Manhattan Visits Holy Cross In WBI Quarterfinals

Manhattan-Holy Cross Game Notes

GAMEDAY
The Jaspers (17-15) visit Holy Cross (19-14) this afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI).  Eighth-seeded Manhattan is looking to advance to the WBI semifinals for the second straight season and is coming off a 77-54 victory over top-seeded Robert Morris in the first round on Wednesday night.  Holy Cross, the No. 4 seed in the East Region, defeated fifth-seeded New Hampshire, 63-59, in the first round on Wednesday night.  The winner of today's game takes on either third-seeded Bradley or second-seeded Minnesota in the semifinals.

THE MANHATTAN JASPERS
Eighth-seeded Manhattan (17-15) won a WBI first round game for the second straight season on Wednesday night, knocking off top-seeded Robert Morris 77-54 at Draddy Gymnasium.  Senior forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer, a Second Team All-MAAC selection, leads the Jaspers with 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.  She also averages team-highs in assists (2.5 apg) and steals (2.2 spg).  Loutsenhizer is 14 points away from 1,400 for her career, which would move her into fifth place on Manhattan's all-time list.  Senior guard/forward Schyanne Halfkenny, who was named Third Team All-MAAC, ranks second on the squad in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 10.8 points and 4.7 boards per contest, while sophomore guard Monica Roeder tallies 9.6 points a night.  Manhattan's all-time blocks leader, senior forward Nadia Peters notches 1.1 blocks per game.  She also records 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 steals per outing.

THE HOLY CROSS CRUSADERS
After reaching the Patriot League Championship Game, Holy Cross (19-14) knocked off New Hampshire, 63-59, in the first round of the WBI on Wednesday night.  Sophomore guard Alex Smith was a First Team All-Patriot League selection.  She ranks second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.5 points per game, and drains 2.5 three-pointers per outing.  Smith also notches 5.5 assists and 2.1 steals per contest.  Junior guard/forward Amy Lepley is the Crusaders' leading scorer and rebounder.  She tallies 13.3 points and 6.4 boards per game while shooting .499 from the field.  Lepley was named Second Team All-Patriot League.  Freshman forward Emily Parker, a member of the Patriot League All-Rookie Team, contributes 10.1 points and 5.9 rebounds to go along with a team-leading 1.2 blocks per game.  Sophomore guard Brisje Malone distributes 3.5 assists per contest while also recording 1.5 steals a night.

SERIES HISTORY
The Jaspers and Crusaders have faced each other 17 times, with Holy Cross leading the all-time series 10-7.  All of those previous meetings came while Holy Cross was a member of the MAAC from 1982-83 to 1989-90.  The last time the teams met was in the MAAC Championship Game on March 10, 1990, when Manhattan knocked off Holy Cross 78-69 to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the second time.

LAST TIME OUT
Manhattan won its WBI first round game for the second straight year, notching a 77-54 victory over Robert Morris at Draddy Gymnasium on Wednesday night.  The Jaspers never trailed in the game, and used runs of 7-0 and 10-0 midway through the first half to open up a 38-21 lead.  Manhattan shot 55.2 percent from the field in the first half, and held a 41-23 advantage at intermission.  After Robert Morris pulled within eight with 7:43 remaining, the Jaspers responded with a 7-0 rally to make it a 15-point game, and Manhattan pulled away down the stretch for a 77-54 triumph.  Monica Roeder led the way with 18 points, while Alyssa Herrington tallied 17 points to go along with a career-high eight assists.  Lindsey Loutsenhizer added 15 points, and Toni-Ann Lawrence grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds.

POSTSEASON HISTORY
The Jaspers are making their second consecutive postseason appearance, and the sixth national postseason appearance in program history.  Manhattan has played in the NCAA Tournament four times, most recently in 2003, when it lost to Mississippi State in Albuquerque, N.M.  The Jaspers also participated in the WBI last season, knocking off Sacred Heart and Wright State before falling to eventual champion UAB in the semifinals.  The two victories in last year's WBI were the first national postseason wins in program history.  The Jaspers have also played in the ECAC Tournament twice (1982, 1983), winning a game each time.

MANHATTAN IN THE WBI
Manhattan is playing in the WBI for the second consecutive season.  The Jaspers reached the semifinals of the 2011 event, knocking off Sacred Heart 52-48 in the first round at Draddy Gymnasium, then posting a 75-73 quarterfinal victory at Wright State.  In the semifinals, Manhattan dropped a 62-43 decision to eventual champion UAB.  With a 77-54 victory over Robert Morris on Wednesday night, the Jaspers became the first team in WBI history to defeat two different No. 1 seeds.  Manhattan would tie the all-time WBI record of four wins with a victory this afternoon.  The Jaspers would also become the first team to reach the WBI semifinals twice with a win today.

YOU AGAIN? 
The Jaspers are making their second consecutive Women's Baskeball Invitational appearance this season.  Of the 43 different programs to play in the WBI during the tournament's three-year existence, Manhattan is one of just three to appear in back-to-back years.  Wright State, one of the teams the Jaspers knocked off en route to the semifinals last season, is also in the 2012 field, while 2011 finalist Cal State Bakersfield played in the inaugural WBI in 2010.  Bradley and Charleston Southern, which both appeared in the 2010 WBI, are back in the tournament this year after missing out last season.

TOURNAMENT SCENARIOS
The Jaspers will move into the WBI semifinals for the second straight season with a win today.  In the semifinals, today's winner will visit either second-seeded Minnesota or No. 3 Bradley on Wednesday or Thursday.  The other semifinal game will feature Northern Iowa against the winner of today's Seattle-Wright State quarterfinal.  The championship game will take place next weekend on the home court of the finalist with the higher RPI.