Box Score
Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Despite a career-high 17 points from Ashley Stec (Cazenovia, N.Y.) and Kayla Grimme's (Altoona, Pa.) first career double-double, the Manhattan College women's basketball team (1-4) suffered an 80-69 defeat against Delaware State (2-3) at Draddy Gymnasium on Tuesday afternoon.
After the score knotted at 6-6 early on, Delaware State went on a 14-2 run to open up a 20-8 advantage with 11:56 remaining in the first half. Nicole Isaacs (Fair Haven, N.J.) then scored six points during an 8-2 Manhattan rally that brought the Jaspers back within five, 22-17, with 8:29 left before the break.
The Hornets pushed their lead to nine at 28-19 before treys by Isaacs and Stec made it a three-point game. After a bucket by Delaware State's Jade Washington, Stec hit a layup and Shayna Ericksen (Long Valley, N.J.) drained a free throw to bring Manhattan within two, 30-28, at the 2:51 mark. However, Delaware State ended the half on a 12-4 spurt to take a 42-32 advantage into the locker room.
Once the second half started, Manhattan immediately made up the deficit. Monica Roeder (Marlton, N.J.) hit a pair of free throws and Allison Skrec (Roselle, N.J.) drained a three, then Grimme converted a layup off an offensive rebound before Skrec capped the 9-0 run with a coast-to-coast layup. Delaware State scored the next two buckets, though, bringing its cushion back to five points, 46-41, with 15:16 remaining.
The Jaspers once again battled back, though. A Stec jumper cut the margin to three, and Skrec knotted the score at 46-46 when she sank a long ball from the top of the key. After a Tierra Hawkins layup gave the lead back to the Hornets, Manhattan took the lead for the first time on an Isaacs trey at the 13:38 mark. Stec then nailed a jumper to put the Jaspers up 51-48 with 12:45 left.
However, Delaware State responded with seven straight points to go back in front, 55-51. After the Jaspers regained the lead, 56-55, on an Isaacs trey and a pair of Grimme free throws, the Hornets rallied for 10 straight points over the next 4:13 to take a 65-56 advantage. Manhattan got back within five at 66-61, but would pull no closer, as the Hornets went on a 10-4 spurt to make it 76-65 with 1:19 to go. That 11-point difference would prove to be the final margin, as Delaware State notched an 80-69 victory.
Stec finished one rebound shy of her first career double-double, matching a career-best with nine boards while also distributing four assists. Grimme collected 10 points and 10 rebounds, and she added four blocks. Isaacs recorded 16 points and four assists off the bench, while Skrec posted 13 points and five assists. The Jaspers shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) from the field, 31.8 percent (7-of-22) from long range, and 76.9 percent (10-of-13) at the line.
Hawkins had 34 points and seven rebounds for the Hornets. Deanna Harmon added 18 points, eight boards and six assists, while Raven Bankston finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Washington and Raine Bankston each handed out five assists, and Tylinn Carter grabbed seven rebounds, as the Hornets held a 41-34 edge on the glass. Delaware State shot 48.4 percent (31-of-64) from the field, but went without a three-pointer in five attempts. The Hornets went 18-for-26 (69.2 percent) at the charity stripe.
Manhattan concludes its three-game homestand on Sunday afternoon, when Holy Cross (4-0) visits Draddy Gymnasium for a 2 p.m. matchup.
NOTES: The contest was the opener of a Manhattan basketball doubleheader, as the men's team took on Fordham in the annual “Battle of the Bronx” following the women's game…Manhattan faced Delaware State for just the third time in program history, and leads the all-time series 2-1…It was the Jaspers' first game against a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponent since a 61-49 victory at Maryland Eastern Shore on Dec. 6, 2010…Stec tied her previous career-high with 14 points in Sunday's game against La Salle…Grimme's double-double was the second by a Jasper this season, after Ericksen had 10 points and 10 rebounds against Fairleigh Dickinson in the season opener...Manhattan allowed 80 points for the first time since an 86-68 loss at Virginia on Nov. 15, 2009...Hawkins was the first player to score 30 points against the Jaspers since VCU's Robyn Parks also had 34 on Nov. 14, 2012.
