Manhattan-Quinnipiac Game Notes
GAME #27: Quinnipiac Bobcats (19-7, 14-3 MAAC) at Manhattan Jaspers (13-13, 10-7 MAAC)
Tuesday, February 23, 2016-5:00 p.m.
Riverdale, NY-Draddy Gymnasium (2,520)
Video: ESPN3 (Christian Heimall and Chris Williams)
Live Stats
JASPERS GAME NIGHT
Manhattan (13-13, 10-7 MAAC) returns to Draddy Gymnasium for a matchup with Quinnipiac (19-7, 14-3 MAAC) that will be broadcast live on ESPN3. This is the make-up of a contest that was originally scheduled for Jan. 31, but postponed due to a mechanical issue with one of basketball hoops. The Jaspers, who are in the midst of a span of five games in 10 days, are coming off a 58-49 victory at Niagara on Sunday afternoon. The Bobcats, meanwhile, have won 14 straight games and are ranked 25th in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. In its last outing, Quinnipiac earned a 65-47 win at Rider on Sunday.
MANHATTAN BREAKDOWN
The Jaspers (13-13, 10-7 MAAC) picked up their 10th MAAC win of the season on Sunday, knocking off Niagara by a 58-49 count. This is the first time since the 2011-12 campaign that Manhattan has notched double-digit conference wins, and one more victory guarantees the Jaspers their first winning record in MAAC play in four seasons. Sophomore guard Amani Tatum paces the squad with 11.6 points per game, and she leads the MAAC in steals, averaging 3.2 per contest. Sophomore center Kayla Grimme registers 7.7 points per outing to go along with a team-high 8.0 rebounds a night. She also ranks second in the league with 2.4 blocks per game. Senior guard Blake Underhill, meanwhile, tallies 1.7 steals per contest, fifth-most in the MAAC, and is sixth in the conference with 3.6 assists per outing. Manhattan concludes its road schedule at Saint Peter's on Friday night before hosting Rider in the regular season finale on Sunday.
QUINNIPIAC BREAKDOWN
Quinnipiac (19-7, 14-3 MAAC) is currently on a 14-game winning streak and hasn't lost since Jan. 2. In their last outing, the Bobcats earned a 65-47 victory at Rider on Sunday afternoon. Quinnipiac is currently ranked 25th in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25. Senior guard Maria Napolitano leads the Bobcats with 10.4 points per game, while freshman guard/forward Aryn McClure, tallies 8.6 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per contest. She also notches 1.7 blocks per outing. Sophomore forward Sarah Shewan contributes 8.2 points a night, and sophomore guard Carly Fabbri hands out 2.4 assists per game. Junior forward Morgan Manz is the MAAC leader in three-point percentage, shooting .435 from beyond the arc. As a team, the Bobcats lead the league in scoring (66.5 ppg), assists (15.4 apg) and blocks (5.6 bpg). Quinnipiac hosts Fairfield on Friday, then visits Iona to conclude the regular season on Sunday.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The Jaspers' 52-42 victory at the TD Bank Sports Center on Dec. 6 was their first-ever win against Quinnipiac in seven all-time meetings. The Bobcats, who swept the season series in both 2013-14 and 2014-15 (their first two years in the MAAC), have never lost in Riverdale. In Quinnipiac's first two visits to Draddy Gymnasium as members of the MAAC, the Bobcats posted an 86-78 victory on March 1, 2014 and an 82-71 triumph on Feb. 24, 2015.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
On Sunday afternoon, Manhattan earned its 10th MAAC win of the season with a 56-49 victory over Niagara at the Gallagher Center. In the first quarter, the Jaspers used an 8-0 run to open up a 13-4 advantage, and it was 15-7 Manhattan after one period. The Jaspers led 30-23 at halftime, but Niagara started the third quarter on a 9-4 rally to pull within two, 34-32. Manhattan led 37-34 entering the final period. An Amani Tatum layup early in the fourth quarter sparked a 14-3 Manhattan spurt that extended the margin to 11 points, 49-38. The Jaspers then made seven consecutive free throws down the stretch to cap the 56-49 triumph. Kayla Grimme had a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Kylla Champagne tallied a career-high 13 points.
HONORING OUR VETERANS
As a part of Manhattan's partnership with the Wounded Warrior Program, the Jaspers are happy to welcome several veterans and their families to tonight's game. The Wounded Warriors took in Manhattan's afternoon shootaround and joined the Jaspers for their pregame meal before enjoying the game from the sidelines.
ESPN3 AT DRADDY
This is the Jaspers' fourth appearance on ESPN3 this season. Manhattan has been featured in the MAAC National Game of the Week twice, while ESPN3 also covered the Jaspers' 70-68 loss at Canisius on Feb. 19. Manhattan's 64-47 victory over Saint Peter's at Draddy Gymnasium on Jan. 21 was broadcast, marking the first time that a home game was shown on ESPN3 since a matchup with Marist on Jan. 25. The Jaspers' 57-56 loss to Monmouth on Feb. 11 also aired live, while today's contest is the third Manhattan home game to be seen on ESPN3 this season. This is the first time in program history that the Jaspers have had multiple home games broadcast nationally in the same season, and all three contests were part of a doubleheader with the Manhattan men's team.
