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POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Sophomore Jermaine Lawrence (Queens, N.Y. / Cincinnati) scored a career-high 19 points while Manhattan shot a blistering 65.0 percent (13-of-20) after halftime in a 67-54 win over Marist at McCann Arena.
With the victory, the Jaspers improve to 15-12 and 12-6 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) while securing at least the No. 4 seed in the upcoming conference tournament as the Red Foxes fall to 5-23 and 4-14 in the league.
After falling behind by nine points to start the second half, Manhattan outscored Marist 40-18 the rest of the way. After halftime, the Red Foxes were limited to just 25.0 percent shooting (7-of-28), including 12.5 percent (1-of-8) from deep. Additionally, the Jaspers forced Marist into seven-straight errant shots to end the game and 10-of-12 over the final eight-plus minutes.
Manhattan opened the game on fire, converting on four of its five shots in jumping out to a an early 9-1 lead at the 16:30 mark. Lawrence opened the scoring with this layup before completing the three-point play with a free throw. After junior Ashton Pankey (Bronx, N.Y. / Maryland) then hit this layup, senior RaShawn Stores (Bronx, N.Y. / Robinson School (N.J.)) grabbed the rebound on the opposite end before finding Lawrence along the baseline for this jumper. T.J. Curry briefly quelled the bleeding only to see Pankey respond with this jumper to cap the Jasper run.
The Red Foxes then answered with eight-straight points in just 43 seconds to tie this game before Lawrence reclaimed the lead for the Jaspers at 11-9 at the 14:51 mark with this impressive dunk off a pass from junior Shane Richards (New York, N.Y. / York Prep).
Later in the half, with Marist holding a two-point lead Lawrence delivered this rim-rattling dunk before canning this jumper to again tie game up at 16-16 with 7:44 to play until halftime. Lawrence then gave Manhattan the lead of the half on the ensuing possession with this dunk off a pass from senior Emmy Andujar (Bronx, N.Y. / Rice) following a Richards steal.
Unfortunately, that Lawrence slam would be the last Jasper field goal of the first as Marist closed the stanza on a 13-7 run to assume a 31-27 halftime lead. All told, Manhattan converted on just 20.0 percent (4-of-20) to finish the half, including misfiring on its final seven shots.
The Jaspers were able to keep it close at the break thanks to making good on six-straight and 9-of-10 to close out the half.
After halftime, the Red Foxes scored the first five points in jumping out to their largest lead of the night at 36-27 just under a minute into the second half. Andujar then answered with a jumper while scoring his first points of the night before Lawrence hit a jumper and senior Donovan Kates (Hopkinsville, Ky. / Christian County) a pair from the line to make it a one possession game at 36-33 with 17:21 remaining.
Manhattan would close the gap to one point on a Pankey dunk before Marist extended lead back out to four at 40-36 on a Khallid Hart jumper and a Chavaughn Lewis free throw with 15:20 to play. Andujar then scored the next five points to give the Jaspers their first advantage of the second half at the 14:03 mark.
The Red Foxes would reclaim the lead on a Lewis jumper before Lawrence gave the Jaspers a lead they wouldn't surrender the rest of the night with a jumper. Andujar followed with a pair of layups in opening a 47-42 Manhattan lead with 11:26 to play.
Marist would continue to hang around and made it a one possession game at 47-45 with 9:49 to play on a Lewis jumper. Stores then answered with the first Jasper three pointer of the night just 16 seconds later while swinging the pendulum the way of Manhattan.
The Jaspers lead wouldn't fall below four points the rest of the way as the visitor's defense held the Red Foxes to just nine points on 3-of-16 shooting.
Thanks to its blistering second half, Manhattan shot 46.7 percent (21-of-45) for the game but was just 21.4 percent (3-of-14) form distance. The Jaspers, however, made good on 71.0 percent (22-of-31) from the line while posting a decisive 39-33 advantage on the glass in moving to 22-6 over the last three years when playing in the months of February and March.
Lawrence finished up 8-of-10 from the floor while Andujar scored 13 second-half points with eight rebounds, five assists and four steals in lead the way for the Manhattan. Joining the duo in double-figures was Pankey and Stores as each player scored 10 points.
Lewis scored 16 points while Hart finished up with 12 to lead the way for Marist, which shot just 34.5 percent (19-of-55), including 19.0 percent (4-of-21) from distance.
The Jaspers will now set their sights on Iona as the teams will battle on Friday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. in a game that will be televised on ESPN2.
