Manhattan tops Fordham in Battle of the Bronx

RIVERDALE, N.Y. — Manhattan started fast and never looked back en route to a 78-76 win over Fordham in the 115th installment of the Battle of the Bronx. Manhattan led the whole game and was boosted by a career night from freshman Will Sydnor, whose 24 points was vital in the win. 

• Manhattan raced out a 7-0 lead by the 17:06 mark of the first quarter, using two baskets from Wesley Robinson and Shaquil Bender and another triple from Robinson to cap the initial scoring run.

• A three from Fordham's Japhet Medor cut the Jaspers' lead to 7-5. After both teams traded baskets, Manhattan capitalized on Fordham's slow start with a 10-0 run capped off with a corner three from freshman Fraser Roxburgh. 

• With 8:40 left in the first half, Manhattan extended their lead to 11 at 23-12 following a putback dunk from Masiah Gilyard on a missed lay-up from Jaden Winston. 

• Fordham punched right back with a 7-0 run including back to back baskets from Jackie Johnson III.

• Sydnor then went to work, scoring back to back baskets to increase the Jaspers lead back up to eight at 27-19 with 4:03 left in the first half.

• Manhattan went into the break leading 32-28.

• Fordham opened the half with a three from Johnson III to close to within one. But Manhattan's knack for timely baskets continued as Sydnor and Bender responded with back to back baskets to push the Jaspers lead to 36-31.

• The Jaspers would drive their lead to as high as 17 at 67-50 following a three-pointer from Bender with 3:34 left.

• A steal and finish from Medor cut the Manhattan lead down to 11 with 1:31 left, and he proceeded to score 12 of Fordham's last 20 points including three three-pointers.

• Sydnor's dunk in transition capped his career night, and Manhattan stuck five of six free throws in the final minute to ice the game. 

• Manhattan now owns a 60-55 advantage in the all-time series against Fordham, including having now won two of the last three meetings dating back to 2021.

• John Gallagher recorded his first win in the Battle of the Bronx in his second year at the helm of the Jaspers' program. 

• Sydnor, a Bronx native, is the first Jasper to score 24 or more points against Fordham since Rich Williams poured in 24 in an 87-64 win for Fordham back in 2015. 

• Bronx natives have led Manhattan in scoring in three of the last four match-ups between both schools, with Elijah Buchanan registering game-highs of 15 and 17 points in 2019 and 2021, respectively. 

• 2024 Manhattan University Hall of Fame inductee George Beamon '13 was recognized at tonight's game and joined the ESPN+ broadcast at halftime. As a sophomore in 2010, Beamon posted 12 points and 10 rebounds against Fordham. 

• Manhattan head coach John Gallagher: "This is a program win. This can propel us to really good things this year…'Is it the end all be all? No.' But for us, we get confidence from evidence and tonight was an evidentiary win."

• Gallagher: "Tonight felt like a breakthrough…And practices have been awesome. You don't practice soft and play hard. Practicing hard equates to playing hard."

Manhattan will return to action on Sunday at Fairleigh Dickinson (1-3, 0-0 NEC) with tip-off scheduled for 2 PM from Bogota Savings Bank Center. The action will air live on YES Network.