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UNCASVILLE, Conn. - Manhattan continues its season-opening six-game road trip against Binghamton (1-2) on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 5:30 p.m. in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The Jaspers will then play either Northeastern or Navy on Sunday to conclude the event.
TOP STORYLINES
#1 - Manhattan concludes play in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut with a pair of games.
#2 - The Jaspers will play against Binghamton on Saturday at 5:30 pm before facing off with either CAA Preseason Champ Northeastern or Navy.
#3 - Manhattan last played Binghamton on December 30, 2011, defeating the Bearcats 94-51 on the road with senior Emmy Andujar notching 13 points, a career-high eight assists and five rebounds.
QUICK HITS
* Manhattan continues its season-opening six-game road trip against Binghamton (1-2) on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 5:30 p.m.
* The Jaspers home opener against Marist slated for Dec. 7 marks the first time since the 1999-2000 season that the school won't play a game in Draddy Gymnasium until December.
* Manhattan has dropped each of its first two games and will be looking to avoid a three-game losing streak for the first time since 2012-2013.
* After their last two-game losing streak, the Jaspers ripped off six-straight wins and 11-of-12 en route to winning the 2014 MAAC Championship.
* Manhattan went 4-1 in neutral site games a year ago, highlighted by three-straight wins at the 2014 MAAC Championships.
* Andujar was outstanding in neutral settings, averaging 12.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 51.3 percent from the floor and 84.6 percent from the floor.
* Since head coach Steve Masiello took over for the 2011-2012 season, the Jaspers are 8-7 in neutral site games and will play four this year.
* The Jaspers are 2-2, all-time, against Binghamton and 8-3, all-time, against America East competition.
* Masiello is 1-1 as a head coach against the America East with the lone win coming against Albany in the 2012 CollegeInsider.Com Tournament (CIT).
* Manhattan will play either Navy (0-3) or Northeastern (2-0) on Sunday, November 23. Masiello is 5-1 against teams from the CAA (Northeastern) and has never faced a Patriot League opponent (Navy).
* Thus far the Jaspers' non-conference opponents have a 10-14 record (D-1 only).
* Manhattan will be aiming for its first win in the state of Connecticut since the 2012-2013 season after dropping both games in the Nutmeg State a year ago.
* The last time out, the Jaspers dropped a 77-68 overtime decision at Massachusetts in a game that was part of the ESPN Tip-Off Marathon and televised nationally via ESPN2. The 11 a.m. start time matched the earliest Jasper start time since the team bested Maryland 87-84 on March 18, 2006 in the First Round of the NIT.
* The Minutemen converted on a NCAA single-season high 93.1 percent (27-for-29), including making good on all 12 in overtime in escaping with the win.
* Despite the loss, Manhattan made national news when sophomore Rich Williams' alley oop dunk from Andujar with 0.8 seconds remaining sent the game to overtime. Thanks to the play, which garnered top billing on SportsCenter's top plays for the night, the Jaspers were trending nationally on twitter.
* Andujar led the way for the Manhattan with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists - all of which paced the team. For Andujar it was his fifth career double-double and third 20-plus point outing.
* Thus far, Andujar is pacing the Jaspers in scoring (15.0 ppg), rebounding (9.5 rpg) and assists (3.5 apg) while shooting a team-best 48.0 percent from the floor.
* Junior Shane Richards hit for double-figures for the second-straight game to start the season, finishing with 13 markers, and is averaging a team-best matching 15.0 points per game. He also hit three triples and is now alone in third place in Manhattan career annals with 148 three pointers, just 15 behind Luis Flores for second place.
* Sophomore Tyler Wilson notched double-digits (10 points) for the second time in his career while handing out five assists. In the early part of the season, the second-year point guard is averaging 8.0 points and 3.5 assists each time while getting to the line 15 times.
* The Binghamton match-up reunites Masiello and former Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey. Dempsey went 10-4 during his seven seasons in charge of the Broncs. The teams split the season series in 2011-2012, Masiello's first in Riverdale and Dempsey's last in Lawrenceville.
* Manhattan first four games and five of the Jaspers' nine non-conference games will appear on the ESPN family of networks. All told, Manhattan currently has five games slated for ESPN3 and one each for ESPN2 and ESPNU. Masiello and the Jaspers are 15-13 when playing on the Worldwide Sports Network in the last three-plus season.
* This Jaspers will play eight of their nine non-conference games either on the road or in neutral venues. Last season, Manhattan won seven of those games, highlighted by a victory at SEC member South Carolina.
