Live Stats | Game Notes
Riverdale, NY - Manhattan (2-11; 0-1 MAAC) concludes a two-game homestand against Niagara (7-6; 0-0 MAAC) on Saturday, January 5 at 7:00 pm on Youth Night.
Series History
* The Jaspers have won four of the last five meetings between the teams and five in a row at Draddy Gymnasium.
* Head Coach
Steve Masiello is 9-5, all-time, against the Purple Eagles and 6-1 at Draddy.
* Manhattan holds an all-time record of 52-33 against Niagara.
* Last year against Niagara, junior
Pauly Paulicap averaged 15.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg and 4.0 bpg over two games while shooting 50.0 percent (10-of-20) from the floor.
* The Jasper defense limited Purple Eagle shooters to just 30.0 percent (12-of-40) from long range as each team held court at home a year ago.
About Niagara
* Niagara is led by the high-powered trio of Marvin Prochet (18.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg), James Towns (13.7 ppg, 4.7 apg) and Dominic Robb (11.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.3 bpg).
Among The National Leaders
* Manhattan is 38th nationally in scoring defense, yielding a MAAC-low 64.3 ppg, 41st in turnovers forced (16.5/game), 69th in steals (7.8/game) and 90th in offensive rebounding (11.6/game).
Cap Coming Up Clutch
* Senior
Thomas Capuano scored 13 points against Quinnipiac and is averaging 9.7 ppg over his last three games while shooting 55.0 percent (11-of-20), including 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from deep.
* Capuano ranks among the MAAC leaders in three-point percentage (.405-8th), steals (1.2-13th) and minutes (26.5-28th).
Newcomers Break Out
* Freshman
Tykei Greene set career-highs with 13 points and seven rebounds against Quinnipiac and is averaging 9.0 ppg over his last four games.
* Classmate
Warren Williams has hit for double-figures a team-leading eight times and is averaging 8.2 ppg while shooting 51.2 percent (6th MAAC) from the floor.
* Freshman
Samir Stewart handed out a career-high five assists, against no turnovers, at UAlbany and has a 3.0 assist/turnover ratio in his last six games.
* Junior
Tyler Reynolds paced the offense vs. UNC Asheville with a career-high 15 points on the strength of five triples, after scoring 12 points in the victory over Coastal Carolina. On the year, the Syracuse native is ninth in the MAAC in three-point percentage (.404) and 15th in triples per game (1.6).
* The Jasper newcomers have accounted for 51.3 percent of the team's scoring, 42.1 percent of the rebounding and 50.1 percent of the minutes.
From Downtown
* The duo of Capuano and Reynolds has combined to make good on 40.4 percent (38-of-94) from long range.
Return Of The Mack
* Sophomore
Nehemiah Mack scored 19 of his career-high 21 points at UAlbany after halftime, fueled by going 3-for-4 from distance and added seven points with a career-high best matching five assists over 33 turnover-free minutes against Quinnipiac.
* In large part to Mack's performance, the Jaspers set season-highs in points (67), field goals (27), field goal percentage (.466) and assists (18) against the Great Danes.
* Additionally, he is averaging 9.8 ppg, 3.0 apg and 1.5 spg over the last four games while shooting 50.0 percent (13-of-26) from the floor, including 60.0 percent (6-of-10) from deep.
* Mack paces the MAAC with a 89.7 percent conversion rate from the line, is the lone Manhattan player to start all 13 games and ranks among the league leaders with 1.4 spg (11th) and 2.5 apg (12th).
Pauly Doing Pauly Things
* Paulicap, the reigning MAAC Defensive POTY, notched a game-high 17 points at St. Francis Brooklyn with four blocks and now rejected at least four shots 11 times as a Jasper, including turning away at least three on 16 occasions.
* The Harcum College transfer registered his sixth career double-double against Stony Brook with a career-high 24 points with 10 rebounds and five blocks after scoring 15 points with six caroms against Fordham and is averaging a team-best 8.6 ppg.
