Box Score
NIAGARA, UNIV., N.Y. - Manhattan (4-3, 0-1 MAAC) had its three game win streak snapped on Friday falling 88-64 to Niagara (5-3, 1-0 MAAC) at the 'Taps' Gallagher Center in its conference opener. Senior guard Antoine Pearson led the Jaspers with 17 points and added four rebounds. Darryl Crawford (15), Andrew Gabriel (13) and Rico Pickett (13) also scored in double-figures. Purple Eagles' senior Bilal Benn overwhelmed Manhattan with a double-double (22 points, 13 rebounds).
The Jaspers battled hard in the first half keeping it a two possession ball game for the majority of the period. Manhattan grabbed a 9-8 lead at the 14:07 mark when Pickett buried his first bucket of the contest, a fade away jumper off the dribble. Pickett led Manhattan with a career-high seven rebounds.
Niagara responded quickly rallying for seven unanswered points to take a 15-10. The surge featured the first of four 3-pointers from Purple Eagles' forward Demetrius Williamson. Williamson finished with 15 points coming off the bench.
Manhattan showed some fight using defensive stops to create back-to-back buckets from Pickett and Gabriel to even the contest at 16-16 with 9:53 remaining in the half. Niagara converted 13-of-15 free-throw attempts in the first half and took a 37-30 advantage into intermission.
The Jaspers came out of the break with energy and cut their deficit to four points on two occasions in the first five minutes, but could not get any closer than that. Benn exploded for 14 points in the second half and Williamson added 10 helping Niagara to pull away.
Niagara won the battle of the boards (44-34) and got a good inside presence from Kashief Edwards who recorded 14 points on 5-for-6 shooting. The Purple Eagles were 26-for-33 form the free-throw line to Manhattan's 15-for-28 shooting effort from the charity stripe.
Gabriel gave the Jaspers solid production up front on both ends of the court. He posted five rebounds and made two steals to go along with his season-high scoring effort (13). Gabriel shot 6-for-8 from the field.
Manhattan returns to action on Sunday when the Jaspers complete the Western New York conference swing at Canisius. Tip off is schedule for 2 p.m.
