Manhattan-Bucknell Game Notes
GAME 3: Bucknell Bison (2-1) at Manhattan Jaspers (1-1)
Saturday, November 21, 2015-2 p.m.
Riverdale, NY-Draddy Gymnasium (2,520)
Video: Jasper Sports Network
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JASPERS GAMEDAY
Manhattan (1-1) concludes its brief two-game homestand by welcoming Bucknell (2-1) to Draddy Gymnasium. The Jaspers suffered their first loss of the season on Wednesday night, dropping a 60-49 decision to Fordham in their home opener. Bucknell also played its home opener on Wednesday night and earned a 76-46 victory over Binghamton. This is the first of two games between the Jaspers and Bison on Saturday, as the men's teams will square off at 7 p.m. The Manhattan men's and women's teams haven't both played at home against the same opponent on the same day since a doubleheader against Iona on Feb. 9, 2009.
MANHATTAN BREAKDOWN
The Jaspers (1-1) look to rebound after suffering their first loss of the season, 60-49, to Fordham in the home opener on Wednesday night. Sophomore guard Amani Tatum has been Manhattan's leading scorer in each of first two games. She averages a team-high 15.0 points per contest. Sophomore guard Nyasha Irizarry, meanwhile, tallies 11.0 points per outing and drains 3.0 three-pointers a night, and sophomore guard Taylor Williams notches 9.0 points per game. Sophomore center Kayla Grimme, the current MAAC Player of the Week, pours in 7.5 points per contest to go along with 11.0 rebounds and 5.0 blocks per outing. Senior center Crystal Ross contributes 6.5 boards and 2.5 blocks a night, while senior guard Blake Underhill paces the squad with 4.5 assists per game. Manhattan hits the road again on Monday night for a matchup at New Hampshire before returning to Draddy Gymnasium next Sunday to meet Brown.
BUCKNELL BREAKDOWN
Bucknell, which was picked to finish fourth in the Patriot League this season, defeated Binghamton, 76-46, in its home opener on Wednesday night. The Bison also won their season opener at Cleveland State and lost at No. 3 Notre Dame. Sophomore guard Jacquie Klotz and junior forward Claire DeBoer are both averaging a double-double for the season. Klotz leads the Bison with 17.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, while DeBoer tallies 13.0 points and 10.7 boards per contest. Junior forward Sune Swart contributes 6.3 points per outing off the bench, and junior guard Megan McGurk notches 6.0 points a night to go along with a team-high 3.3 assists per game. Sophomore forward Catherine Romaine, meanwhile, grabs 5.0 rebounds per contest. As a team, Bucknell is shooting .398 from the field and .357 from three-point range. The Bison return home on Tuesday, when they take on Mount St. Mary's.
ALL-TIME SERIES
This is just the third all-time meeting between Manhattan and Bucknell, and the first since the 2004-05 season. The Jaspers won both previous contests. Manhattan posted a 59-49 victory in Lewisburg on Jan. 2, 2004, then notched a 77-49 triumph over the Bison at Draddy Gymnasium on Nov. 28, 2004. Bucknell, one of three Patriot League foes the Jaspers will face this season, is the only opponent on the 2015-16 schedule that has never beaten Manhattan.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
In its home opener, Manhattan dropped a 60-49 decision to Fordham on Wednesday night. The Jaspers scored the first six points of the game and led 9-2 barely three minutes in, then ended the first quarter on a 7-0 run to open up a 19-13 advantage. However, Fordham went on a 15-2 rally to start the second quarter, and the Rams led 28-26 at halftime. It was still a two-point game, 41-39, after three quarters, and Manhattan tied the contest at 41-41 eary in the fourth. After Fordham went on a 7-1 spurt to go up 48-42, the Jaspers again trimmed their deficit to two, 48-46, with 4:42 left. It would get no closer, though, as Fordham pulled away late for a 60-49 victory. Amani Tatum paced the Jaspers with 12 points, while Kayla Grimme grabbed a team-high eight rebounds to go along with three blocks.
