Riverdale, NY - Manhattan used a game-ending 16-2 charge, including 14-straight at one point, to upend Niagara by a 90-80 count in posting its first MAAC victory off the year at Draddy Gymnasium.
Trailing by as many as 14 points at one point, the Jaspers put on an offensive show over the final nine-plus minutes in converting on 14 of their final 15 offensive possessions.
Leading the charge for Manhattan was freshman Samir Stewart (Fort Lauderdale, FL / American Heritage) as the rookie guard finished with a career-high 22 points, going a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor, including 5-for-5 from deep, and 5-for-5 from the line.
With Niagara holding a 14-point lead with just over 14 minutes to play, freshman Christian Hinckson (Queens, NY / Tilton School (NH)) snared an offensive rebound before laying it in to ignite a quick 8-0 spurt. Stewart and Thomas Capuano (Sr., Hastings-on-Hudson, NY / Iona Prep) would follow with back-to-back triples to make it a 57-51 game with 12:42 remaining.
Cap with the triple! Manhattan now trails just 57-51 with 12:21 to play in the second half. pic.twitter.com/Q0zGgT8kFe
— Manhattan Basketball (@JaspersMBB) January 6, 2019
The Purple Eagles extended the lead back out to 12 at 64-52 with 11:00 to play, only to see the Jaspers immediately answer with a Pauly Paulicap (Elmont, NY / Harcum College) layup before Stewart stole the ball on the ensuing play and took it coast-to-coast with an old-fashioned three-point play to trim it to 64-57.
Stewart with the three the hard way! Manhattan trails Niagara 64-57 with just over 10 to play in regulation. pic.twitter.com/BYXCFUwtUS
— Manhattan Basketball (@JaspersMBB) January 6, 2019
Manhattan would continue to chip away before scoring 14-straight points to turn a four-point deficit into a 10-point lead as the Jaspers registered one of their most dominant performances in recent years.
The Green & White set a season-high with 90 points while making good on a blistering 63.0 percent (34-of-54), including 59.1 percent (13-of-22) from long range. The Jaspers also handed out 19 assists while Stewart's aforementioned 22 points paced a season-high four double-figure scorers as Capuano, Paulicap and junior Tyler Reynolds (Syracuse, NY / Harcum College) each added 10.
Notes
* In the game-ending 16-2 spurt, Stewart had seven points, freshman Tykei Greene (Queens, NY / Long Island Lutheran) five, Capuano two and freshman Warren Williams (Kingston, Jamaica / St. Benedict's Prep (NJ)) two.
* Manhattan improves to 3-11 and 1-1 in the MAAC while Niagara falls to 7-7 and 0-1 in the league.
* Stewart added four assists and three steals in just 20 minutes of action.
* The Jaspers have won five of the last six meetings between the teams and six straight in Draddy Gymnasium.
* Head Coach Steve Masiello improves to 10-5, all-time, against the Purple Eagles with Manhattan now holding a 53-33 lead in the all-time series.
* Sophomore Nehemiah Mack (Harrisburg, PA / Massanutten Prep (VA)) handed out a career-best matching five assists for the second-straight game while turning it over just once in 28 minutes.
* The bench exploded for a season-high 47 points while outscoring the starters for the fifth time on the year.
* The Jaspers' 63.0 percent conversion rate was their highest since making good on 63.5 percent in a win over Marist in the 2016 MAAC Tournament.
* Manhattan improves to 3-1 on the season when shooting better than the opposition.
* The Jaspers now have eradicated deficits of 14 (Niagara) and 13 (Coastal Carolina) this season.
* Paulicap blocked two shots and now has 89 in moving in moving into a tie with Mike Bruno '79 for eighth on the program's all-time blocks list.
* Manhattan shot 60.0 percent (15-of-25) in the first half, including 71.4 percent (5-of-7) from deep.
* After falling behind behind a game-high 14 points, the Jaspers ended the game on a 47-23 run over the final 14:06.
* Over the final 14 minutes, Manhattan shot 69.3 percent (16-of-23) from the floor with nine assists and eight forced turnovers.
* Niagara was led by Dominic Robb, who finished up with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
Up Next
* The Jaspers will look to make it two in a row at Marist on Tuesday, January 8 at 7:00 pm.