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Riverdale, NY - Manhattan (6-10; 3-4 MAAC) will look to snap a two-game losing streak against Niagara (5-13; 3-4 MAAC) on Sunday, January 17 at 2:00 pm.
TOP STORYLINES
#1 - The Purple Eagles defeated the Jaspers by a 55-53 count in the last meeting thanks to posting a 46-27 advantage on the glass.
#2 - Despite the defeat, Manhattan limited Niagara to just 35.6 percent (21-of-59) shooting, including 27.3 percent (3-of-11) from long range while forcing 16 turnovers.
#3 - Manhattan leads the all-time series with Niagara by a 48-32 count, including going 19-10 at Draddy since the Purple Eagles joined the MAAC in 1989-1990.
QUICK HITS
* Three of the Jaspers four MAAC losses have come by five points or less, including two by one possession.
* Manhattan has won five of its last eight games thanks to averaging 73.2 points per game while shooting 45.0 percent from the floor, including 41.4 percent from long range, and 75.1 percent from the line.
* Defensively, the Jaspers are limiting the opposition to just 43.3 percent shooting from the floor and 30.2 percent from deep, including 21.9 percent (15-of-69) after halftime.
* Senior Shane Richards is averaging a team-best 18.6 points per game during that time while shooting 43.4 percent (43-of-99) from the field, 42.6 percent (23-of-54) on threes and 85.1 percent (40-of-47) from the line.
* Also during the aforementioned hot streak, junior Rich Williams (14.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg) and sophomore Zane Waterman (11.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg) are also scoring in double-figures.
* Senior RaShawn Stores shooting 41.7 percent (15-of-36) from deep with a 2.4 assist/turnover ratio with junior Tyler Wilson averaging 6.4 assists each time out with a 2.0 assist/turnover ratio over the last eight.
* Head Coach Steve Masiello holds an 5-4 record against Niagara after going 8-2 as an assistant against the Purple Eagles from 2001-2005.
* Since taking over the head coaching reins in 2011-2012, Masiello is 60-34 (.638) against MAAC teams, including going 31-11 (.738) at home and 21-21 (.510) on the road.
* In Manhattan's loss to Niagara, the Jaspers allowed a season-low 55 points while limiting the Purple Eagles to 35.6 percent (21-of-59) shooting, including 27.3 percent (3-of-11) from deep.
* After Niagara took its largest lead of the game at 51-43 with 7:43 to play, Manhattan pressured the Purple Eagles into eight-straight errant shots over the next 7:41.
* In the last five minutes over the last eight games the Jaspers have outscored the opposition by an average of 4.1 points per game thanks to making good on 78.2 percent (43-of-55) from the line while holding opposing teams to 29.7 percent shooting (22-of-74), including just 17.4 percent (4-of-23) from long range.
* This season, opposing three-point shooters are converting on 39.1 percent (50-of-128) in the first half compared to a scant 28.8 percent (36-of-125) after halftime.
* Over the final five minutes/overtime during MAAC play, Manhattan is shooting a blistering 80.5 percent (33-of-41) from the line.
* Richards scored a team-high 14 points in Friday's loss to Canisius and finished up the year against the Golden Griffins averaging 23.0 points per game while shooting 57.1 percent (16-of-28) from the floor and 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from deep.
* Richards, who also had a team-high 12 points in the last meeting with Niagara has paced the team in scoring 10 times this season with 15 double-figures performances.
* Over his last four games, Richards is averaging 19.8 points, 3.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the field (26-of-52) and beyond the arc (12-of-24), highlighted by a career-high 32 points in the win at Canisius, on 11-of-14 shooting (6-of-7, 3-pt).
* Richards' 32 points at Canisius marked the 12th Jasper 20-point performance this season and the 11th game Manhattan has had a 20-point scorer.
* The 32 points also marked the first time a Jasper has hit for at least 30 since George Beamon had 31 in a win at Monmouth on February 19, 2014 and the is the most since Michael Alvarado had 33 in a victory over Marist on January 12, 2014.
* After halftime over his last eight games, Richards is notching 11.0 points each time out while shooting 51.7 percent (15-of-29) from long range and 88.5 percent (23-of-26) from the line, including hitting for 15 of his team-high 21 points in the victory over Siena.
* In the victory over Morgan State, Richards converted a career-high seven three pointers en route to registering 28 points with seven caroms.
* A 2015-2016 All-MAAC Preseason Second Team selection, Richards was the hero in the first Manhattan win of the year, a 69-67 come-from-behind triumph over George Mason, thanks to banking in a jumper with 1.2 seconds to play. He also became the 37th member of the school's 1,000-point club earlier in the night.
