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LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Rider outscored Manhattan 13-5 in overtime en route to posting an 85-77 win in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action at Alumni Gymnasium.
The Broncs improve to 16-9 and 10-4 in the MAAC while the Jaspers fall to 12-11 and 9-5 in the league.
For Manhattan, junior Ashton Pankey (Bronx, N.Y. / Maryland) scored 16 points with a career-high 12 rebounds in recording his second double-double of the year and the third of his career. The 6-10 forward also notched a career-high four assists and three steals with two blocks.
The Jaspers had a chance to win the game in regulation but senior Emmy Andujar's (Bronx, N.Y. / Rice) last-second shot was blocked by Rider's Matt Lopez as time expired.
In overtime, Lopez opened the scoring with a layup before hitting a pair of free throws. Freshman Zane Waterman (Winston-Salem, N.C. / Fayetteville Academy) then answered with a with one at the line before Jimmie Taylor hit a three pointer to make it a 79-73 game at the 2:51 mark of OT.
Manhattan trimmed the deficit to four at 81-77 with 23 seconds to play following an Andujar layup but would get no closer in falling 85-77.
Andujar also had a big game, scoring a team-high 19 points with 11 rebounds in collecting his fourth double-double of the year and the eighth of his career. He added four steals and three assists while playing all 45 minutes.
Joining Andujar and Pankey in double-figures was junior Shane Richards (New York, N.Y. / York Prep), who finished with 18 points while knocking down four three pointers.
Manhattan had a chance to win the game in regulation but Andujar's potential game-winning shot was blocked with time expiring by Matt Lopez.
In overtime, Lopez opened up the scoring with a layup and a pair from the line before freshman Zane Waterman (Winston-Salem, N.C. / Fayetteville Academy) answered with a free throw.
Jimmie Taylor followed with a three pointer in opening up a 79-73 Rider lead with 2:51 to play.
The Jaspers would cut the deficit to 81-77 with 23 second to play following an Andujar layup but would get no closer in falling 85-77.
For the game, Manhattan shot 39.3 percent (24-of-61), including 48.0 percent (12-of-25) after halftime. The Jaspers controlled the glass by a 41-39 margin, but were only able to force 12 turnovers, including just six after halftime. The Broncs, meanwhile, shot 52.5 percent (31-of-59), including 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from distance.
After eradicating a 15 point first-half deficit, Manhattan made good on seven of its first 11 shots in the second half while using an 11-2 run in building a 55-46 lead with 13:13 to play. The Jasper advantage would grow to a game-high 10 at 60-50 following a Rich Williams (So., Brooklyn, N.Y. / Vermont Academy (Vt.)) triple with 11:27 to play.
Rider immediately answered with six-straight points to cut the deficit to 60-56 with 10:03 remaining.
Manhattan was able to withstand the flurry and extended the lead back out to 67-61 with just under six minutes to play following a Pankey three-point play. However, as was the case for the entire half the Broncs rallied with seven-straight points in taking a 68-67 lead with just under four minutes to play.
Andujar quelled the spurt with a layup before Richards hit a jumper from the corner in reclaiming the lead for the Jaspers at 71-68 with 2:04 to play in regulation.
Lopez then answered with a layup before senior RaShawn Stores (Bronx, N.Y. / Robinson School (N.J.)) split a pair to make it a two-point game. On the ensuing possession, Teddy Okereafor drew contact and converted two free throws to tie the game up at 72-72 while sending it to overtime.
In the first half, Rider hit on 11 of its first 13 shots in building a 25-10 lead with 12:39 to play until halftime. Richards then keyed a 6-0 spurt with a layup off an Andujar steal and subsequent Tyler Wilson (So., Bronx, N.Y. / Cardinal Hayes) assist.
Thanks to the spurt, Manhattan was able to slowly chip away at the lead.
Later in the half with the Bronc advantage still in double-figures at 33-23, Stores started a momentum-changing 12-0 run with a layup before Andujar hit a pair from the line. Stores then knocked down back-to-back triples to erase what was a 15-point deficit while tying the game up at 33-33. Pankey followed with a jumper to give the Jaspers their first lead of the game at 35-33 while capping the spurt, which took exactly three minutes.
Thanks to making good on on 72.2 percent (13-of-18) at the line and forcing Rider into 5-of-13 shooting to end the half, Manhattan went into halftime tied up at 37-37. The Jaspers also benefited from a 9-3 advantage on the offensive glass that led to +10 margin in second-chance points.
Lopez led the way for the Broncs with 27 points and 10 rebounds.
Manhattan returns to action on Friday, Feb. 13 at 10 p.m. against rival Iona in a game that will air live on ESPNU.
