Bridgeport, Conn. (December 8, 2006)- Freshman Antoine Pearson went 6-6 from the line over the final 30 seconds to help secure a 57-54 win for Manhattan over Fairfield tonight at the Arena at Harbor Yard in the MAAC opener for both teams. The Jaspers improve to 3-5, 1-0 in MAAC play, while the Stags fall to 2-10, 0-1 in MAAC play.
Fairfield scored the first four points of the game before Darryl Crawford converted two consecutive layups to knot the score at 4-4 with 15 minutes left before the break. The Stags then rebuilt the lead, taking a six point lead with 11 minutes to play in the opening stanza, and led by as many as eight, 17-9, with 6:09 left before halftime. Manhattan used a 14-7 run to close out the half to pull within one, 24-23, as the two teams headed into the locker rooms.
The second half was a see-saw battle between two young teams, as Manhattan was able to tie the score four times over the first nine minutes of the second half, before the Jaspers took their first lead of the game at the 11:01 mark, as two Pearson free throws gave Manhattan a 36-34 lead. The Jaspers built a four point lead, and held the lead until a 6-0 Stag run gave Fairfield a two point lead, 44-42, with 5:36 left in the game. Manhattan answered with a 7-0 run of its own to take its largest lead of the night, 49-44, following a Patrick Bouli free throw with 1:15 remaining.
Fairfield was forced to foul, but the Jaspers, paced by Pearson, were able to convert from the charity stripe to earn their first conference win.
Joining Pearson (14 points, five rebounds, three steals, two assists, 9-10 from the line) in double figures were Devon Austin (13 points, team-high eight rebounds), Bouli (13 points), and Crawford (11 points, three steals).
Jonathan Han led Fairfield with 13 points, while Anthony Johnson chipped in with nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Manhattan converted 37.8% of its shots from the field, but sank 21-28 from the free throw line (75%), including 15-18 (83.3%) in the second half.
The Jaspers return to action on Sunday, December 10, hosting MAAC foe Loyola College at 2:00 p.m. at Draddy Gym.
