Lady Jaspers Host Iona In Annual "Pink Zone" Game

Manhattan-Iona Game Notes

TONIGHT'S GAME
Manhattan (18-6, 10-3 MAAC) wraps up its three-game homestand tonight with its first meeting of the season against local rival Iona (9-16, 5-8 MAAC).  The Lady Jaspers have won six straight and 10 out of 11, including a 64-54 victory over Saint Peter's on Saturday afternoon.  Iona dropped a 56-45 decision to No. 24/25 Marist on Friday and is looking to snap a three-game skid.  Tonight is Manhattan's annual "Pink Zone" game for breast cancer awareness.

THE LADY JASPERS
The Lady Jaspers (18-6, 10-3 MAAC) enter tonight's game looking to extend their season-long six-game winning streak.  Manhattan is coming off a 64-54 victory over Saint Peter's on Saturday.  Senior guard Abby Wentworth paces Manhattan with 14.5 points per game and leads the MAAC with 4.4 assists per game.  She also ranks second in the MAAC in steals, averaging 3.1 per contest.  Junior forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer, who had her first double-double of the season against Saint Peter's, is second on the team in both scoring (9.0 ppg) and rebounding (5.4 rpg).  Junior forward Nadia Peters averages a team-best 6.1 rebounds per game to go along with 1.4 blocks per contest, which ranks second in the MAAC, and 2.7 steals per outing (third in the league).  After tonight's game, the Lady Jaspers play three of their final four regular season contests on the road.

THE GAELS
Iona (9-16, 5-8 MAAC) comes into tonight's contest on a three-game skid.  The Gaels dropped a 56-45 decision to MAAC-leading No. 24/25 Marist on Friday afternoon.  Junior forward Kristina Ford, who had a double-double against Marist, leads the Gaels with 12.0 points per game.  She also averages a team-high 0.8 blocks per game and ranks second on the squad in both rebounds (6.0 rpg) and steals (1.7 spg).  Senior forward Anda Ivkovic contributes 11.8 points and a team-leading 6.1 boards per game, while junior guard Tomica Bacic adds 8.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per outing.  Senior guard Marissa Flagg distributes 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and sophomore guard Haley D'Angelo hands out 1.7 assists per contest off the bench.  The Gaels are currently one game ahead of Canisius for sixth place in the MAAC standings, and visit the Griffs on Friday night to continue their three-game road trip.

SERIES HISTORY
This is the 62nd all-time meeting between the schools, and Manhattan holds a 40-21 edge.  However, Iona has won three straight against the Lady Jaspers, including both games last season.  Manhattan's last win over the Gaels was a 57-56 victory at the Hynes Athletic Center on Jan. 4, 2009.  The Lady Jaspers haven't beaten the Gaels at home since an 82-57 triumph Feb. 15, 2008.

WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME
Monica Roeder erupted for a career-high 21 points and Lindsey Loutsenhizer had her first double-double of the season (15 pts, 10 reb) to lead the Lady Jaspers to their sixth straight win, a 64-54 triumph over Saint Peter's at Draddy Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.  Manhattan scored the first eight points of the game and led 24-4 midway through the first half before the Peahens chipped away and cut their deficit to nine, 36-27, at halftime.  Saint Peter's scored the first seven points of the second half to pull within two, but Roeder responded with a personal 11-0 run to bring the lead back to 13 points, 47-34.  The Peahens rallied once more, getting back within nine at 49-40, before a 7-0 Manhattan run again made it a 16-point game, 56-40, and the Lady Jaspers withstood another late charge to hold on for the 64-54 victory.

PINK ZONE
Tonight, the Lady Jaspers are proud to participate in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's "Pink Zone" initiative for breast cancer awareness.  This marks the fourth straight season during which Manhattan has participated in the event.  Last season, over 900 schools participated, including all 10 MAAC institutions.  The first 400 students in attendance tonight received free "Pink Zone" t-shirts, while fans were given free admission if they made a donation to the American Cancer Society.  On Jan. 24, Manhattan also hosted "Hoops for Cancer Night" to benefit the American Cancer Society.  In September, the entire team and coaching staff manned a water station at the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, which drew more than 25,000 runners to Central Park West.