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NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - Winners of two in a row, Manhattan (4-7; 1-1 MAAC) will play its first game of the new year at Niagara (2-8; 1-1 MAAC) at the Gallagher Center on Friday, Jan. 2 with opening tip slated for 7 p.m.
TOP STORYLINES
#1 - Following a season-long 10-day break, Manhattan resumes league play.
#2 - The Jaspers will be in search of their third-straight win, which would be the longest streak since claiming five-straight en route to the 2014 MAAC Title.
#3 - Manhattan finished up non-conference play with a 3-6 record thanks to posting wins over Morgan State and Fordham. The victories closed out a grueling non-league slate that saw the Jaspers play six games vs. teams from the A-10, ACC and Big Ten.
QUICK HITS
* Manhattan leads the all-time series with Niagara by a 47-30 count and claimed both meetings a year ago.
* The Jaspers have won two of the last three match-ups with the Purple Eagles after losing the previous five and are just 10-15, all-time, at Niagara.
* Steve Masiello is 4-2, all-time, against the Purple Eagles since assuming the head coaching reigns and was 8-2 against Niagara as an assistant during his first tenure in Riverdale from 2001-2005.
* In the last meeting (2/16/14) between the teams, Manhattan cruised to a 90-72 win as George Beamon paced five double-figure scorers for the victors with 27 markers.
* The Jaspers clipped the Purple Eagles 78-77 in the teams' last meeting (2/9/14) at Niagara when Rayvon Harris' last-second layup attempt was blocked by thanks to Rhamel Brown.
* Last season, junior Ashton Pankey averaged 9.5 points and 6.0 rebounds against the Purple Eagles while senior Emmy Andujar notched 5.5 points and 4.5 assists each time out. For his career, Andujar has been a thorn in the side of Niagara, averaging 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
* As a unit, Manhattan averaged 84.0 points and 20.0 forced turnovers per game while shooting 54.1 percent from the field in taking both games from the Purple Eagles a year ago.
* The Jaspers most recently claimed the Battle of the Bronx with a decisive 71-57 win over Fordham at the Barclays Center in a game that was attended by former New York City Mayor and 1965 graduate Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani spoke with the team following the victory.
* Andujar was named the Mike Cohen MVP after scoring 14 points with nine rebounds against the Rams. Andujar also earned MVP accolades in the annual rivalry game as a freshman.
* Manhattan erased a 12-point deficit in avenging last season's loss to Fordham while overcoming its largest deficit since battling back from an 18-point Iona lead in a 75-72 win in New Rochelle on Jan. 12, 2012. All told, the Jaspers have now eight victories when trailing by double-figures during Masiello's four-year tenure.
* Joining Andujar in double-figures in points was Pankey (12) and junior Shane Richards (12) as the three leading Manhattan scorers all notched double-figures in the same game for the first time this season.
* Andujar is now just 29 points shy of becoming the 36th member of the Jaspers' 1,000-point club. Additionally, with the aforementioned 29 points and 10 more assists Andujar will become the first player in school history with 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 300 assists.
* For the month of December, Andujar averaged 15.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 62.7 percent from the floor and pacing the squad in scoring in four of Manhattan's six games.
* Andujar continues to rank among the MAAC leaders in scoring (13.5-10th), rebounding (7.6-4th), field goal percentage (.536-3rd), steals (1.5-8th), assists (3.1-8th), offensive rebounds (2.9-3rd), defensive rebounds (4.7-8th) and assist/turnover ratio (0.8-10th).
* At Pitt, Andujar notched 17 of his team-high 19 points after halftime and continues to lead the Jaspers with 8.7 points per game after halftime. Additionally, over his last six games he is averaging 11.2 points each time out in the second half on 69.0 percent (24-for-35) shooting.
* Manhattan defeated Fordham for the third time in four seasons and the 10th time in 14 years and now lead the all-time series by a 56-51 margin.
* The Jaspers also improved to 2-1 at the Barclays Center with its second win in as many seasons while snapping a four-game losing streak to Atlantic 10 opposition.
* Manhattan is 2-2 in neutral site venues this season and 6-3 since the start of last season.
* The Jaspers are 3-0 when scoring 70 points and have limited each of its last nine opponents to less than 70 points.
* Additionally, Manhattan has forced at least 16 turnovers in nine of its 11 games and is 48th nationally with a +3.7 turnover margin.
* In their current two-game winning streak, the Jaspers is shooting a blistering 47.4 percent (18-for-38) from long range while averaging 41.5 points per game after halftime thanks to shooting 51.0 percent (25-for-49) from the floor.
* Despite ranking last in the MAAC with a 61.8 percent conversion rate from the line, Manhattan has made good 10-for-12 (.833) to close out the Fordham win and 8-for-10 (.800) in the Morgan State victory.
* The Jaspers have played eight of its nine non-conference games either on the road or in neutral venues while six of the aforementioned nine non-league games were against teams from the Atlantic 10 (3), ACC (2) and Big Ten (1).
* Ten games on Manhattan's 2014-2015 schedule will appear on the ESPN family of networks. The Jaspers currently have seven games slated for ESPN3, two for ESPNU and one for ESPN2.
* The Gallagher Center will be the 10th different venue that Manhattan will play in this season as the Jaspers will see action in 11 different locations over their first 13 games.
* Manhattan bested Morgan State 73-69 in a game that featured 18 lead changes and 12 ties thanks to a game-high 20 points from Richards. The New York native was 6-for-9 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from long range, and broke Devon Austin's three-point record with his 166th career trey. His performance was the second 20-plus point outing of his career and the fifth by a Manhattan student-athlete this season.
* He followed his big game up with four more triples against Fordham and is now 8-for-12 (.667) from long range over his last two games after going just 4-for-20 (.200) first four games of the month.