* Is ninth in school history with 87 career blocks, two behind
Mike Bruno for eighth.
Lock It Up, No You Lock It Up!
* The Jaspers have registered double-figures in steals three times this year (GW-13) and are averaging 9.3 each time out over the last four games en route to ranking third in the league with 7.8 per game.
* Masiello's teams have recorded at least 10 steals in a game 53 times over his eight seasons with Manhattan going 40-13 (.754) during that time.
* The Jaspers also rank second in the MAAC in turnovers forced (16.7/game) and have has paced the league in the category three times in the last five years (2015-16, 2014-15, 2013-14). Manhattan is 25-14 under Masiello when turning the opposition over at least 20 times.
* The Jaspers have limited the opposition to less than 60 points four times this year and are 45-7 (.865) under Masiello when surrendering less than 60 points.
The Glass
* Manhattan paces the MAAC in offensive rebounding (11.6/game) and has owned the offensive glass in 10 of its 13 games.
* Sophomore
Ebube Ebube narrowly missed double-figures on the glass against Quinnipiac, finishing up with nine rebounds, including five on the offensive end.
* Ebube has recorded three double-digit rebounding performances and is 12th in the MAAC with 5.4 rpg to go along with a team-best 10 offensive fouls drawn.
* The Puerto Rico native pulled down a career-high 12 caroms in the win over Coastal Carolina while also notching double-figures against Fordham and at GW.
The Bench
* The Jasper reserves have has outscored the starters on four occasions this year, have outpaced the opposing reserves in all 13 games and is averaging 25.9 ppg.
KEMI NKU Basketball Classic
* Manhattan took two of three at the KEMI NKU Basketball Classic with Mack and Williams each being named to the All-Tournament Team.
* Williams scored all of his career-high 13 points in the win over UNC Asheville after halftime and notched 12 points and seven rebounds against NKU, averaging 9.3 ppg on the weekend
* Mack scored nine of his career-high 11 points in the final 3:50 of the Jaspers' comeback victory over Coastal Carolina en route to averaging 6.0 ppg, 2.7 apg and 2.0 spg.
* Ebube recorded 6.3 ppg and 8.3 rpg for the tournament while drawing seven charges.
Closing Time
* Manhattan dominated the opposition at the NKU Basketball Classic over the final 10 minutes of action, outscoring its three opponents by a combined 60-34 count, shooting 54.3 percent from the floor, including 57.1 percent from deep, while posting a +4.3 margin on the glass.
Lucky Number 13
* In the win over Coastal Carolina, the Jaspers rallied from a 13-point deficit over the final 9:37 thanks to forcing the Chanticleers into 0-for-8 shooting during that time while posting a 13-7 advantage on the glass.
Congrats Coach
* Masiello earned his 200th win at the school against Coastal Carolina, which includes his time as an Assistant and a Head Coach, with the triumph.
Getting It Done Off The Court
* Senior
Samson Usilo was inducted into the prestigious Chi Epsilon National Engineering Honor Society, which is dedicated to the purpose of maintaining and promoting the status of civil engineering.
Masiello Quick Hits
* Masiello has led Manhattan to a 118-121 (.494) record, including going 72-63 (.533) during MAAC play, and 57-34 (.593) at Draddy Gym over his eight seasons, including 44-23 (.657) vs. league opposition. He has won two MAAC Titles, advanced to title game three times, claimed two Metropolitan Coach of the Year awards with a pair of 20-win campaigns. Masiello has also participated in the NCAA Tournament in 13 of his first 21 seasons as a player or coach, including being a part of eight conference champions and one National Title.
* In his first tenure as an assistant, Masiello was a part of two MAAC titles and three 20-plus win seasons. All told, Masiello has been a member of four of Manhattan's five MAAC Championship teams and five of the school's 12 20-win seasons in recording a combined 201-157 record.
