Manhattan-Iona Game Notes
GAME #21: MANHATTAN JASPERS (2-18, 1-10 MAAC) AT IONA GAELS (11-10, 8-4 MAAC)
Thursday, February 5, 2015-10 a.m.
New Rochelle, N.Y.-Hynes Athletic Center (2,511)
Video: Iona Insider, MAAC.tv
Audio: www.icgaels.com
GAME INFORMATION
Manhattan (2-18, 1-10 MAAC) looks to snap its seven-game losing streak with this morning's Kid's Day Out contest at Iona (11-10, 8-4 MAAC). The 10 a.m. start time is the Jaspers' earliest since a 9:30 a.m. tip-off against Loyola in the semifinals of the 2011 MAAC Tournament. In its last outing, Manhattan dropped a 53-46 decision to Niagara at Draddy Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. Iona has lost two straight, including a 63-58 defeat against Marist on Saturday. On Jan. 9 in Riverdale, the Gaels picked up a 79-62 victory over the Jaspers.
THE JASPERS
The Jaspers (2-18, 1-10 MAAC) have dropped seven straight, including a 53-46 loss to Niagara on Saturday. Junior forward Shayna Ericksen recorded her seventh double-double of the season against the Purple Eagles. She leads Manhattan in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 9.7 points and 6.7 boards per game. In addition, she ranks third in the MAAC in field goal percentage (.485). Freshman center Kayla Grimme also grabs 6.7 rebounds per contest to go along with 1.7 blocks per outing, the fifth-highest total in the conference. Freshman guard Nyasha Irizarry tallies 7.7 points a night and leads the Jaspers with 1.6 three-pointers per game, and freshman guard Taylor Williams contributes 7.3 points per outing. Junior guard Blake Underhill, meanwhile, paces the squad with 2.7 assists per contest. After playing four out of five on the road, Manhattan returns home on Saturday afternoon for its first meeting of the season with Saint Peter's.
THE GAELS
Iona (11-10, 8-4 MAAC), which has dropped two straight after winning seven out of eight, is coming off a 63-58 loss to Marist on Saturday. Senior guard Damika Martinez leads the MAAC and ranks second nationally in scoring with an average of 24.9 points per game. Martinez is also tied for the conference lead with 2.7 three-pointers per outing. Junior forward Joy Adams, meanwhile, is the only player in the league averaging a double-double. She ranks third in the MAAC in scoring (14.7 ppg) and leads the conference with 12.0 rebounds per contest, the fourth-best mark in the nation. Adams also tallies 2.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per outing, while junior forward Karyna DuPree paces Iona with 1.4 blocks a night. Sophomore guard Marina Lizarazu hands out a conference-high 6.6 assists per game, and junior guard Aaliyah Robinson notches 10.6 points and 2.0 steals per contest. The Gaels begin a two-game road trip on Monday with a visit to first-place Quinnipiac.
MANHATTAN VS. IONA ALL-TIME
This is the 72nd all-time meeting between Manhattan and Iona, and the Jaspers lead the series 44-27. However, Iona has won each of the last five matchups, including a 79-62 triumph at Draddy Gymnasium on Jan. 9. Last season at the Hynes Athletic Center, the Gaels came away with a 70-52 win on Jan. 20, 2014. The Jaspers haven't beaten the Gaels since posting a 59-54 victory on Feb. 15, 2012, and haven't won in New Rochelle since a 57-51 victory on Feb. 27, 2011.
LAST GAME
Playing at home for the first time in two weeks, the Jaspers suffered a 53-46 loss to Niagara at Draddy Gymnasium on Saturday. It was tied at 11-11 before the Purple Eagles went on a 13-2 rally to open up an 11-point cushion, 24-13, with 3:28 left in the first half. However, Manhattan responded with a 10-2 run to pull within three, 26-23, at halftime. Niagra pushed its margin back to seven early in the second half, but an 8-2 spurt by the Jaspers made it a one-point game once again, 34-33, with 9:00 left. The Purple Eagles rallied for 13 of the next 17 points to regain a 10-point advantage and held on for a 53-46 triumph to complete a season sweep of the Jaspers. Shayna Ericksen notched her seventh double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Taylor Williams contributed 12 points on four three-pointers.
