Box Score
Binghamton, N.Y. ? The Manhattan College men's basketball team made a long snowy ride to Binghamton worth it with a 86-80 win over the host Bearcats in a game that featured a 29 point effort by Jasper junior guard Darryl Crawford. Sophomore Chris Smith and junior Antoine Pearson both chipped in with 16 points for Manhattan. Pearson and Smith hit clutch shots midway through the second half to keep the Jaspers in the game, a contest that featured 52 total fouls.
“We had a bit of an adventure getting there, but it was well worth it,” said Manhattan Head Coach Barry Rohrssen. Rohrssen -- whose Jasper team is now 6-3 on the season -- pointed to a few turning points in the game -- a late first half comeback and a comeback flurry midway through the second half
The early part of the first half went back and forth before Binghamton ? with score at 26-23 -- went on 15-3 run to take the score to 38-29 Bearcats.
But then the Jaspers went on a 9-0 run in the last minute of the first half to tie the game at 38 at halftime. During the run, Pearson was fouled on a three- point shot and made two of three free throws.with 56 seconds to go. After a Binghamton turnover, Pearson struck again with an acrobatic put back of his own shot with 30 seconds to go. A Crawford foul shot with 20 seconds to go and a tough Brandon Adams put back at the halftime buzzer created the halftime tie.
Crawford was the first half star, scoring 16 points. Binghamton's Dwayne Jackson had 12 first half tallies for the Bearcats.
The Jaspers had to crawl back a few times in the second half -- 47-40 and 50-43 -- after about six and eight minutes into the second half. But two three pointers by Pearson and a huge slam dunk by Smith that took some air out of the Bearcats brought Manhattan back to within four, 55-51, with just over 13:02 left in the game. The teams exchanged points for the next five minutes before Smith put the Jaspers ahead 68-66 with a jumper with 6:49 to go. Then good foul shooting by Smith, Crawford, Smith and senior Devon Austin put the game away in the final five minutes, with the Jaspers taking the lead for good with 4:48 to go.
D.J Rivera led Binghamton overall in scoring with 23 points. Jackson pitched in with 17 for the Bearcats whose record is now 4-4.
The game featured 52 fouls and 75 foul shots, with the Jaspers sinking 31 of 45 shots from the charity stripe. Three Bearcats fouled out; Adams fouled out for the Jaspers.
The Jaspers head home now to take on the Blackbirds of Long Island University Monday at 7 p.m. at Draddy Gym.