* Now in his 22nd season as either a player or a coach, Masiello has a career collegiate record of 479-267, including 358-239 on the sidelines, with one National Title, two National Championship Game appearances, two Final Fours, six Elite Eight berths, eight conference championships, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and 15 20-win seasons.
Preseason Musings
* Manhattan was tabbed eighth in the MAAC Preseason Poll with Paulicap selected to the preseason All-MAAC Second Team.
* Paulicap (1st) and Capuano (2nd) were each selected to preseason All-MAAC teams by Mid-Major Madness.
Congrats Smooth
* Former standout and current color analyst
Chris "Smooth" Williams joined the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 10. Williams clinched the Jaspers' first-ever MAAC Championship in 1992-93 at the line and led the Jaspers to 72 career wins while handing out 271 assists and scoring 792 points.
This Is Manhattan Basketball
• Manhattan has three wins in NCAA Tournament play, defeating West Virginia (1958), Oklahoma (1995) and Florida (2004).
• The Jaspers have won five MAAC Tournament titles in the last 25 years (1993, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2015).
• Manhattan received an at-large berth in 1995 and defeated Oklahoma before falling to Arizona State.
* Was the first team in NCAA history to a win a game in Europe, defeating Holy Cross 70-54 on December 1, 2017 as part of the inaugural Belfast Classic.
What's A Jasper?
* The unique nickname of Manhattan College's athletic teams, the Jaspers, comes from one of the College's most memorable figures, Brother Jasper of Mary, F.S.C., who served as the College's athletic director in the late 19th century. One of the greatest achievements of Brother Jasper was that he brought the then little-known sport of baseball to Manhattan College and became the team's first coach. Since Brother Jasper was also the Prefect of Discipline, he supervised the student fans at Manhattan baseball games while also directing the team itself. During one particularly warm and humid day when the college was playing a semi-pro baseball team called the Metropolitans, Brother Jasper noticed the Manhattan students were becoming restless and edgy with the team coming to bat in the seventh inning of a close game. To relieve the tension, Brother Jasper called timeout and told the students to stand up and stretch for a few minutes until the game resumed. Since the College annually played the New York Giants in the late 1880's and into the 1890's at the old Polo Grounds, the Manhattan College practice of the "seventh inning stretch" spread into the major leagues, where it has now become a time-honored custom practiced by millions of fans annually.
This Is Manhattan College
• Why is Manhattan College in the Bronx? Our campus was originally located in Manhattan at the intersection of 131st Street and Broadway. In 1923, Manhattan College moved to its present Riverdale location in order to accommodate a growing student body. But with more than 60 years of history established as Manhattan College, the institution decided to retain the name despite the geographic misnomer.
• 17 alumni are members of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering — an impressive number for an institution the size of Manhattan College.
• Manhattan is one of only 182 remaining colleges founded in the United States before the Civil War.
Meet The Staff
* Masiello is joined on the bench by
Matt Grady,
Doug Thibault,
RaShawn Stores,
Brandon Kuhn and
Tyler Wilson. Grady is in his eighth year as an associate head coach with Thibault beginning year one. Stores is back for his third seasons while Kuhn is in his second year as the Strength & Conditioning Assistant/Director of Operations and Wilson his second as a Special Assistants to Masiello.
* Grady was a member of Manhattan's 2014 & 2015 MAAC Championship teams while Stores and Wilson were each student-athletes on the Jaspers' title-winning teams.
113th Season Of Manhattan Basketball
* In its 113th season, the Manhattan men's basketball program boasts a 1366-1238 overall record (294-317 MAAC). The Jaspers' storied men's basketball team was established in 1904-05 and took a two-year hiatus during the 1943-44 and 1944-45 season due to World War II.
Pretty Good
* Over the last six years, the Jaspers are 58-18 when leading at the half, 34-13 when limiting teams to less than 40 percent shooting and 52-32 when forcing more turnovers than the opposition.
Up Next
* Manhattan will hit the road to take on Marist on Tuesday, January 8 at 7:00 pm.
