Manhattan-Siena Game Notes
GAME #18: MANHATTAN JASPERS (2-15, 1-7 MAAC) AT SIENA SAINTS (11-7, 4-5 MAAC)
Saturday, January 25, 2015-2 p.m.
Loudonville, N.Y.-Alumni Recreation Center (4,000)
TV: Time Warner Cable Sports Channel
Audio: www.sienasaints.com
GAME INFORMATION
The Jaspers (2-15, 1-7 MAAC) look to snap their four-game losing streak this afternoon against Siena (11-7, 4-5 MAAC) at the Alumni Recreation Center. This is the first meeting between the teams since last season's MAAC Tournament, and the contest will be televised on tape delay by Time Warner Cable Sports Channel on Sunday at 6 a.m. Manhattan has been off since an 85-51 loss at first-place Quinnipiac last Sunday. The Saints are coming off a 54-52 victory at Monmouth on Thursday. The Jaspers return home on Monday to face Quinnipiac for the second time in eight days.
THE JASPERS
In its first road game in five weeks, Manhattan (2-15, 1-7 MAAC) dropped an 85-51 decision at first-place Quinnipiac on Sunday. Junior forward Shayna Ericksen paces the Jaspers in both scoring and rebounding. She tallies 10.1 points and 7.0 boards per contest. Ericksen also ranks third in the MAAC with a .496 field goal percentage. Freshman guard Nyasha Irizarry registers 7.9 points per outing to go along with 2.4 assists per game. She also sinks a team-best 1.6 three-pointers a night. Freshman center Kayla Grimme, meanwhile, notches 6.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. She adds 1.9 blocks per game, the second-most in the MAAC. Junior guard Blake Underhill distributes a team-high 2.7 assists per game. As a team, Manhattan ranks second in the league with a .754 free throw percentage. After playing two straight on the road, the Jaspers are back at Draddy Gymnasium on Monday night for their second matchup with Quinnipiac in eight days.
THE SAINTS
Siena (11-7, 4-5 MAAC) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 54-52 victory at Monmouth on Thursday night. The Saints are 8-2 on the road this season, but just 3-4 at home, including 0-3 in MAAC play. Due to injuries, Siena has been limited to just seven players for most of the season. Freshman forward Margot Hetzke ranks third in the MAAC in scoring and fourth in rebounding. She averages 13.8 points and 7.1 boards per game. Senior guard Tehresa Coles is fourth in the conference with 13.6 points per contest. She also leads the MAAC in steals (2.8 spg) and ranks second in the league in free throw percentage (.816). Sophomore forward Meghan Donohue tallies 10.9 points per outing and is second in the MAAC with a field goal percentage of .520. Senior guard/forward Ida Krogh, meanwhile, distributes 4.6 assists a night to go along with an .810 free throw percentage, the third-best in the MAAC. Siena continues its three-game homestand against Rider on Wednesday.
MANHATTAN VS. SIENA ALL-TIME
Siena won two of the three meetings between the squads last season, including an 87-66 victory in the first round of the MAAC Tournament on March 6, 2014. Overall, the Saints lead the all-time series 38-20. Manhattan hasn't won at the Alumni Recreation Center since Dec. 7, 2007. However, the Jaspers are 2-1 against the Saints at the Times Union Center during that span, including a 62-55 triumph last season on Jan. 30. This is the Jaspers' first visit to Siena's campus since Feb. 17, 2012.
LAST GAME
Playing their first road game in five weeks, the Jaspers dropped an 85-51 decision to first-place Quinnipiac at the TD Bank Sports Center on Sunday afternoon. After inclement weather delayed Manhattan's arrival, the Bobcats jumped in front early. Quinnipiac scored the first 15 points of the game and shot 61.8 percent (21-of-34) from the floor in the first half, building a 58-21 advantage. The margin reached 44 points at 84-40 before Manhattan ended the game on an 11-1 run to make the final score 85-51 in favor of the Bobcats. Taylor Williams led Manhattan with a career-high 16 points, while two Jaspers reached double-figures in rebounding for the second straight game. Mikki Guiton notched career-bests with nine points and 10 rebounds, while Kayla Grimme also just missed a double-double, finishing with eight points and 10 boards.