RIVERDALE, NY– The Manhattan Jaspers women's basketball team (11-9, 5-6 MAAC) erased a double-digit deficit in the first half to take down the newest member of the conference, Sacred Heart Pioneers (6-13, 2-8 MAAC) by a score of 64-58 in overtime, on Saturday afternoon inside Draddy Gymnasium.
The victory ends its second three-game losing skid of the season for the Jaspers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Jaspers struggled to open the game with an early 9-0 deficit against the newest team in the MAAC, the Sacred Heart Pioneers, which forced an early timeout from head coach Heather Vulin just two and a quarter minutes in.
- Out of the early timeout, Tegan Young and Hana Muhl logged the first two buckets of the game for Manhattan.
- Sophomore Kristina Juric logged the first bucket of the second stanza for the Jaspers on a perfect bounce from Ines Gimenez Monserrat.
- Graduate forward Ines Gimenez-Monserrat cut Sacred Heart's lead to single digits with her first bucket of the game to give the Jaspers its first extended run of the contest.
- Second-half heroics have become a theme for the Jaspers at times this season. This contest proves the same. Nitzan Amar logs a three-point play after drawing a foul against the Pioneers' Pryor. With a step back, Tegan Young narrowed Sacred Heart's lead to as little as four.
- Kristina Juric narrows the lead to just one possession with a layup to give the second-year forward a new career-high at 11.
- Coming off a steal on the ensuing play, Juric drew a foul on a layup to put her team on an 18-4 run and give Manhattan its first lead of the afternoon.
- The Jaspers used a 22-5 run in nearly an eight minute span in the third quarter, to supercharge its comeback against the Pioneers.
- Leyla Ozturk put her team back in front with a pull-up jump shot from Hana Muhl, leading into the final media timeout of regulation.
- With an eye-popping three-pointer in overtime, Nitzan Amar gave the Jaspers a 57-52 lead in the waning seconds of the extra period.
STATS AND NOTES
- Manhattan erased a 17-point deficit, which it trailed 25-8 in the first quarter, to eventually defeat the Pioneers. This was the Jaspers' largest deficit of the season, and they eventually came back to claim victory.
- The Jaspers logged its season-high 51 rebounds on the afternoon as a team.
- Sophomore Kristina Juric registered her first career double-double and eclipsed career-highs in three different categories with 18 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks on the afternoon. Juric's career-high in points prior was nine against Niagara on Saturday, January 18.
- Graduate forward Leyla Ozturk logged 15 points in the afternoon, collected eight rebounds, and added a pair of helpers on the floor in 40 minutes.
- Junior guard Nitzan Amar etched 16 points to the scoresheet. The Israeli product sank home five free throws in seven tries.
- Graduate forward Ines Gimenez Monserrat captured eight key points and added seven rebounds and seven assists in 40 minutes of action.
- After being outscored in the first half 27-16, Manhattan came roaring back in the second half with a 48-31 performance in the final 25 minutes, including overtime. Good for a +17 scoring margin in the allotted time frame.
QUOTES FROM THE JASPERS
Head Coach Heather Vulin: "Right now, our girls are dealing with some adversity. I'm so proud of them. They didn't make any excuses. They took ownership of the mistakes we made in the first half. They really gutted and fought to get back in this game."
"Sacred Heart is a great program. Jess (Mannetti) does a good job. We have people who really stood up. Like Kiki (Kristina Juric), who was phenomenal. And then we had players make shots when we needed them. I think during this losing streak, we didn't have that. Leyla (Ozturk), Nitz (Amar) was making shots. Ines (Gimenez Monserrat) getting to the rim. It was a great overall team win. I'm very proud of them."
Sophomore Kristina Juric on her career afternoon: "I think it was a team effort. My teammates were doing a good job finding me down in the post. We were missing two very important pieces. We knew everyone had to pitch in a little bit more."
NEXT UP:
Manhattan returns to action in seven days. The Jaspers visit the Peacocks of Saint Peter's University on Saturday, February 8, for a 2 p.m. opening tip. The contest can be viewed on ESPN+ with a paid subscription.