Game Notes
GAME #12: Siena Saints (2-9, 1-1 MAAC) at Manhattan Jaspers (4-7, 0-2 MAAC)
Friday, December 30, 2016 - 7:00 PM
Riverdale, NY - Draddy Gymnasium (2,520)
Video: Jasper Sports Network
Audio
Live Stats
TONIGHT'S GAME
The Jaspers (4-7, 0-2 MAAC) conclude 2016 by resuming the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) slate against Siena (2-9, 1-1 MAAC) at Draddy Gymnasium. Manhattan began its four-game homestand with a 59-42 loss to New Hampshire in its non-conference finale on Wednesday night. The Jaspers are looking to snap a three-game losing streak. The Saints, meanwhile, have dropped six straight since beating Fairfield in their MAAC opener. In its last outing, Siena suffered a 61-50 loss at Northeastern on Wednesday.
ABOUT THE JASPERS
Manhattan (4-7, 0-2 MAAC) started its season-long four-game homestand with a 59-42 loss to New Hampshire on Wednesday night. The Jaspers have dropped three straight and six out of seven. Junior guard Amani Tatum leads the team in scoring with an average of 10.1 points per game. She paces the MAAC in assists (5.0 apg) and ranks second in the league in steals (3.4 spg), while also ranking second on the team in rebouding (4.5 rpg). Junior center Kayla Grimme registers a squad-best registers a team-best 6.8 rebounds per contest to go along with 9.5 points per outing. In addition, she's the conference leader in blocks (2.4 bpg). Senior guard Maeve Parahus, meanwhile, drains 1.8 three-pointers a night and is shooting .408 from long range. Parahus ranks third on the squad with 7.0 points per game. The Jaspers open 2017 with a matchup against Canisius (2-9, 1-1 MAAC) on Monday.
ABOUT THE SAINTS
Siena (2-9, 1-1 MAAC), which has dropped six straight, is coming off a 61-50 loss at Northeastern on Wednesday. The Saints opened MAAC play with a 67-52 win over Fairfield on Dec. 1. Sophomore guard Jackie Benitez is second in the league in scoring with an average of 16.7 points per game. She leads the MAAC with 3.2 three-pointers per contest and is second in the conference in free throw percentage (.814), while also ranking fourth with 2.5 steals per outing. Senior forward Meghan Donohue, who's third in the league with an .810 free throw percentage, is shooting a league-best .589 from the field. Donohue averages 14.8 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds a night. Junior guard Kollys Scarbrough adds 9.3 points and 5.5 boards per game, while sophomore guard Deja Rawls distributes a squad-leading 2.5 assists per contest. The Saints begin a span where they play four out of six at home against Niagara (4-7, 1-1 MAAC) on Monday.
SERIES HISTORY
Manhattan snapped a four-game losing streak against Siena with a 56-49 victory at Draddy Gymnasium on Feb. 14, 2016. That was also the Jaspers' first home win over the Saints in four years. The teams split the season series in 2015-16, with each squad winning at home. Siena posted a 60-59 triumph in Loudonville on Jan. 10, 2016. Overall, this is the 63rd all-time meeting between the sides. Siena leads the series 41-21 and has won nine of the last 11 meetings.
LAST TIME OUT
In its final non-conference game of the season, Manhattan suffered a 59-42 loss to New Hampshire at Draddy Gymnasium on Wednesday night. The Wildcats led 13-5 after the first quarter and held a 17-8 advantage when the Jaspers went on a 7-0 run to pull within two. After a New Hampshire bucket, back-to-back layups by Gabby Cajou and Amani Tatum tied the score at 19-19. New Hampshire hit a three-pointer to take a 22-19 lead into the locker room, then extended that margin to 38-21 midway through the third quarter. Manhattan pulled within 13 points, 46-33, early in the fourth quarter, but would get no closer, as the Wildcats notched a 59-42 victory. Kayla Grimme paced the Jaspers with 12 points and eight rebounds. Cajou added 11 points, while Tatum finished with seven points to go along with seven steals and six assists.