* The New York native ranks among the MAAC leaders in scoring (18.1 ppg-4th), free throw percentage (.818-4th), threes (2.5/game-6th) and minutes (37.2-2nd).
* From long range, Richards has converted at least three triples in 55 of his 114 games, including at least four 30 times, and is the school's single-season (92-2015) and career (274) leader in threes. When he connects on four in a game, the Jaspers are 20-10, including 16-7 over the last three seasons.
* Lost in the midst of Richards' offensive outburst in the win over Canisius was Williams' third career double-double (19 points, 11 rebounds) with a career-high five assists. Following his 11-point, eight-rebound performance at Niagara he has now paced the team on the glass a team-best 10 times.
* He had his second double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds) in the win over Morgan State after registering his first against Columbia (17 points, 11 rebounds).
* Williams has also hit for at least 20 points four times, highlighted by career-high 26 in the victory over George Mason.
* On the year, Williams, who paced Manhattan in scoring for the fourth time in the win over Fairfield with 14 points, is among the MAAC leaders in scoring (15.9 ppg-7th), rebounding (6.9 rpg-6th), defensive rebounds (5.1 drpg-3rd) and free throw percentage (.794-10th).
* Williams has improved both his scoring (+10.4 ppg) and rebounding (+5.4) numbers from a year ago.
* The duo of Richards and Williams became the first set of Jasper teammates to each notch 20 points in a game this year in the win at Morgan State and are averaging a combined 34.0 points per game (2nd MAAC).
* Wilson helped energize Manhattan's back-to-back 90-point performances last week is averaging 6.9 assists per game and has registered a career-high 10 assists twice this season, including most recently in the victory at Morgan State.
* Wilson, who has paced the squad in assists in 15 games this season, also dished out 10, against one turnover, vs. Marist. His performance against the Red Foxes was the first double-figure outing by a Jasper student-athlete since Von Damien Green had 10 against Saint Peter's on January 30, 2002.
* On the year, Wilson, who has also handed out at least seven assists nine times, leads the MAAC and is 17th nationally (6.1 apg) while also ranking among the league leaders in steals (1.5 spg-4th) and assist-turnover ratio (1.8-5th).
* Waterman notched his first career double-double with 12 points and a personal-best and Manhattan season-high 13 points in the win over Siena. He hit for a career-high 23 points at EKU and has scored in double-figures in five-of-six, averaging 13.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during that time.
* Waterman, who scored 22 points against Columbia, ranks among the league leaders in scoring (10.8 ppg-25th), rebounding (5.9 rpg-15th), field goal percentage (.471-11th) and offensive rebounding (2.3 opg-7th).
* Fellow sophomore Calvin Crawford is averaging 11.6 points over his last five games, scoring in double-figures three times. He scored a career-high 15 points in the victory over Siena with three blocks and two steals before registering 13 points and five caroms in the victory at Canisius.
* Stores has picked it up of late and is averaging 10.2 points and 3.2 assists per game over the last six games while posting a 3.8 assist/turnover ratio, highlighted by going for 16 points with four assists in the win over Siena.
* Stores scored a career-high 18 points against Marist, fueled by a career-high matching five three pointers, and is averaging 8.3 points and 2.8 assists (12th MAAC) per game on the year while making good on 42.1 percent (24-of-57) (4th MAAC) from long range with 1.8 triples per game (13th MAAC).
* For his career, Stores, a 2015-2016 All-MAAC Preseason Third Team selection, is shooting 42.2 percent (65-of-154) on threes after halftime for his career, including making good on 46.0 percent (40-of-87) since the start of last year. Stores also has a 3.6 assist/turnover ratio (54 assists/15 TO) over the last two years in the second half.
* The Jaspers are 41-22 over the last three years when Stores, who was granted an extra year of eligibility on July 22, 2015 by the NCAA, starts including going 17-8 last year.
* Both Richards & Stores are the only MAAC student-athletes to have played in each of the last three MAAC title games and have been a part of 64 total wins, including going 8-1 during MAAC Tournament play.
* Freshmen Ak Ojo and Samson Usilo were each declared out for the rest of the season by head coach Steve Masiello following the second game against Canisius.
* Manhattan turned Siena over 23 times and rank 28th nationally with a MAAC-best 15.9 forced turnovers per game and have turned the opposition over at least 16 times in nine games.
* During Masiello's tenure, the Jaspers are 20-9 when forcing the opposition into at least 20 turnovers.
* Manhattan also had nine steals against Siena before registering seven at Niagara and lead the MAAC and rank 50th nationally with 7.8 per game.
