Jaspers "Play 4 Kay" Against Iona On Wednesday Night

Manhattan-Iona Game Notes

GAMEDAY
The Jaspers (13-12, 7-6 MAAC) begin a busy stretch of three games in five days by hosting Iona (10-14, 6-7 MAAC) tonight at Draddy Gymnasium.  Manhattan has won four of its last five contests, including a 57-36 victory at Rider on Sunday afternoon.  The Gaels, who have dropped five straight, are coming off a 68-55 loss to Niagara on Sunday.  Tonight is Manhattan's annual "Play 4 Kay" game for breast cancer awareness, as well as "Pack the House" night at Draddy Gymnasium.

THE MANHATTAN JASPERS
Manhattan (13-12, 7-6 MAAC) has won four out of its last five and currently sits fourth in the MAAC.  The Jaspers are coming off a 57-36 victory at Rider on Sunday afternoon.  Senior forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer paces the Jaspers with 12.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.  She also distributes a team-best 2.6 assists per outing and ranks sixth in the league with 2.0 steals per game.  Sophomore guard Monica Roeder had 21 points, including five three-pointers, in the win at Rider and averages 10.8 points per game.  Roeder drains 2.0 treys per contest.  Senior guard/forward Schyanne Halfkenny adds 10.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per outing, while senior forward Nadia Peters ranks third in the MAAC in steals (2.2 spg) and sixth in blocks (1.0 bpg).  Peters also contributes 6.3 points and 4.8 boards a night.  Manhattan ends the regular season by playing three of its last four on the road, starting with a matchup at Siena on Friday night.

THE IONA GAELS 
Iona (10-14, 6-7 MAAC) comes into tonight's game looking to snap a five-game losing streak.  The Gaels, who are currently in sixth place in the MAAC, dropped a 68-55 decision to Niagara on Sunday.  Freshman guard Damika Martinez, a MAAC Rookie of the Year candidate, ranks second in the league in scoring, averaging 15.4 points per game.  She also pulls down 5.2 rebounds per contest.  Senior forward Kristina Ford is second on the team in both scoring (14.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg), while senior guard Tomica Bacic leads the Gaels with 6.8 rebounds per game.  Senior guard Suzi Fregosi hands out a MAAC-leading 4.8 assists a night, and she also has the best assist-turnover ratio in the league (2.0).  Freshman guard Aleesha Powell notches 1.8 steals per contest, while sophomore forward/center Sabrina Jeridore records 1.5 blocks per game.  Iona visits Rider on Friday night before hosting Loyola on Sunday.

SERIES HISTORY
Iona won the first meeting of the season, 65-60 at the Hynes Athletic Center on Jan. 15, to snap Manhattan's three-game winning streak in the series.  The Jaspers won all three meetings between the squads last season, including a 63-47 triumph at Draddy Gymnasium.  Manhattan and Iona have met 65 times previosuly, with the Jaspers holding a 43-22 edge all-time.

LAST TIME OUT
The Jaspers led from start to finish in a 57-36 victory at Rider on Sunday afternoon.  Monica Roeder and Alyssa Herrington combined for Manhattan's first 13 points, as the Jaspers built a 13-2 cushion, but Rider closed its deficit to five, 24-19, at halftime.  After the Broncs pulled within two, 27-25, early in the second half, Roeder scored 11 straight points to ignite a 16-0 Manhattan run that put the game out of reach.  The lead reached a game-high 23 points at 52-29 with 4:16 left, and Manhattan secured its fourth win in five games with a 57-36 victory.  Roeder drained five three-pointers and finished with a game-high 21 points.  She also had four rebounds and three assists.  Herrington added a season-high 10 points and grabbed a team-best five rebounds to go along with four assists and three steals.

PLAY 4 KAY
Tonight, Manhattan is proud to participate in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's "Play 4 Kay" initiative for breast cancer awareness.  This marks the fifth straight year in which all 10 MAAC schools are participating in the event, which was renamed "Play 4 Kay" this season in memory of late N.C. State Head Coach Kay Yow.  Manhattan also hosted "Hoops for Cancer Day" against Loyola on Jan. 22, and $1 from all ticket sales was donated to the American Cancer Soceity.  In addition, the Jaspers once again volunteered at the Susan G. Komen New York City Race for the Cure at Central Park West in September.  The team worked the finish line, handing out water to the 25,000 runners/walkers as they completed the 5K course.