most common opponent in program history. This is the 78th all-time meeting between the Jaspers and Stags. Fairfield holds a 41-36 advantage in the series, which began in 1978-79. The Stags have won five straight against the Jaspers, including a 58-49 triumph at Draddy Gymnasium on Jan. 9. Last season at Alumni Hall, Fairfield notched a 76-50 victory on Jan. 20, 2013. Manhattan's last win over Fairfield was a 53-44 decision in Riverdale on Feb. 25, 2011.
MANHATTAN 64, NIAGARA 56
Behind a career-high 19 points from Ashley Stec, the Jaspers completed a sweep of the Buffalo trip for just the second time in program history with a 64-56 victory over Niagara at the Gallagher Center on Saturday. It was tight early on before Stec hit a three to ignite a 20-4 Manhattan run that gave the Jaspers a 33-16 lead. The Purple Eagles responded with an 11-2 rally, though, to make it a 35-27 game at halftime. Niagara pulled within five points, 57-52, with 2:01 remaining when Shayna Ericksen hit a jumper and was fouled. She converted the free throw to bring Manhattan's advantage back to eight, and the Jaspers went 4-for-4 at the foul line down the stretch to seal the 64-56 triumph. Stec also pulled down nine rebounds in the win, while Allison Skrec tied a career-high with 10 assists and added 13 points to complete a double-double.