Box Score Box Score | SportsCenter Top Play: Emmy Andujar no-look pass to Rhamel Brown
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Manhattan held Rider to 27.1 percent shooting from the field on its way to a 67-51 victory over the Broncs on Friday night at Draddy Gymnasium.
With the ESPNU cameras rolling, the Jaspers jumped out to a hot start, outscoring Rider 10-2 over the first three minutes of the game. Neither team scored during the next 4:42 until Shane Richards dropped in a three ball to give Manhattan a 13-2 advantage.
Manhattan led by as many as 16 points, by a score of 21-5 on two free throws by RaShawn Stores at the 9:22 mark. The Jaspers led 33-17 at halftime, holding Rider to just four made field goals over the first 20 minutes of action.
It was the Rider defense that controlled the first five minutes of the second half as the Broncs held the Jaspers scoreless while going on a 12-0 run to get within four points, 33-29.
Emmy Andujar's layup at the 14:54 mark of the second half broke the drought to make it a 35-29 game. Donovan Kates then got a friendly roll off the top of the backboard to sink a three-pointer, pushing the Jaspers' edge to 38-29.
Those buckets sparked an 11-0 Manhattan that ended on a play nominated for SportsCenter's Top 10 highlights on Friday night. Andujar rebounded a Rider miss, and after dribbling to halfcourt, he threaded a beautiful pass to a streaking Rhamel Brown, who slammed it home to give Manhattan a 44-29 lead.
The Jaspers led by as many as 21 points in the second half on an acrobatic reverse dunk by Ashton Pankey at the 6:40 mark on its way to the 16-point victory.
After missing the previous three games due to injury, George Beamon led all scorers with 21 points and added nine rebounds and three steals. Michael Alvarado finished with 12 points and seven assists, while Pankey had 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
""I wrote on the board tonight, 'back to basics,'" Masiello said after the game. "That's we did tonight on the defensive end. We rebounded the basketball, we blocked shots and we locked down the three-point line and had a good field goal percentage defense. That's who we have been since we got here."
Now 14-4 and 7-2 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Manhattan will return to action against Quinnipiac on Sunday, January 26 at Draddy Gymnasium. Game time is 2 p.m.
NOTES:
Rhamel Brown blocked five shots in the game ... he has blocked four or more shots in nine games this season ... Brown's six rebounds pushed him past Jamal Marshall '95 into ninth place on Manhattan's career rebounds list ... the Jaspers outrebounded Rider 42-35 ... Michael Alvarado's seven assists were a season high ... Alvarado is now tied with Mugsy Green '02 for seventh all-time on the Jaspers' career assists list ... Manhattan has won five straight games at Draddy Gymnasium ... the Jaspers have won nine of their last ten MAAC games at Draddy Gymnasium, dating back to last season ... the 51 points were the lowest total for a Manhattan opponent this season ... Manhattan earned its 14th win of the season, matching last season's total.
