Game Notes
GAME #9: Manhattan Jaspers (4-4) at Fordham Rams (7-4)
Saturday, December 17, 2016 - 5:00 PM
Bronx, NY - Rose Hill Gym (3,200)
Video: A10 Network
Live Stats
TODAY'S GAME
After taking a 10-day break, its longest of the season, for exams, Manhattan (4-4) returns to action with the annual “Battle of the Bronx” against rival Fordham (7-4) at Rose Hill Gym. The Jaspers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 55-52 victory at St. Francis Brooklyn on Dec. 7. The Rams, meanwhile, are coming off a 59-45 loss to St. John's on Tuesday night. Senior guard Maeve Parahus is playing in her 100th career game this afternoon for Manhattan, which is in the midst of a four-game road trip. Fordham is playing the third of six straight home contests.
ABOUT THE JASPERS
The Jaspers (4-4) return to action for the first time since Dec. 7, when they snapped a three-game losing streak with a 55-52 victory at St. Francis Brooklyn. Junior center Kayla Grimme paces Manhattan in scoring and rebounding. She averages 9.1 points and 7.3 boards per game. Grimme is also the conference leader in blocks with 3.1 per contest. Junior guard Amani Tatum notches 8.6 points and 5.0 boards per outing to go along with a league-leading 4.9 assists a night. Tatum also ranks third in the MAAC in steals (2.6 spg). Senior guard Maeve Parahus, meanwhile, registers 8.3 points per game. She sinks 2.1 three-pointers per contest and is shooting .459 from long range, the best mark in the conference. Junior center Mikki Guiton contributes 5.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per outing, while junior guard Taylor Williams notches 5.4 points and 3.4 boards a night. Manhattan concludes its four-game road trip at Bucknell (6-3) on Tuesday.
ABOUT THE RAMS
The Rams (7-4) suffered a 59-45 loss to St. John's on Tuesday. Junior forward G'mrice Davis is averaging a double-double on the season. She leads Fordham with 11.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. Davis also records a team-best 1.4 steals per contest and is shooting .476 from the field. Freshman guard Kate Kreslina registers 9.2 points per outing, and she ranks second on the squad in both rebounding (4.3 rpg) and assists (1.8 apg). Senior guard/forward Danielle Burns adds 8.8 points a night and leads the Rams 2.0 assists per game. Sophomore guard Lauren Holden, meanwhile, notches 8.5 points per contest. That quartet has started every game this season along with senior guard Hannah Missry, who tallies 7.1 points per outing and drains a team-high 1.8 treys a night. Fordham, which has played eight of its first 12 contests at Rose Hill Gym, continues its six-game homestand on Thursday afternoon against Niagara (4-6).
SERIES HISTORY
This is the 48th “Battle of the Bronx” in women's basketball. The Jaspers and Rams have played at least once each season since Manhattan became a varisty program in 1978-79. The Jaspers hold a 24-23 edge in the all-time series, but Fordham has won each of the last five matchups. Last season at Draddy Gymnasium, the Rams notched a 60-49 victory on Nov. 18, 2015. Manhattan's last win over Fordham was a 49-45 triumph at Rose Hill Gym on Dec. 18, 2011.
LAST TIME OUT
The Jaspers snapped their three-game losing streak with a 55-52 victory at St. Francis Brooklyn on Dec. 7. Manhattan led 52-51 when Gabby Cajou sank a three-pointer as the shot clock expired to increase the margin to four points, 55-51, with 18 seconds left. St. Francis Brooklyn had the ball and a chance with seven seconds remaining, but missed a trey at the buzzer, giving Manhattan the victory. The Jaspers held a 30-26 advantage at halftime before the Terriers took a 42-40 cushion into the final period. Manhattan regained the lead for good when an Amani Tatum made it 50-49 at the 1:43 mark of the fourth quarter. Cajou finished with a career-high 13 points, and KellyAnne O'Reilly matched her career-best with nine points. Tatum added nine points and six rebounds, while Kayla Grimme grabbed a team-leading eight boards.
