Box Score
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Manhattan led 37-26 at halftime and saw its lead never dip below six points the rest of the way in a 70-59 victory at Marist to begin MAAC play on Friday evening.
The Jaspers began the game with outstanding energy, going on a 13-0 run to take a 19-6 lead after the game was tied at 6-6 in the opening minutes. Shane Richards buried a three-pointer to put Manhattan back ahead by 13 points (37-24) and Manhattan entered the intermission carrying a 37-26 edge.
Manhattan began the second half with the same burst of energy it showcased in the first half. The Jaspers scored the first nine points of the half, capped by a RaShawn Stores jumper that gave the Jaspers a 20-point advantage, 46-26 at the 16:29 mark.
Manhattan still led 50-32 at the 13:13 mark in the game before Marist gradually cut into the Jaspers' lead. The Red Foxes got the game to 58-52 on a fast-break dunk by Chavaughn Lewis with four minutes remaining.
After a Manhattan timeout, the Jaspers were able to break Marist's full-court press and
Michael Alvarado found
Rhamel Brown for an emphatic dunk that pushed the Jaspers' lead back to eight.
Lewis made two free throws on the other end with 2:18 left to make it a 60-54 and again, Manhattan's press offense executed for an easy bucket. This time, it was
RaShawn Stores finding Brown open underneath for a bucket as Manhattan regained an eight-point lead. The Jaspers made their next eight free throws to ice the win, their fifth straight road victory to open the season.
Alvarado had 18 points, four assists and two steals to pace the Jaspers.
George Beamon (12 points, 10 rebounds) earned his second double-double in three games and Brown finished with 12 points, six rebounds and five blocked shots.
Lewis led all scorers with 23 points, including 19 in the second half.
Now 5-2 and 1-0 in the MAAC, the Jaspers will continue conference play against Monmouth at Draddy Gymnasium on Sunday, December 8 at 2 p.m.
NOTES:
Rhamel Brown's five blocked shots moved him past former Canisius big man Tomas Vazquez-Simmons for second place all-time in MAAC history ... Brown now has 275 career blocked shots ... he has blocked at least two shots in each game this season and is averaging four blocked shots per game ... Brown also made six of nine field goals ... the Jaspers made 25 of 33 free throws (75.8 percent) ... Manhattan had 10 steals and caused 17 Marist turnovers ... the Jaspers' bench outscored Marist's bench 27-11 ... 10 different players scored for Manhattan ... the Jaspers never trailed in the game ... the contest began at 7:15 p.m. after one of the officials arrived late due to a delayed flight to New York ... Manhattan scored at least 70 points for the sixth time in seven games ... the Jaspers held an opponent to 59 points for the second straight game ... Manhattan has won nine of the last twelve times against Marist ... the Jaspers have won nine of their last thirteen MAAC openers ... Manhattan's game against Monmouth on Sunday will be the first time the two schools will meet as conference opponents.
