Riverdale, N.Y. - Junior center Arturo Dubois scored 13 of his game-high 21 points in the second half as Manhattan College posted a 63-60 win over Wagner College tonight at Draddy Gym. The Jaspers even their record at 1-1, while the Seahawks fall to 0-2 on the season.
Wagner tallied the first hoop of the game, a three pointer by Matt Vitale, and held the lead for the first 10 minutes, until a three pointer by freshman Jamel Ferguson game Manhattan a one point lead, 12-11, with 10:44 left in the first half. The two teams traded baskets for the next six minutes as the lead changed hands six times before, with the score tied at 27 with 3:47 left before the break, the Jaspers used an 8-3 run to close out the half, taking a 35-30 lead into the locker room.
Each team shot well in the first half, as Manhattan posted a 44.4% (12-27) shooting percentage, while Wagner converted 45.5% (10-22) of its shots.
Wagner came out of the gates quickly in the second stanza, scoring the first eight points to take a three point lead, 38-35, following two Jamal Smith free throws with 16:44 left in the game. The Seahawks maintained the lead over the next eight minutes, leading by as many as five points, 49-44, with 12 minutes remaining.
At that point, Manhattan began to assert itself on both ends of the floor, putting together a 14-2 run to take the largest lead of the night by either team, leading 58-51 with 5:10 to play following a Dubois free throw. Wagner would not get closer than two the rest of the way, and James Ulrich's three point attempt at the buzzer was blocked by Dubois.
The win, the first for first-year head coach Barry Rohrssen, saw Dubois add six rebounds to his game-high point total. Devon Austin chipped in with 10 points, and five rebounds, while freshman Darryl Crawford added eight points and five assists, and fellow rookie Ferguson tallied five points, six rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals.
Smith paced the Wagner offense with 19 points.
Manhattan continues a five game, season-opening homestand on Saturday, November 18, hosting Hofstra University at 2:00 p.m. at Draddy Gym.
