Manhattan-American Game Notes
GAME #11: Manhattan Jaspers (5-5) at American Eagles (1-8)
Sunday, December 20, 2015-5:30 p.m.
Washington, DC-Bender Arena (2,930)
Video: Patriot League Network
Live Stats
JASPERS GAMEDAY
The Jaspers (5-5) wrap up non-conference play, as well as the 2015 calendar year, with a visit to defending Patriot League champion American (1-8). This is Manhattan's second straight matchup against a team that played in last season's NCAA Tournament. The Jaspers posted a 61-53 victory over defending Northeast Conference champion St. Francis Brooklyn on Friday night at Draddy Gymnasium. The Eagles, meanwhile, picked up their first victory of the season, a 45-41 triumph, at Dartmouth on Thursday night. Following the game, Manhattan will take nearly two weeks off, its longest break of season, before resuming MAAC play against Iona on Jan. 2.
MANHATTAN BREAKDOWN
Manhattan (5-5) has won three of its last four contests, including a 61-53 victory over St. Francis Brooklyn on Friday night. Sophomore guard Amani Tatum is the only Jasper averaging double-figures in the scoring column. She tallies 12.0 points per game. Tatum also leads the squad with 2.7 steals a night, and she's second on the team with 2.6 assists per outing. Sophomore center Kayla Grimme contributes 8.0 points and a squad-best 8.6 rebounds per contest to go along with a league-leading 3.2 blocks per game. Grimme is fourth nationally with 32 blocks this season. Sophomore guard Taylor Williams notches 7.9 points per outing, and she drains a team-high 1.4 three-pointers a night. Senior guard Blake Underhill, meanwhile, paces Manhattan with 2.8 assists per contest. This is the final non-conference game of the season for the Jaspers, who will get 12 days off before resuming their MAAC schedule with a matchup at Iona on Jan. 2.
AMERICAN BREAKDOWN
After dropping their first eight games, the Eagles (1-8) picked up their first victory of the season, 45-41 at Dartmouth, on Thursday night. Senior forward Michelle Holmes leads American in scoring (10.9 ppg), rebounding (7.7 rpg), assists (2.7 apg), steals (1.7 spg) and blocks (1.3 bpg). Junior forward Lauren Crisler contributes 8.7 points and 5.0 boards per outing, while sophomore guard Emily Kinneston notches 7.9 points a night. That trio has started all nine games this season for the Eagles. Senior guard Ari Booth tallies 6.7 points per contest off the bench, and she leads American with 1.1 three-pointers per game. Sophomore guard Maria Liddane, meanwhile, distributes 2.6 assists per outing. As a team, the Eagles average just 49.3 points a night. This is the only home contest in a seven-game stretch for American, which wraps up its non-conference schedule with a visit to Pittsburgh on Tuesday afternoon.
ALL-TIME SERIES
This is just the fourth all-time meeting between the Jaspers and Eagles. American has won two of those three previous matchups, including a 60-52 triumph last season at Draddy Gymnasium. The only other time Manhattan played American in Washington, the Eagles notched a 67-65 triumph on Jan. 11, 1981. The Jaspers are 0-2 this season against Patriot League opponents, falling to both Bucknell and Holy Cross.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
In their final home game of 2015, the Jaspers rallied from an early 10-point deficit to notch a 61-53 victory over St. Francis Brooklyn on Friday night. The Terriers opened up an early 14-4 advantage and led 14-8 after the first quarter, but Manhattan outscored St. Francis Brooklyn 19-9 in the second quarter to take a 27-23 halftime edge. The Jaspers extended their cushion to nine points, 42-33, after three, and the lead reached a game-high 16 points, 55-39, midway through the fourth quarter before the Terriers ended the game on an 11-3 run to trim the final margin to eight points, 61-53. Amani Tatum led Manhattan with 15 points, while Shayna Ericksen (in her 100th career game) and Nyasha Irizarry tallied 12 points apiece. Kayla Grimme added seven points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds.
