Jaspers Late Rally Falls Short at St. Francis (N.Y.)
Box Score
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, N.Y. ? Junior point guard Antoine Pearson sank three 3-pointers in the final 34 seconds to bring the Jaspers within striking distance, but St. Francis (NY) (1-3) eventually escaped with a 70-68 victory this evening in Brooklyn Heights. Pearson scored a game-high 18 points, all coming in the second half, and Darryl Crawford added 17 off the bench. It marks Manhattan's (3-1) first loss of the 2008-09 campaign.
Four Terriers scored in double-figures, including a team-high 15 point performance from senior guard Jamaal Womack. Womack was 5-for-10 from the field and 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.
St. Francis (N.Y.) carried a two point advantage (29-27) into the half and held on to it tight. Despite shooting 28.6% (8-28) in the first stanza, the Jaspers stayed close by forcing 12 Terriers turnovers.
Pearson gave Manhattan momentum when he drained his first of four 3-pointers at the 3:56 mark to pull within 56-55. On the next possession, he forced Terriers guard Ricky Cadell into a turnover at midcourt. Pearson pushed the ball up court on the break and found Crawford who finished on a high arching reverse lay-up.
The basket gave Manhattan a 57-56 lead with 3:34 remaining in the contest, its only second half advantage.
Kayode Ayeni buried his sole 3-pointer of the night on the ensuing possession to put St. Francis (N.Y.) back on top 59-57. Ayeni had 11 points and was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.
Terrier's starters Cadell and Stefan Perunicic each scored 13 points.
Sophomore guard Nick Walsh recorded eight second half points and was 3-for-3 on the night. Walsh connected on two shots from long distance and is still perfect from 3-point range this season.
Manhattan is back in action on Saturday versus Hofstra at Draddy Gymnasium. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m.
