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Hamden, CT - Manhattan withstood a furious late charge from Quinnipiac in securing the program's first-ever win at the TD Bank Sports Center by a 63-59 count.
The Jaspers closed out the game by converting on six free throws in the final 18.4 in moving to 12-14 and 9-8 in the MAAC while the Bobcats fall to 9-18 and 6-12 in the league.
the high-scoring duo of senior Shane Richards (New York, NY / York Prep) and junior Rich Williams (Brooklyn, NY / Vermont Academy (VT)) combined for 35 points to lead the way for the visitors.
In the opening half, Manhattan hit its first four shots in jumping out to an 11-6 lead at the first media timeout (14:59) thanks to a pair of three pointers from Richards, the second of which was the 300th of his career.
Quinnipiac would fight back to take it a one-point lead only to see Zane Waterman (So., Winston-Salem, NC / Fayetteville Academy) can a triple of his own in reclaiming the lead for the Jaspers at 15-13 with 9:15 to play until halftime.
Manhattan would push its lead to 31-23 at the break thanks to ending the first half with a 9-2 run.
In the opening stanza, Richards led all players with 13 points as the Jaspers converted on 45.5 percent (10-of-22) from the floor, including 66.7 percent (6-of-9) from deep, while forcing nine miscues that led to a 10-4 advantage in points off turnovers.
Manhattan opened the second half with consecutive baskets en route to opening up a 44-31 lead with 14:28 to play.
The Bobcats would continue to hang around but still trailed 57-51 with 2:39 remaining following Thomas Capuano's (Fr., Hastings-on-Hudson, NY / Iona Prep) jumper. Chaise Daniels answered with an old-fashioned three-point play and following a Jasper turnover, Dimitri Flores hit a jumper to make it a one-point game at 57-56 with 1:08 to play.
Quinnpiac then forced another Manhattan miscue and was in position to take the lead but Flores three-point attempt was long and Williams was fouled on the rebound. He calmly sank both free throws and the Jaspers forced a turnover on the ensuing possession.
Senior RaShawn Stores (Bronx, NY / Robinson School (NJ)) closed out the win with four free throws, sandwiched between a Giovanni McLean three pointer, over the final seven seconds in providing the final 63-59 count.
Manhattan shot 45.5 percent (20-of-44) from the field, including 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from deep, and 71.4 percent (15-of-21) from the line.
The Jaspers also forced 11 steals while improving to 23-2 over the last three years when notching double-figures and parlayed 17 miscues into an 18-11 advantage in points off turnovers.
Richards had his 17th career 20-point performance, including the 10th this year, finishing with a game-high 21. Williams, meanwhile, scored 14 points with a team-leading five rebounds and two steals. Stores added nine points, four assists and two steals while Capuano scored all seven of his points after halftime and junior Tyler Wilson (Bronx, NY / Cardinal Hayes) had three assists, against no turnovers, and three steals to round out the top Manhattan performers.
The Bobcats, meanwhile, made good on 44.2 percent (23-of-52), including 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from long range, and just 63.3 percent (7-of-11) at the line while posting a 34-26 advantage on the glass.
McLean and Daniels each had a team-high 15 points in a losing effort.
The Jaspers host Saint Peter's on Tuesday, February 23 at 8:00 pm in a game that will be streamed live on ESPN3.
NOTES:
* Richards was 6-of-14 from the floor and 4-of-8 from long range ... Over his previous three games against Quinnipiac he was just 4-of-31 from the field and 3-of-17 from deep.
* He has now hit for at least four three points on 34 occasions with the Manhattan going 24-10 in those games, including 18-7 over the last three seasons.
* Richards now has 1,400 career points and is just 31 points beehind 2010 graduate Darryl Crawford for ninth place in school annals.
* The Jaspers are 5-0 this season when recording double-figures in steals and 23-2 over the last three years.
* Manhattan collected its first season sweep of a MAAC opponent this season and now leads the all-time series with Quinnipiac by a 4-3 count.
* All nine of the Jaspers' MAAC victories have come by 10 points or less.