* For his career, Richards has 170 three pointers and is averaging 2.2 per game.
* Richards continues to rank among the league leaders in scoring (11.8-15th), three-point field goal percentage (.373-14th) and threes per game (2.5-4th MAAC) and is the lone Manhattan student-athlete to start every game.
* Pankey, like Richards, had 12 points against Fordham and has hit for double-digits in four of his six December tilts and continues to rank among the league leaders in scoring (10.5-22nd), rebounding (6.2-10th), field goal percentage (.512-5th), blocks (1.0-8th), defensive rebounds (4.2-11th) and offensive rebounds (2.0-12th)
* Senior Donovan Kates became the sixth different Jasper to miss a game this season against Morgan State. Kates (1), senior RaShawn Stores (2), sophomore Jermaine Lawrence (4), classmate Carlton Allen (4), freshman Samson Usilo (11) and classmate Zane Waterman (5) have combined to miss 27 games this season.
* Since returning to Riverdale, Masiello has led the 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 member of three of the Jaspers' four MAAC Championship teams and five of their 12 20-win seasons while accruing a 147-82 record.
* In his 19th season as either a player or a coach, Masiello has a career collegiate record of 425-192, including 304-171 on the sidelines, with one National Title, two National Championship appearances, two Final Four appearances, six Elite Eight berths, seven conference championships, 12 NCAA Tournament appearances and 15 20-win seasons.
KEY MATCH-UPS
* The Three-Ball - Niagara shot 50.0 percent from long range while converting a season-high 11 triples in posting a 65-47 victory over Albany in its last game. Manhattan, meanwhile, hit on a season-best matching nine triples in each of its last two wins.
* Road To 70 - The Jaspers are a perfect 3-0 this season when scoring 70 points in a game and has limited each of its last nine opponents to less than 70. The Purple Eagles, meanwhile, have failed to hit the mark this season.
* The Press - Manhattan's press was fantastic against Fordham, pressuring the Rams into 18 turnovers and numerous rushed shots. The Jaspers will have their work cut out against a Niagara squad that is turning the ball over just 13.2 times per game.
PROJECT MAYHEM
Manhattan has forced at least 19 turnovers in six of its 11 games and ranks third among MAAC leaders and 48th nationally with a +2.7 turnover margin.
TYLER DELIVERS
Sophomore Tyler Wilson has handed out at least four assists five times this season and continues to rank among the MAAC leaders in assists (3.3-6th), steals (1.6-6th) and assist/turnover ratio (1.2-8th).
SECOND-HALF IMPROVEMENT
Andujar (8.6 ppg - 4.6 ppg), Pankey (6.5 ppg - 4.1 ppg) and Wilson (3.2 ppg - 2.0 ppg) have all improved their scoring after halftime this season compared to the first half.
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 matched the single-season school record with 77 three pointers a year ago and is currently fourth in the league and 87th nationally with 2.5 threes per game. He is first in school history with 170 career triples after breaking the record against Morgan State.
WATCH AND LISTEN ON leslieschultz.com
For the 17th year, Manhattan Men's Basketball games will be broadcast live over the internet on leslieschultz.com. Each broadcast will begin with the "Steve Masiello Pre-Game Report" 15 minutes prior to opening tip.
109TH SEASON OF JASPERS BASKETBALL
In its 109th season, the Manhattan men's basketball program boasts a 1312-1163 overall record and 259-276 MAAC mark in 35 seasons as a conference member. The Jaspers' storied men's basketball team was established in 1904-05 and served a two-year hiatus during the 1943-44 and 1944-45 season due to World War II.
WHAT'S A JASPER?
The unique nickname of Manhattan College's athletic teams, the Jaspers, comes from one of the College's most memorable figures, Brother Jasper of Mary, F.S.C., who served as the College's athletic director in the late 19th century. One of the greatest achievements of Brother Jasper was that he brought the then little-known sport@ of baseball to Manhattan College and became the team's first coach. Since Brother Jasper was also the Prefect of Discipline, he supervised the student fans at Manhattan baseball games while also directing the team itself. During one particularly warm and humid day when the college was playing a semi-pro baseball team called the Metropolitans, Brother Jasper noticed the Manhattan students were becoming restless and edgy with the team coming to bat in the seventh inning of a close game. To relieve the tension, Brother Jasper called timeout and told the students to stand up and stretch for a few minutes until the game resumed. Since the College annually played the New York Giants in the late 1880's and into the 1890's at the old Polo Grounds, the Manhattan College practice of the "seventh inning stretch" spread into the major leagues, where it has now become a time-honored custom practiced by millions of fans annually.
THIS IS MANHATTAN COLLEGE
• Manhattan College is one of 276 institutions in the United States with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest and most widely known academic honor society. Phi Beta Kappa celebrates and advocates excellence in the liberal arts and sciences.
• All three of the College's professional programs — business, education and health, and engineering — are nationally accredited.
• The five undergraduate engineering programs — chemical, civil, computer, electrical and mechanical — are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET, Inc).
• The School of Education is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC).
• The School of Business is one of 555 institutions in the world to be accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International.
• Seventeen alumni are members of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering — an impressive number for an institution the size of Manhattan College.
• Manhattan is one of few American colleges to have chapters of all five of the distinguished national honor societies: Beta Gamma Sigma, Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi and Tau Beta Pi.
• Distinguished alumni include Rudy Giuliani '65, former mayor of New York City; James Patterson '69, best-selling author; and Raymond Kelly '63, former commissioner of the New York City Police Department.
• Manhattan is one of only 182 remaining colleges founded in the United States before the Civil War.
UP NEXT
The Jaspers will play at Canisius on Sunday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m.
