Riverdale, N.Y. (January 18, 2007)- Senior Guy Ngarndi and freshman Antoine Pearson each reached career-highs in points, as Manhattan extended its winning streak to six games with an 86-75 MAAC win over Rider tonight at Draddy Gym. The win ups the Jaspers' record to 9-8 overall and 6-1 in the MAAC, keeping Manhattan in a tie for first place in the conference. Rider falls to 10-8, 4-4 in MAAC play.
After the two teams traded baskets to begin the game, the Broncs used an 8-2 run to take a six point, 10-4, lead, 3:29 into the game. Rider was able to maintain the lead for most of the opening stanza, as Manhattan could get no closer than two until an Ngarndi dunk and a Patrick Bouli three pointer gave the Jaspers their first lead, 32-30, with 44 seconds left in the first half. It looked like Manhattan would take that lead into the break, but Jason Thompson put back a Harris Mansell miss at the buzzer to even the score at 32-32 at the game's halfway mark.
The second half began the same way as the first, with each team converting one basket, but this time it was Manhattan that seized the lead, though it did not get above four points until, with the Jaspers holding a one point, 57-56, lead with 10:47 left in the game, Manhattan used a 12-2 run, with eight points coming from Pearson, to increase the lead to double-digits, 70-59, with 6:13 to play. Rider was able to cut the lead to seven on two occasions, but would draw no closer, as the Jaspers would convert 4-6 from the line in the final 1:22 to seal the win.
Ngarndi finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, while Pearson would tally 21 points and five assists. Arturo Dubois would chip in with 16 points, while Patrick Bouli recorded 13 points, and team-highs with eight rebounds and eight assists. Pearson and Bouli, Manhattan's two point guards, combined for 13 assists against just one turnover in 72 combined minutes.
Mansell paced Rider with 21 points, while Thompson added 20 points and game-high nine rebounds.
Manhattan returns to the court on Sunday, January 21, hosting MAAC foe Siena at 2:00 p.m. at Draddy Gym. The game will be televised live in RNN.
