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ALBANY, N.Y. - Manhattan (13-12; 10-6 MAAC) kicks off a three-game road trip when it makes the trek to the state capital to square off with Siena (10-16; 7-10 MAAC) on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.
TOP STORYLINES
#1 - The teams most recently met on Jan. 30 with the Jaspers posting an 87-79 win over the Saints.
#2 - Manhattan will be looking to snap a 13-game road/neutral losing streak to Siena.
#3 -The Jaspers last won at Siena on Jan. 30, 2006 by a 65-58 count at the Times Union Center.
QUICK HITS
* In the teams' first meeting, Manhattan scored a season-high 87 points (since matched) - including the final six - while shooting a season-best 60.0 percent (9-of-15) from long range.
* The Jaspers also pressured Siena into a season-high matching 22 turnovers.
* Senior Emmy Andujar scored 20 points to pace five double-figures scorers in the first meeting, marking the second time this season Manhattan placed five in double-figures.
* For his career, Andujar is averaging 10.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 1.6 apg over eight games against the Saints.
* With three rebounds, Andujar will become the first player in school history with 1,200 points, 700 rebounds, 300 assists and 150 steals.
* Led by sophomore Rich Williams' 13 points, the Manhattan bench scored a season-high 30 points while going 10-of-17 from the floor.
* Manhattan is 50-40, all-time, against Siena.
* Since becoming MAAC rivals for the 1988-1989 season, the Saints hold a 31-29 advantage, including going 19-11 against the Jaspers when playing in Albany.
* Andujar (22) and junior Shane Richards (20) each scored at least 20 points in the same game for the fourth time this season in Manhattan's 79-70 win over Fairfield in the Jaspers' most recent game.
* Manhattan recorded at least 10 steals for the fourth time in six games and the sixth time, finishing with a season-best 15, which represents the most by the Jaspers since pressuring Buffalo into 16 in an overtime victory a year ago.
* Over the last two seasons, Manhattan is 16-1 when recording at least 10 steals and are 27-4 during Steve Masiello's tenure, including 19-1 against MAAC opposition.
* The Jaspers lead the MAAC and are 33rd in the NCAA ranks with 7.9 steals per game.
* Manhattan also forced 20 Fairfield turnovers, marking the ninth time this season the Jaspers have turned an opponent over at least 20 times.
* Manhattan's performance comes on the heels of pressuring Iona into 21 miscues, which were the most since the Gaels were forced into 23 turnovers at Hofstra on Dec. 29, 2011.
* Thanks to a +12 turnover margin against Fairfield and a +10 differential against Iona, Manhattan is first in the MAAC and 40th nationally with a +2.44 turnover margin.
* The Jaspers also improved to 14-4 over the months of February & March over the last two seasons and 20-7 since the 2012-2013 campaign.
* With their most recent win, Manhattan 8-3 in MAAC games decided by 10 points or less thanks to shooting 72.1 percent from the line over the final five minutes. Over his first three seasons, Masiello and the Jaspers were just 14-19 in MAAC games decided by 10 points or less.
* When playing at Draddy Gymnasium, Manhattan is 8-2 this year and has won 12-of-14 and 17-of-20. Additionally, the Jaspers are 34-13 at home under Masiello.
* Andujar notched at least 20 points for the eighth time in 12 games against Fairfield and is averaging 19.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.6 apg and 2.7 spg during that time, highlighted by a season-high 27 points at Monmouth.
* Andujar recorded his fourth double-double (19 points/11 rebounds) of the season and the eight of his career over a career-high 45 minutes of action against Rider and is the only MAAC player to rank among the top-six in the league in scoring (16.5-6th), rebounding (7.1-5th), assists (3.3-6th) and steals (2.1-2nd) (22nd NCAA) while pacing the Jaspers in all four categories. He is also fourth in the league in field goal percentage (.516) (66th NCAA).
* Andujar in school history with 1,219 points, eighth with 336 assists and seventh with 153 steals. He is also just outside the top-10 list for rebounds and with three more caroms and three more points will become the first player in school history with 1,200 points, 700 rebounds, 300 assists and 150 steals.
* All 20 of Richards' points came after halftime and he was 6-of-9 from the floor, including 4-of-5 from deep after notching just eight points, including 1-of-8 from the floor, including 1-of-7 from distance over his first three halves of the year against Fairfield.
