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Albany, NY - No. 6 Manhattan trimmed a 16-point second half deficit to three with just over five minutes remaining but could get no closer in an 89-76 loss to No.3 Siena in the quarterfinals of the 2016 MAAC Championshps at the Times Union Center.
In defeat, the Jaspers saw their dreams of a third-straight MAAC Championship dashed in finishing out the season at 13-18 while the Saints improve to 21-11.
Junior Rich Williams (Brooklyn, NY / Vermont Academy (VT)) scored a game-high 26 points, on 9-of-15 shooting, while classmate Tyler Wilson (Bronx, NY / Cardinal Hayes) notched 14 points, four assists and four steals while not turning the ball over once.
Fueling Siena's win over the back-to-back MAAC Champions was a 46-21 advantage on the glass and a 35-14 point differential from the line.
The Saints also shot 48.0 percent (24-of-50) from the floor, offsetting 20 turnovers that led to a 25-14 Manhattan advantage in points off turnovers.
Trailing by 16 with just over 11 minutes to play, the Jaspers made their final push of 2015-2016 with a momentum-changing 12-2 spurt. Senior Shane Richards (New York, NY / York Prep) canned a three pointer before Williams hit a layup. After Siena briefly quelled the bleeding with a bucket, Wilson connected on a pair from the line, sophomore Zane Waterman (Winston-Salem, NC / Fayetteville Academy) tipped in an errant shot and Williams converted another three to trim the deficit to 68-62 with 8:16 to play.
The Saints would immediately push the lead back out to 11 only to see Manhattan rip off eight-straight points on a three from Thomas Capuano (Fr., Hastings-on-Hudson, NY / Iona Prep), a Williams jumper and three points from Richards in making it a 73-70 game with just over five minutes remaining.
Unfortunately, that would be as close as the Jaspers would get as Siena scored seven-straight as the lead didn't dip below seven the rest of the way as the Saints advanced to tomorrow's semifinal round against Iona.
Manhattan made good on 44.3 percent (27-of-61), including 42.1 percent (8-of-19) from deep, and 70.0 percent (14-of-20) from the line.
Richards scored 12 second-half points while RaShawn Stores (Bronx, NY / Robinson School (NJ)) added seven points with four assists and two steals. The senior duo concluded their outstanding careers with two MAAC Championships, three MAAC Title Game appearances and 71 total wins.
Brett Bisping scored 22 points while pulling down a game-high 16 rebounds to lead the way for Siena.
