Lawrenceville, N.J. (February 9, 2007)- Despite a game- and career-high 38 points from Devon Austin, Manhattan dropped a 75-68 to decision to Rider tonight at Alumni Gym in the Broncs' campus. The Jaspers fall to 12-12 overall, 9-5 in MAAC play, while Rider improves to 13-11. 7-7 in MAAC play.
In a game that saw both team put together extended runs, Manhattan scored 10 of the game's first 15 points to open up a quick, 10-5, lead after 5:23 had been played, before Rider used a 15-0 run to open up a 20-10 lead with 10:18 to play in the opening stanza. The Jaspers would not back down, and outscored the Broncs 22-4 the rest of the half to take an eight point, 32-24, lead into the locker room.
With the Manhattan lead at nine, 35-26, with 17:47 remaining, Rider scored 14 straight points ,with 12 coming on three pointers, to take a five point, 40-35, lead, and extended the run to 27-4 to take a 14 point, 53-39, lead with 11:08 left in the game. The lead would swell to as many as 15, 59-44, with 9:42 to play before Manhattan came back to life. Austin would kick off a 20-5 Manhattan run with a three pointer, scoring 16 of the 20 points, including four three pointers, to pull the Jaspers to within a single point, 65-64, with 3:37 left to play, but Rider would score the next six points, and would make four of six from the line over the final 33 seconds to emerge with the win.
Austin's 38 points easily eclipsed his previous career-high of 22 set earlier this season at Pepperdine, while his seven made three pointers matches the second best total in school history (tying him with Bruce Seals, who made seven trifectas twice, while also holding the all-time record with nine makes), and is the most since Jeff Xavier tallied six made three's against Fairfield in the 2005 MAAC Tournament.
Jason Thompson paced Rider with 23 points while pulling down a game-high 20 rebounds. Terrence Mouton added 20 points, including four three pointers, and added a game-high nine assists.
Manhattan gets back in action on Sunday, February 11, hosting Niagara University as part of a double-header with the women's team. The Lady Jaspers will take on Saint Peter's at 12 noon with the men's game to follow at approximately 2:00 p.m. Both games will be televised on RNN.