* The Jaspers had 10 steals in the win over Fairfield and are 32-5 when hitting the 10-steal standard since Masiello took over the program for the 2011-2012 season, including 21-2 over the last three years.
* Manhattan is 40-5 when leading at the half over the last three seasons, including going a perfect 15-0 a year ago. Additionally, since the start of last season the Jaspers are 21-2 when leading with five minutes to play and 16-13 in games decided by 10 points or less.
* Also, over the last three years, Manhattan is 21-7 when limiting teams to less than 40 percent shooting, 25-8 when winning the battle of the boards and 32-15 when forcing more turnovers than the opposition.
* Masiello, who holds a career record of 85-63 (52-31 MAAC), set the school-record for MAAC Tournament wins a year ago with his eighth against Iona while breaking current ESPN analyst and former Jasper Head Coach Fran Fraschilla's previous mark.
* Since returning to Riverdale, Masiello has led Manhattan to a pair of MAAC Titles 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 four of the five Jasper MAAC Championship teams and five of Manhattan's 12 20-win seasons in accruing a 168-99 record.
* In his 20th season as either a player or a coach, Masiello has a career collegiate record of 446-209, including 325-181 on the sidelines, with one National Title, two National Championship appearances, two Final Four appearances, six Elite Eight berths, eight conference championships, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and 15 20-win seasons.
KEY MANHATTAN MATCH-UPS
Rebounding - In the first match-up, Niagara posted a +19 rebounding advantage, including +12 on the offensive end, and for Manhattan to gain a measure of revenge it must do a better job on the glass.
Take Advantage Of Turnovers - The Jaspers turned the Purple Eagles over 16 times in the first match-up but was able to only parlay that into eight points.
Offensive Fouls - Manhattan has drawn just three offensive fouls over the last six games and needs to do a better job in gaining extra possessions.
LAST EIGHT GAMES SPLITS
Second Half FG% (.479) | First Half FG% (.421)
Second Half FG% D (.388) | First Half FG% D (.483)
Second Half 3-Point O (39-of-84) | .464) | First Half 3-Point O (26-of-73) | .356)
Second Half 3-Point D (15-of-69) | .217) | First Half 3-Point D (24-of-60) | .400)
FROM DOWNTOWN
The Jaspers' 14 three pointers in the win at Canisius are the most since converting 14 in a 105-98 quadruple overtime loss at Canisius on January 30, 2000 and are just one off the school mark set in a win over Niagara on February 27, 1994.
EXCELLENCE
Manhattan's 63.3 percent three-point conversion rate (14-of-22) in the win at Canisius is its best single-game mark since making good on 83.3 percent (10-of-12) in a 71-70 win at Columbia on November 12, 2013.
EFFICIENCY
The Jaspers also scored on 17 of their final 20 offensive possessions in the first meeting with the Golden Griffins, going 11-of-17 (.647) from the floor, including 5-of-7 (.714) from deep, and 11-of-12 (.917) from the line.
BACK-2-BACK
Manhattan hit for at least 90 points (Siena-92) in back-to-back games last week for the first time since going for 102 in a win over Niagara on February 27, 1994 and 99 in a MAAC Tournament victory vs. Iona on March 5, 1994.
RICHARDS VS. CANISIUS
Richards is averaging 15.5 points per game vs. the Golden Griffins for his career while shooting 51.3 percent (39-of-76) from the floor, including 49.1 percent (27-of-55) from deep.
RICHARDS AT KOESSLER
In four games against Canisius at the Koessler Center, he averaged 20.5 points per game while making good on 68.3 percent (28-of-41) from the floor and 67.7 percent (21-of-31) from distance.
REVENGE
The Jaspers avenged a 35-point loss to Siena from December with a thrilling 92-87 victory in triple overtime on January 4.
90-POINT CLUB
Manhattan's 92 points also marked its most in a game since a 90-72 victory over Niagara on February 16, 2014.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Richards, who became the 37th member of the school's 1,000-point club in the win over George Mason, is currently 21st with 1,229 points.
THE WORLDWIDE LEADER
Manhattan is slated to appear on the ESPN family of networks 11 times during the 2015-2016 season, including 10 during MAAC play. The Jaspers will next play on ESPN3 against Monmouth on Thursday, January 21.
NEW LOOK AT DRADDY
Draddy Gymnasium will feature a state-of-the-art, sleek all-green look with white borders that will help showcase the school's brand in 2015-2016.
UP NEXT
Manhattan hosts Monmouth on Thursday, January 21 with opening tip slated at 8:00 pm on ESPN3.