Manhattan-Monmouth Game Notes
GAME #23: Monmouth Hawks (8-15, 6-8 MAAC) at Manhattan Jaspers (11-11, 8-5 MAAC)
Thursday, February 11, 2016-5 p.m.
Riverdale, NY-Draddy Gymnasium (2,520)
Video: ESPN3 (Dean Darling and Julianne Viani)
Audio
Live Stats
JASPERS GAME NIGHT
Manhattan (11-11, 8-5 MAAC) looks to extend its winning streak to three with a matchup against Monmouth (8-15, 6-8 MAAC) that will be broadcast nationally on ESPN3. The squads met on Feb. 2, with the Hawks notching a 72-62 victory. That was Manhattan's only loss in its last six games. The Jaspers earned the 500th win in program history on Monday night, notching a 64-59 triumph at Marist, their first victory in Poughkeepsie since 2003. Monmouth, meanwhile, is coming off a 79-75 win over Canisius on Sunday. This is the opener of a Manhattan basketball doubleheader. At 8 p.m., the men's team takes on Quinnipiac.
MANHATTAN BREAKDOWN
The Jaspers (11-11, 8-5 MAAC) have won five of their last six games, including two straight. Manhattan is coming off a 74-69 victory at Marist on Monday night, its first victory at McCann Arena since the 2002-03 MAAC Championship season. Sophomore guard Amani Tatum averages a team-best 11.7 points per game, and she leads the MAAC with 3.2 steals per contest. Tatum also tallies 3.2 assists per outing. Sophomore guard Nyasha Irizarry contributes 9.2 points a night, and she sinks 2.0 three-pointers per game to rank sixth in the MAAC. Sophomore center Kayla Grimme, meanwhile, is second in the league in blocks (2.5 bpg) and fifth in rebounding (8.0 rpg). She adds 8.0 points per contest. Senior guard Blake Underhill hands out 3.7 assists per outing to rank fifth in the conference, and she's also fifth in the MAAC in steals, averaging 1.7 a night. The Jaspers host Siena on Sunday afternoon in their annual “Play 4 Kay” game.
MONMOUTH BREAKDOWN
After dropping five out of six, Monmouth (8-15, 6-8 MAAC) has won two of its last three games, including a 79-75 victory over Canisius on Sunday. Senior guard Sarah Olson leads the Hawks with 11.9 points per game, and her 2.7 three-pointers per contest are the most in the MAAC. Senior forward Jamiyah Bethune tallies 11.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per outing to go along with 3.0 assists a night. Junior guard Tyese Purvis adds 9.2 points per game, and senior guard Jasmine Walker registers 8.2 points per contest. Junior forward Christina Mitchell is third in the MAAC with 9.4 rebounds per outing and fifth with 1.7 blocks a night. Freshman guard McKinzee Barker, meanwhile, distributes 3.6 assists per game, sixth-most in the conference. Monmouth is the second-highest scoring team in the MAAC (65.5), but also gives up a league-high 70.1 points per contest. This is the start of a four-game road trip for the Hawks, who visit Fairfield on Sunday.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Jaspers and Hawks met just nine days ago, with the Hawks posting a 72-62 victory in West Long Branch. It was Monmouth's fourth consecutive win over Manhattan and gave the Hawks a 10-9 lead in the all-time series. Monmouth is 4-1 against the Jaspers since joining the MAAC. Manhattan's last victory over Monmouth was a 65-59 decision at Draddy Gymnasium on Dec. 31, 2013, which was the first-ever conference game between the squads.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Manhattan earned the 500th win in program history on Monday night, notching a 64-59 triumph at Marist. It was also the Jaspers' first victory at McCann Arena since 2003. Manhattan led 18-17 after one quarter and Marist held a 27-24 advantage at halftime. The Jaspers took a 41-40 cushion into the fourth quarter, but trailed 49-47 when Amani Tatum went for eight straight points to put Manhattan up 55-49. The Jaspers never trailed again, snapping their 12-game losing streak in Poughkeepsie with a 64-59 victory. Tatum led the way with a career-high 19 points, while Blake Underhill tallied 14 points. Kayla Grimme had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Shayna Ericksen just missed a double-double of her own, finishing with nine points and 12 boards.
BOOT STOMP CANCER
The Jaspers have teamed with the HEADstrong Foundation to raise funds and awareness for those affected by cancer at tonight's doubleheader. The HEADstrong Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides direct assistance to cancer patients and their families, was started by Hofstra University lacrosse player Nick Colleluori before his death in 2006. Manhattan College play-by-play announcer Christian Heimall, a Hofstra graduate, organized the Jaspers' first HEADstrong game last season while battling B-cell non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, from which he is currently in remission. Both teams are wearing lime green shoelaces to show their support for the cause.