* Contesting arguably one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the Division I ranks, Manhattan will play six of its nine non-league games against teams from the Atlantic 10 (3), ACC (2) and Big Ten (1) while also potentially facing the CAA Preseason favorite (Northeastern).
* In the annual MAAC Preseason Men's Basketball Poll, the Jaspers were tabbed to finish third Andujar named to the Second Team and Pankey named to the Third Team.
* Since returning to Riverdale, Masiello has led Manhattan to the program's fourth MAAC Championship as well as a pair of 20-plus win campaigns. In his first tenure, he was a part of two MAAC Championships and three 20-plus win seasons.
* All told, Masiello has been a part of three of the Jaspers' four MAAC championships and five of their 12 20-win seasons while accruing a combined 143-76 record.
* Now in his 19th season as either a player or a coach, Masiello has a career collegiate record of 421-187, including 300-159 on the sidelines, with one National Title, one National Championship appearance, two Final Four appearances, six Elite Eight berths, seven conference championships, 12 NCAA Tournament appearances and 15 20-win seasons.
* The Jaspers will play its first 13 games in 11 different venues.
KEY MATCH-UPS
* Manhattan Defense - The Jaspers have allowed the opposition to make good on 47.0 percent from the floor, including 51.9 percent inside the arc, and will have to improve both numbers to win their first game of the season.
* Don't Let Up! - Manhattan jumped out to first-half leads against Florida State (10) and UMass (7) only to allow each team to rally for come-from-behind wins.
* Pick It Up Late - Over the final five minutes of the first two games, the Jaspers are being outscored by 6.5 points each time out and outrebounded by 4.5 caroms per game while allowing the opposition to shoot 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from the floor.
* The Line- Manhattan converted on just 50.0 percent (8-for-16) at the line at UMass and have made good on just 52.9 percent (9-for-17) in the final five minutes and overtime of its two games. Meanwhile, the Minutemen shot a blistering 93.1 percent (27-of-29) while the opposition is making good on 86.7 percent (26-of-30) in the final five minutes and overtime.
SCOUTING BINGHAMTON
Binghamton enters this weekend's play averaging 55.3 points per game while shooting just 36.4 percent from the floor, including a paltry 23.6 percent from long range, and is led by freshman Dusan Perovic (11.0 ppg).
YOUNG GUNS
To say that the Bearcats are a young team would be a tremendous understatement. Binghamton sports a roster that features 12 underclassmen (7-freshmen | 5 - sophomores) and has just two juniors and one senior.
HISTORY LESSON
Last year all seven of Jaspers' non-conference wins came either on the road or neutral courts. This season the Jaspers will play four road and four neutral site games during their non-league match-ups.
CLOSING IT OUT
Manhattan went 20-1 when leading at halftime a year ago, including 16-1 when limiting the opposition to less than 70 points, but have not been able to attain either standard this year.
这是马西洛第一次在Riverdale执教，他将不再拥有迈克尔·阿尔瓦拉多、乔治·比蒙和拉梅尔·布朗三人组。他们三人的成绩都超过了1000分，开始了他们的职业生涯。比蒙，两次入选MAAC第一阵容和MAAC总冠军MVP，最近在NBA发展联盟第三轮选秀中被俄克拉荷马蓝队选中，而三次获得MAAC年度最佳防守球员的布朗正在以色列打球。阿尔瓦拉多，入选第三阵容，去年夏天在波多黎各打球。三人组贡献了50.4%的进攻和38.7%的篮板。安杜贾尔本赛季的得分有所增加，在里弗代尔的这段时间里，他也是一个熟练的助攻者，职业生涯有263次助攻。再加上23个助攻，他将跻身学校职业生涯助攻榜前十。
FLORIDA STATE NOTES
* Richards led all players with 17 points while pacing the squad in scoring for the ninth time in his career.
* The Jaspers saw their 38-game streak of limiting the opposition to less than 50.0 percent shooting snapped while also losing for just the second time since the start of last season when leading by double-digits.
* Pankey scored 12 of his 14 points after halftime while converting a career-high 10 free throws.
* There were 65 fouls, including 35 Manhattan infractions that were one off the school-record of 36.
MANHATTAN SIGNS TWO FOR NEXT SEASON
Masiello has announced the signing of Nigeria natives Vincent Eze (6-8, 220) of Putnam Science (Conn.) and Akintoye Ojo (6-10, 230) of Cardinal Hayes for next season. A full release will be announced in the coming days.
