Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan men's basketball team suffered a 69-58 setback to Columbia (6-5) Saturday at Levien Gymnasium. The Lions hit 12 three-pointers shooting 52.2% beyond the arc with sophomore guard Steve Frankoski leading the way with 18 points. The Jaspers received a career-high 25 points and nine rebounds from junior forward Rhamel Brown.
Manhattan (3-8) poured in 41 points in the second half attempting to rally back from a 17-point halftime deficit. Brown scored 16 of his 25 points in the final 20 minutes, while sophomore forward Emmy Andujar posted eight of his 11 points in the period. The Jaspers cut Columbia's lead to eight points in the second half, but could not get any closer.
The Lions received 14 points and six assists from senior guard Brian Barbour. He sank three shots from downtown. Columbia sophomore forward Alex Rosenberg added 12 points, nine rebounds, four steals and went 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.
Columbia had six three-pointers and capitalized on the Jaspers' 11 first half turnovers to take 34-17 halftime. Frankoski buried three treys in the first half anchoring their 50% (12-24) shooting effort.
Manhattan struggled with a 28% (7-25) field goal mark and shot 1-for-8 (12.5%) beyond the arc, tying the fewest points it scored in a half this season (17). Brown had all three of the Jaspers' field goals in the opening 10 minutes of a slow offensive start.
Columbia scored 10 straight points during a five minute stretch to open a double-digit lead on Barbour's three-pointer at 11:40. The Jaspers cut the deficit to seven (18-11) with freshman forward Shane Richards trio at 8:28, but back-to-back threes by Barbour and Frankoski settled Manhattan's spurt.
The Jaspers had one field goal in the last five minutes of the first half. Rosenberg hit a jumper with 57 seconds on the clock to give Columbia its 17-point advantage at intermission. Brown led Manhattan with nine points, six rebounds and two blocks at the break.
Brown powered Manhattan in the second half scoring the first seven points out of the locker room. Sophomore guard RaShawn Stores then sank a pair of free-throws to cap the 9-0 surge that propelled Manhattan within 34-26 at 16:12.
Manhattan trailed by eight points with 14 minutes remaining before the Lions unleashed a 9-1 run. Frankoski and sophomore guard Noah Springwater buried consecutive three-pointers to send Columbia up 46-30 at 10:51. The Lions maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
The Jaspers shot 52.0% (13-25) in the second half to finish 40% (20-50) on the afternoon. Columbia went 48.8% (21-43) from the field and scored 20 of its points off Manhattan's 15 turnovers.
Manhattan returns to action on Jan. 1 when the Jaspers host 2012 America East conference runner up Stony Brook at 2 p.m. The contest will air live on ESPN3.