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Riverdale, NY - Senior
Rich Williams (Brooklyn, NY / Vermont Academy (VT)) scored 21 points and Manhattan ended the first on a game-changing 17-4 run en route to an impressive 82-72 win over Niagara in MAAC action at Draddy Gymnasium.
The Jaspers improve to 13-15 and 8-8 in the MAAC while the Purple Eagles fall to 18-11 and 11-5 in the league.
Senior
Zane Waterman (Winston-Salem, NC / Fayetteville Academy) finished with 16 points and nine rebounds while sophomore
Pauly Paulicap (Elmont, NY / Harcum College) notched 13 points, nine rebounds and four blocks to round out the top performers for Manhattan.
Manhattan put the game on ice with arguably the signature play of the year with 2:44 remaining. Dominic Robb was rejected at the rim by Paulicap before Williams scooped up the rebound and took the length of the court to extend the advantage out to 11 while sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Senior
Zavier Turner (Indianapolis, IN / Ball State) scored 13 points with four assists to round out the double-figure scorers for the Jaspers while
Thomas Capuano (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY / Iona Prep) added nine points and senior
Calvin Crawford (Middletown, NY / St. Thomas More (CT)) eight points and six rebounds.
Kahlil Dukes scored 20 points to pace Niagara.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Manhattan matched its season-low with eight turnovers and is averaging just 12.0 miscues over the last five games.
- Williams' game-high 21 comes after he notched just 33 points over his previous five games against the Purple Eagles.
- With his second-straight 20-point outing, Williams is averaging 25.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 3.0 apg over his last two games.
- He now has eight 20-point performances this year and 15 for his career.
- Waterman continued his torrid play and is averaging 17.6 ppg and 8.1 rpg over his last seven games.
- The Jaspers have now won five-straight over Niagara at Draddy Gymnasium and lead the all-time series by a 52-33 count.
- Paulicap averaged 15.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg and 4.0 bpg over two games against the Purple Eagles this year.
- Manhattan is now 43-31 in the months of February/March under Head Coach
Steve Masiello.
- Niagara made it a two-possession game four times after halftime only to see the Jaspers answer on each ensuing possession.
UP NEXT
Manhattan will play at Iona on Friday, February 23 at 9:00 pm in a game that will be televised by
ESPNU.
