Lawrenceville, N.J. (January 24, 2006)- Playing without leading scorer
CJ Anderson, Manhattan could not overcome a sluggish start, dropping a 75-56 decision to Rider tonight at Alumni Gym on the Rider campus. The Jaspers fall to 11-6, 7-2 in MAAC play, while the Broncs improve to 6-11, 2-7 in MAAC play.
Both teams struggled from the field in the early going, combining to miss the first 14 field goal attempts of the game before a Terrance Mouton three pointer gave the Broncs a 3-0 lead with 16:02 left in the opening stanza. Rider went up 11-2 over the next three-plus minutes, and slowly extended its lead, which grew to 17, 25-8, before a 6-0 Manhattan run brought the deficit to 11, 25-14, with 5:10 left before the break. With the lead at 11, 30-19, 2:29 before intermission, the Broncs closed out the half with an 8-2 run to take a 38-21 lead into the locker room.
Manhattan came out with a renewed energy in the second half, cutting the lead to 12, 40-28, following an
Arturo Dubois layup, but the Broncs scored the next seven points to push their advantage to 19, their largest of the night before the final outcome. The Jaspers would not go quietly, though, whittling away at the lead over the next seven minutes, closing to within eight, 57-49, following a
Jeff Xavier trifecta with 6:17 remaining on the clock. Manhattan would not be able to draw any closer, though, as Rider emerged with the win.
Dubois tallied a double-double recording team-highs with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks, and was joined in double figures by Xavier, who scored 14 points and pulled down six boards.
Devon Austin, making his first collegiate start, scored seven points, and added six rebounds.
Edwin Muniz led all scorers with a game-high 27 points.
Manhattan, which won the battle of the boards, 41-37, will get back in action on Friday, January 27, traveling to Bridgeport, Conn. to take on Fairfield at the Arena at Harbor Yard. Game time is slated for 8:30 p.m.