MASIELLO, WILLIAMS SPOTLIGHTED BY ROTHSTEIN
Masiello was tabbed as one of “10 Coaches On The Rise” by CBS Sports personality Jon Rothstein while Williams, who averaged 4.4 points and 2.2 rebounds each time out a year ago was named as one of “20 Under-The-Radar Breakout Players.”
Masiello write-up:
“New York native may have lost an opportunity to get the South Florida job last spring, but he's still the same coach that nearly beat Rick Pitino and Louisville in last March's NCAA Tournament. Masiello has regularly talked about making his program one of the elite mid-majors in the country and he can take a step in that direction if he's able to sustain the Jaspers' success this season. Expect Manhattan to beat at least one team they're not supposed to in November and December with Masiello on the sidelines --- he's that good.”
Williams write-up:
“ If there were no jerseys or preconceived notions going into a Jaspers' practice, you'd think Williams was a BCS guard. The 6-5 guard has changed his body since the end of last season and will look to become Manhattan's alpha dog following the losses of Mike Alvarado, George Beamon and Rhamel Brown.”
INTERESTING
Masiello was also named at one of the “25 Most Intriguing Coaches” in college basketball by Yahoo.
STRANGE BUT TRUE
Masiello has twice been named as the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Coach of the Year (2012 | 2014) but has never earned top billing from the MAAC.
MANHATTAN TABBED THIRD IN PRESEASON POLL
Defending champion Manhattan was tabbed third in the MAAC Preseason Men's Basketball Poll after receiving 97 points. Iona was selected to win with 112 points followed by Siena in second with 107 points.
MANHATTAN WELCOMES FIVE TO THE FOLD
Sophomore Jermaine Lawrence as well as freshmen Samson Akilo, Calvin Crawford, Samson Usilo and Zane Waterman will join the Jasper family for the 2014-2015 season. Lawrence, was named as the 23rd-best transfer in the Division I ranks by ESPN's Jeff Goodman.
“He played sparingly as a freshman at Cincinnati last season, and opted to transfer closer to home and drop down a level and play for Steve Masiello at Manhattan. He received a hardship waiver and the former top 50 player should get no shortage of run for the Jaspers. He's long, athletic and skilled, a pretty good combo for success at the mid-major level.”
MEET THE STAFF
Masiello will be joined on the bench by Matt Grady, Rasheen Davis, Mike Bramucci, Stephen Elmore, Roberto Colonette, Heshimu Evans and Kidani Brutus. Grady, who is in his fourth year, and Davis, who is in his third, will serve as Associate Head Coaches while Bramucci will be an assistant coach in his second season after returning to Riverdale last year as the Director of Men's Basketball Operations. Elmore, who arrives from The Citadel, will assume Bramucci's position from a year ago while Colonette will again be the Strength & Conditioning Coach. Evans, meanwhile, joins the staff as an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach after a 15-year professional career. Evans played two seasons at Manhattan as a collegian and two more at Kentucky where he helped the Wildcats to the 1998 NCAA National Championship. The appointment of Brutus, a former Jasper standout like Colonette, as a Special Assistant to Masiello rounds out the coaching staff.
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
Manhattan boasts a roster of eight New York City natives and returns two starters and five key reserves that averaged at least 10 minutes a game a year ago.
RICHARDS LIGHTS IT UP FROM DOWNTOWN
Richards, the 2012-2013 MAAC Co-Rookie of the Year, averaged 8.3 points each time out en route to matching the single-season school-record with 77 three pointers and ranking fourth in the MAAC. He is currently third in school history with 148 career triples.
Name Years Games 3FGs
1. Devon Austin 2005-09 111 games 165
2. Luis Flores 2001-04 90 games 163
3. Shane Richards 2012-pres. 67 games 148
UMASS GAME NOISE
“The Manhattan Jaspers provided one of the best plays of the early college basketball season with a buzzer-beating alley-oop.” - Sports Illustrated
“That is probably the best out-of-bounds play we'll see all season. Derrick Gordon kind of fell asleep as Rich Williams goes around the back screen and throws it down, but that's just about as perfect a play call as you'll see. It's just one example of why Masiello is one of the best up-and-coming coaches in college basketball.” - CBS Sports
“Holy omg. What a play!! Masiello draws up an inbounds alley-oop to Rich Williams at the buzzer to send the game to OT.” - Howie Kussoy (New York Post)
“You're not going to get a better BLOB play than that in crunch time. Steve Masiello is a high-major HC @ the mid-major level. OT in Amherst!” - Jon Rothstein (CBS Sports)
UP NEXT
The Jaspers return to action against either Northeastern/Navy on Sunday, November 23 at 5:30/8 p.m.
