Riverdale, N.Y. (January 19, 2006)--Manhattan Women's Basketball trimmed a 15-point second-half deficit down to one with a little more than a minute left on the clock, but the Lady Jaspers were unable to complete the comeback as they fell to Saint Peter's College, 65-60, on Thursday night at Draddy Gym. With the loss, Manhattan falls to 6-10 overall and 3-4 in MAAC play, while Saint Peter's improves to 6-10 and 2-5 in conference games.
After sophomore guard
Joann Nwafili came up with a steal to give Manhattan possession with 1:35 remaining, freshman forward
Kymesha Alston, who finished with eight points and a team-high eight rebounds, drove down the right side of the lane and drew a shooting foul. Alston converted both of her free throws to slice a once 15-point Saint Peter's advantage down to one with 1:21 remaining in regulation.
With 22 seconds left on the clock, the Peahens' Tyonna Vance hot two free throws of her own to put Saint Peter's back up to three at 63-60. On the Lady Jaspers' ensuing possession, freshman
Annie McIntyre's three-point attempt from beyond the right arc came up short and Vance knocked down two more free throws to ice the game.
Saint Peter's jumped out to a 10-point lead early on, but Manhattan sophomore forward
Caitlin Flood kept the Lady Jaspers within striking distance as she scored on four consecutive trips down the floor during a 1:10 span late in the first half. Manhattan, however, was unable to come up with big stops after the Flood baskets, and as a result, Saint Peter's took 38-29 lead into the break.
For the game, Manhattan outshot and outrebounded the Peaheans, but committed 16 turnovers to Saint Peter's eight. Sophomore guard
Gabrielle Cottrell led three Lady Jaspers in double figures with 14 points and five rebounds. Flood and Nwafili also added 10 points and five boards apiece.
Saint Peter's forward Khalisha Lewis posted game-highs in points and rebounds with 20 and 10 respectively.
Manhattan returns to action on Saturday, January 21, as the Lady Jaspers travel over the George Washington Bridge and down the New Jersey Turnpike to take on Rider in Lawrenceville, N.J. Tip-off is 2:00 p.m.
