Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? Junior guard Antoine Pearson sank a reverse lay-up with nine seconds remaining to lift Manhattan (2-0) to a 61-60 victory over Morgan State (1-2) this evening in Riverdale. Jaspers guard Chris Smith led all scorers with 14 points in team's home opener.
Bears reserve guard Reggie Holmes posted three of his four 3-pointers in the second half, but missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 14 seconds on the clock, setting up the game winning basket. Devon Austin grabbed his game-high sixth rebound, pushed it ahead to Darryl Crawford who found Pearson on the break. Pearson elevated, double pumped and laid it in.
Manhattan earned its largest lead of the contest with 3:14 remaining when Crawford and Andrew Gabriel rallied for four consecutive baskets. The Jaspers held a 58-51 advantage courtesy of this 10-0 run.
Gabriel finished with nine points and shot 4-for-5 from the field including a 3-point play which sparked the Jaspers late surge. Crawford had 12 points, nine coming in the second stanza.
Morgan State jumped out to an early edge leading 13-5 with 15:54 remaining in the first half, their largest advantage of the game. The Jaspers battled back into the contest which had 10 lead changes.
Austin and Smith were exceptional from the line combining for 12-of-14 free-throw attempts. Austin, a White Plains native, was the third Jasper to score in double-figures with 11 points.
Manhattan shot 73.1% (19-26) from the free-throw line and 41.7% (20-48) from the field. The team also combined for seven blocks.
Bears forward Kevin Thompson led the team with 12 points on 4-for-10 shooting.
The Jaspers return to the hardwood on Saturday for the 101st meeting with Fordham. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. at Rose Hill Gymnasium on the Fordham campus.
