Box Score
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Shane Richards erupted for a career-high 19 points helping Manhattan run away with a 62-51 victory at Rider (11-11, 6-4) on Sunday. Jaspers' junior forward Rhamel Brown delivered his 10th career double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) and swatted six shots in the triumph.
It was the second straight year Manhattan defeated Rider on its home court. The Jaspers ended a nine year winless stretch at hostile Alumni Gymnasium with its 71-55 victory last season. This year marked only the third time that Manhattan topped Rider in Lawrenceville, N.J. since the Broncs joined the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 1997-98.
Manhattan (6-14, 4-6) torched the net shooting 52.6% (20-38) from the field and 7-for-11 (63.6%) beyond the arc. Richards anchored the premier shooting effort hitting 7-of-8 field goal attempts with four three-pointers. Sophomore forward Ryan McCoy had a perfect night sinking all three shot attempts, including a pair of key threes in the second half. McCoy matched a career-best with eight points, going along with two assists in 16 minutes off the bench.
Mark Jackson gave Manhattan 21 energetic minutes in his first career start. Jackson chipped in four points, two rebounds and dished out a highlight reel assist in the second half. He hit Richards on the fast break with a pinpoint one handed pass from the backcourt that led to a three-point play. Junior point guard Michael Alvarado complemented Jackson's effort in the backcourt by handing out a game-high four assists.
Manhattan led by as many as 10 points in the first half as Richards helped open the double-digit advantage with eight points off the bench. The Jaspers began the contest with 14-6 spurt and did not trail in the ballgame.
Nine of the Jaspers' 10 scorers got in the points column in the first 20 minutes. Brown gave Manhattan its largest lead of the half, 22-12, with a put back layup at 7:42 after consecutive three pointers by Richards.
Rider popped all four of its first half three pointers in the last seven minutes to slice into the deficit. Junior guard Anthony Myles had two treys to lead the Broncs into the locker room notching eight points of his 10 points by halftime. Broncs' junior guard Tommy Pereira sank his only bucket of the game with 1:08 remaining to cut Manhattan's advantage to 29-26 at the break.
The Broncs went 6-for-22 (27.3%) from downtown. Manhattan contained Pereira who entered the contest shooting a team-best 44.1% from three-point territory. Pereira went 1-for-8 on his three-point attempts.
Senior guard Jonathon Thompson scored 13 of his team leading 18 points in the second half, which included the Broncs' first six points of the stanza to get within two points (32-30). Manhattan answered when it unleashed a 15-2 flurry on Rider to re-open a double-digit lead it would not relinquish.
Roberto Colonette started the surge with a three-pointer from the top of the arc, and was followed by threes from Richards and McCoy. McCoy buried his second three-pointer at 15:04 to cap 12 consecutive points by the Jaspers that gave them a 44-30 advantage. Moments later, Richards sent Manhattan to its largest lead of day with his fourth three as the Jaspers went up by 15 points at the 14:13 mark.
Sophomore forward Donovan Kates scored all of his points at the free-throw line, going 6-for-6 at the stripe. He contributed to a solid effort from the Manhattan reserves that outscored Rider 37-16.
Manhattan looks to carry its momentum into Friday's ESPNU showdown at Siena. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
