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Albany, NY - Senior Shane Richards (New York, NY / York Prep) scored 20 of his game-high 27 points in the first half to lead back-to-back MAAC Champion Manhattan to a decisive 81-63 victory over Marist in the First Round of the 2016 MAAC Basketball Championships.
With the win, the Jaspers improve to 13-17 and will next play Siena on Saturday, March 5 at 7:00 pm while the Red Foxes conclude the season with a mark of 7-23.
Head coach Steve Masiello and Manhattan extended their MAAC Tournament winning streak to seven games, with six coming by double-figures.
The Jaspers began the game on fire in making good on 15-of-17 from the floor, including nine-straight at one point, en route to opening what would prove to be an insurmountable 36-15 lead at the 8:16 mark of the first.
Manhattan assumed a 46-29 advantage at halftime thanks to ripping off a 17-2 run midway through the first half.
Additionally, the Jaspers scored on 16 of their first 20 possessions over the opening 12 minutes of the game en route to shooting a blistering 70.4 percent (19-of-27), including 85.7 percent (6-of-7) from long range, in the first half.
After halftime, Manhattan shot a robust 56.0 percent (14-of-25) from the floor as the lead grew to a game-high 26 as the outcome was never seriously in doubt.
The Jaspers converted on a season-high 63.5 percent (33-of-52) from the field, including 66.7 percent (8-of-12) from long range, while winning the battle of the boards (31-22) and posting a 15-4 advantage in points off turnovers.
Marist, which shot 42.6 percent (23-of-54) from the field, was led by Khallid Hart (19 points) and Isaiah Lamb (18 points).
Notes:
* The game started at 10:20 pm and ended at 11:59 pm.
* Manhattan snapped a three-game losing streak with the win while improving to 13-6 in March under Masiello.
* Masiello has now been a part of 14 of Jaspers' 27 MAAC Tournament victories, highlighted by a school-record nine as a head coach and five as an assistant.
* Richards registered his third 20-point half in the first 20 minutes of the game.
* He has now notched at least 20 points 11 times this year and 18 in his career while finishing up 11-of-15 from the floor, including 5-of-5 from long range.
* DYK? In two prior games against the Red Foxes, Richards was just 9-of-30 (.300) from the field, including 5-of-19 (.263) from deep.
* Manhattan is now 25-10 when Richards converts on at least four three pointers in his career, including 19-7 over the last three years.
* The senior marksman is now averaging 11.1 ppg over 10 career MAAC Tournament games, including 17.5 ppg since last year, while converting on 53.1 percent (26-of-49) from long range.
* The victory was the first double-figure triumph against league opposition for the Jaspers this season and just the third overall.
* Junior Rich Williams (Brooklyn, NY / Vermont Academy (VT)) and sophomore Calvin Crawford (Middletown, NY / St. Thomas More (CT)) each added 16 points with the latter notching a game-high eight rebounds.
* Junior Tyler Wilson (Bronx, NY / Cardinal Hayes) handed out seven assists, against two turnovers, and dished out 34, against just 11 turnovers, over his last nine games.
* Wilson moved up to third place in the all-time Manhattan single-season annals with 157 helpers while cracking 300 for his career.