* Richards has now hit for at least 20 points on seven occasions while converting at least three triples in 45 of his 90 games, and at least four in 24 games. When the New York City native hits at least four, the Jaspers are 17-7, including 13-4 over the last two seasons.
* Richards, who recently became the first player in school history with 200 three pointers (currently 215), is now just four three pointers shy of his single-season school record of 77 that he shares with Jeff Xavier.
* Richards ranks among the MAAC leaders in scoring (13.6 ppg-11th), three pointers/game (2.9-2nd) (24th NCAA), three-point field goal percentage (.388-9th) and free throw percentage (.795-6th).
* Rounding out the double-figure scorers against Fairfield was junior Ashton Pankey, who finished with 17 points and a game-high six rebounds, and averaged 20.0 ppg this season against the Stags.
* Also joining Andujar with a big game against Iona was n Pankey, who finished with 17 points in just 21 minutes, and has been outstanding over his last 12 games, averaging 16.2 ppg and 6.6 rpg while hitting for at least 16 points on nine occasions.
* Pankey, like Andujar, notched a double-double against Rider with 16 points and a career-high 12 rebounds as Manhattan had two players record double-doubles in the same game for the first time since George Beamon (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Demetrius Jemison (13 points, 10 rebounds) did so at Loyola on Jan. 20, 2011.
* Pankey ranks among the MAAC leaders in scoring (12.9 ppg-15th), rebounding (6.4 rpg-7th), field goal percentage (.542-2nd) and blocks (1.4 bpg-4th) while hitting for at least 20 points on two occasions - including a career-high 23 in the first meeting with Fairfield.
* Andujar (10), Richards (7) and Pankey (2) have also combined for the 19 Manhattan 20-point outings and 52 of the Jaspers' 64 double-figure scoring performances while leading the squad in scoring in all but one game this season and accounting for 60.7 percent (1059/1727), including 64.0 percent (733/1146) during MAAC play.
* Sophomore Tyler Wilson had six assists, against no turnovers, with four steals against Fairfield on the heels of handing out seven assists, against just one turnover, against Iona. Over his last two games, Wilson is averaging 6.5 assists per game and has handed out at least four in each of his last three games and 12 times this year.
* He continues to rank among the MAAC leaders in assists (3.3 apg-7th), steals (1.4 spg-8th) and assist/turnover ratio (1.6-4th).
* Sophomore Rich Williams is averaging 7.7 ppg while shooting 43.5 percent (20-for-46) from the floor and 40.0 percent (10-for-25) from long range over his last seven games since returning to the bench. In the five games prior, Williams had scored just 10 points.
* In 13 games off the bench this season, Williams is averaging 6.5 ppg on 39.5 percent shooting compared to just 4.8 ppg on 36.1 percent from the field in 12 games as a starter.
* Senior RaShawn Stores, who narrowly missed his first career double-double with nine assists to go along with nine points in the win at Monmouth, and ranks among the league leaders in three point percentage (.388-9th) and assists (2.9 apg-9th).
* During league play, Stores paces the MAAC in three-point percentage (.465) and assist/turnover ratio (2.8). In the second half of league games, Stores is shooting a blistering 60.0 percent (12-of-20) from distance, including 71.4 percent (5-of-7) in the final five minutes.
* Since returning to Riverdale, Masiello has led the Jaspers to the program's fourth MAAC Championship as well as a pair of 20-plus win campaigns. In his first tenure, he was a part of two MAAC Championships and three 20-plus win seasons. All told, Masiello has been a member of three of Manhattan''s four MAAC Championship teams and five of their 12 20-win seasons while accruing a 156-87 record.
* In his 19th season as either a player or a coach, Masiello has a career collegiate record of 434-198, including 313-170 on the sidelines, with one National Title, two National Championship appearances, two Final Four appearances, six Elite Eight berths, seven conference championships, 12 NCAA Tournament appearances and 15 20-win seasons.
KEYS TO THE GAME
* Efficiency - In the first meeting, Manhattan scored a season-high 87 points while shooting 54.3 percent (25-for-46) from the floor, including a season-high 60.0 percent (9-of-15) from distance.
