Men's Basketball 1/31/2015 2:56:00 AM Manhattan Athletic Department

Hot Shooting Lifts Manhattan To 87-79 Win Over Siena

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RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Manhattan shot a season-high 54.3 percent (25-for-46) from the floor, including a blistering 60.0 percent (9-for-15) from deep, in posting an 87-79 win over Siena in a battle of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) favorites at Draddy Gymnasium.

Senior Emmy Andujar (Bronx, N.Y. / Rice) scored a game-high 20 points to pace five double-figure scorers for a Jasper unit that notched a season-high 87 points en route to improving to 10-10 and 7-4 in the MAAC while the Saints fall to 8-12 and 5-6 in the league.

Manhattan also got a huge lift from its bench, which scored a season-high 30 points and was led by sophomore Rich Williams' (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Vermont Academy (Vt.)) 13 first-half points.

Siena jumped to an early 10-4 lead just over four minutes into the game only to see Williams hit a jumper and a three pointer to quickly trim the Saint lead to 10-9. Lavon Long responded with an old-fashioned three-point play while sending junior Ashton Pankey (Bronx, N.Y. / Maryland) to the bench with two fouls.

With the deficit still at four with just over 12 minutes remaining in the opening stanza, the Jaspers used four-straight Calvin Crawford (Fr., Middletown, N.Y. / St. Thomas More (Conn.)) points to fuel a 9-0 run that gave Manhattan a 23-18 lead at the 9:50 mark.

Williams capped the run with a three pointer before Shane Richards (Jr., New York, N.Y. / York Prep) sank a triple of his own. Williams then again found the bottom of the net from long range to stake the Jaspers to a half-high 29-22 lead with just under nine minutes until the break.

Siena would fight back to to make it a one-point game before going into intermission down 43-41 following a Rob Poole three pointer.

After halftime, Manhattan quickly added to the lead as senior RaShawn Stores (Bronx, N.Y. / Robinson School (N.C.)) opened the scoring with a three pointer before Andujar hit a layup off a turnover in opening up a seven-point lead.

Despite trailing on the road and with momentum against them, the Saints managed to claw their way back and took their first lead since early in the first half at 58-56 on a Lavon Long three pointer with 12:53 remaining. Richards quickly reclaimed the lead for the Jaspers 19 seconds later with a three pointer while setting the tone for the final 12-plus minutes.

Less than a minute later, Long again gave the Siena the lead at 59-58 on a layup only to be matched by Andujar 23 seconds later as Manhattan wouldn't trail again for the rest of the night.

Pankey then hit a pair from the line and senior Donovan Kates (Hopkinsville, Ky. / Christian County) a layup in extending the Jasper lead to 64-59 with 10:01 to play.

The Saints would not go away and drew and whittled the lead to two on a pair of occasions, the second time at 81-79 with 2:05 remaining.

Kates then split a pair from the line before Pankey blocked an Evan Hymes shot on the other end. Andujar followed with two free throws before Richards split a pair after grabbing a key defensive rebound. Andujar then for all intents and purposes put the game on ice with a pair of free throws following his career-high matching fourth steal while providing the final 87-79 score.

All told in the final 2:05, the Jaspers ended the game on a 6-0 run while scoring on its final four offensive possessions and forcing Siena into three missed shots and a turnover in claiming an 87-79 victory.

Andujar scored a game-high matching 20 points to lead five players in double-figures while giving Manhattan its seventh-straight game with a 20-point scorer. The Rice graduate also hit for at least 20 for the fifth time in seven games and for the ninth time for his career, including the team-best seventh time this season.

Long scored a game-high matching 20 points to lead five double-figure performers for a Saint unit that shot 49.1 percent (26-for-53) from the floor, including 56.3 percent (9-for-16) from long range.

The Jaspers return to action at Monmouth on Sunday, Feb. 1 with opening tip slated for 2 p.m.

Notes:
* Manhattan won its second-straight and has now claimed eight of its last 11 games.

* The Jaspers improved to 6-1 in games decided by 10 points or less during conference play.

* Manhattan also moved to 6-1 at home this season and has won 10-of-11 and 15-of-17 in Riverdale dating back to last season.

* Head Coach Steve Masiello improved 31-12 when coaching in front of "The 6th Borough."

* Masiello also became the seventh member of the Jasper 70-win club and is 4-0, all-time, at home against Siena and has never lost to the Saints at Draddy Gymnasium (4-0 as an assistant).

* Manhattan is a perfect 8-0 when leading at the break this year and 7-1 when topping the 70-point plateau.

* The Jaspers forced at least 20 turnovers for the sixth time this season and recorded a season-high 13 steals.

* Manhattan shot a season-high 60.0 percent (9-of-15) from deep and are making good on 51.3 percent (20-of-39) over the last two games.

*The Jaspers reached the .500 mark for the first time this season after not falling below the standard once a year ago.

* Andujar moved past Arturo Dubois into 29th place on the all-time scoring list and now has 1,114 career points.

* After halftime, Andujar scored 14 of his 20 points while Pankey notched all 13 of his markers in the second half.

* Richards hit two three pointers and now is just three short of becoming the first player in school history with 200 three pointers.

* Williams is averaging 10.0 ppg over his last two games after scoring a combined 10 points over his five previous outings.

* Manhattan concludes January with a 6-3 record and will enter the final stretch of the regular season.

* A year ago, the Jaspers went a combined 11-1 over February and March.

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