* Defense - Siena boasts the MAAC's worst scoring defense and therefore compensates by ranking second in the MAAC in scoring (70.3 ppg).
* Depth - In the teams' first match-up, the Jaspers got a season-high 30 points from its bench and will need another big game from its reserves against a team that has just nine active scholarship players.
ON THE BIG SCREEN
Manhattan dropped a heartbreaking 70-67 decision to Iona on Friday night before a sold out crowd of 2,520 and before a nationally televised ESPNU audience. The Jaspers will next play on the worldwide leader of sports against the Gaels on Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. in a game that will appear on ESPN2.
LOCKING IT DOWN
Manhattan limited first place Iona to its second lowest scoring output (70) of the season while turning over the MAAC leaders a season-high 21 times and shooting a season-best 85.7 percent (12-of-14) from the line.
ALLEN BOUNCES BACK FROM INJURY
After missing almost two months due to injury, sophomore Carlton Allen scored his first points since early December and played 13 big minutes off the bench against Iona while pulling down a career-high three rebounds.
HONORING HEIMALL
Also against the Gaels, the HEADstrong Foundation honored Jasper broadcaster Christian Heimall as players from both teams wore lime green shoelaces to help in the battle against blood cancers. Heimall was diagnosed in December and is currently undergoing chemotherapy.
SURGING
Manhattan is 5-2 over its last seven games thanks to averaging 78.0 ppg while shooting 46.2 percent from the field.
THE WORLDWIDE LEADER
Two of the Jaspers' final six games will appear on the ESPN family of networks beginning with Friday's game. All told 15 Manhattan games will appear on some form of ESPN this season.
LUCKY NUMBER 70
With the win over Siena, Masiello became the seventh head coach in school history to notch 70 career victories.
TWICE IS NICE
In wins over Monmouth and Siena, the Jaspers scored a season-high 87 points.
TOPS THIS YEAR
Manhattan shot a season-high 60.0 percent (9-of-15) from long range against Siena with a season-high 13 steals.
HIGH FIVE
In the win over the Saints, the Jaspers placed five players notch double-figures for the second time this season.
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
Manhattan is 9-7 in games decided by 10 points or less, including 8-3 during league play.
SECOND-HALF IMPROVEMENT
Andujar (9.3 ppg - 6.8 ppg) and Pankey (7.9 ppg - 5.0 ppg) have improved their scoring by more than two points after halftime this season compared to the first half.
WATCH AND LISTEN ON GOJASPERS.COM
For the 17th year, Manhattan Men's Basketball games will be broadcast live over the internet on GoJaspers.com. Former Jasper greats Brian Mahoney and Chris Williams return as the color analysts, alongside play-by-play broadcaster Christian Heimall. Each broadcast will begin with the “Steve Masiello Pre-Game Report.”
109TH SEASON OF JASPERS BASKETBALL
In its 109th season, the Manhattan men's basketball program boasts a 1321-1168 overall record and 268-281 MAAC mark in 35 seasons as a conference member. The Jaspers' storied men's basketball team was established in 1904-05 and served a two-year hiatus during the 1943-44 and 1944-45 season due to World War II.
WHAT'S A JASPER?
The unique nickname of Manhattan College's athletic teams, the Jaspers, comes from one of the College's most memorable figures, Brother Jasper of Mary, F.S.C., who served as the College's athletic director in the late 19th century. One of the greatest achievements of Brother Jasper was that he brought the then little-known sport@ of baseball to Manhattan College and became the team's first coach. Since Brother Jasper was also the Prefect of Discipline, he supervised the student fans at Manhattan baseball games while also directing the team itself. During one particularly warm and humid day when the college was playing a semi-pro baseball team called the Metropolitans, Brother Jasper noticed the Manhattan students were becoming restless and edgy with the team coming to bat in the seventh inning of a close game. To relieve the tension, Brother Jasper called timeout and told the students to stand up and stretch for a few minutes until the game resumed. Since the College annually played the New York Giants in the late 1880's and into the 1890's at the old Polo Grounds, the Manhattan College practice of the “seventh inning stretch” spread into the major leagues, where it has now become a time-honored custom practiced by millions of fans annually.
UP NEXT
Manhattan continues its three-game road trip at Marist on Monday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.
