Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? Despite Abby Wentworth's (Portland, Maine) first career double-double, the Manhattan College women's basketball team (5-10, 2-2 MAAC) came up on the short end of a 67-59 decision against Canisius (11-4, 3-1 MAAC) in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at Draddy Gymnasium on Friday evening. Wentworth tied her career-high with 16 points and grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds while also recording four assists and three steals in 34 minutes.
After Canisius scored the first bucket of the game, Manhattan quickly jumped out to a 5-2 advantage when Wentworth drained a trey two minutes in. Canisius countered with the next eight points, opening up a 10-5 lead on Ellie Radke's layup at the 13:57 mark. The Griffs' lead reached eight when Brianna Lucas hit a three to make it 24-16 with 5:06 left in the half. After the sides traded baskets, the Lady Jaspers went on a 5-0 run and trimmed the margin to three points when Schyanne Halfkenny (Hyde Park, Mass.) sank a three-pointer to make it 26-23 with 52 seconds remaining before halftime. Canisius led 28-23 at intermission.
The Lady Jaspers erased their five-point deficit by scoring the first six points of the second half. Kelly Regan (Williamsville, N.Y.) and Alyssa Herrington (Cambridge, N.Y.) drained three-pointers on consecutive Manhattan possessions to give the Lady Jaspers a 29-28 advantage with 17:19 remaining. A coast-to-coast layup by Brittane Russell gave the Griffs back the lead and ignited a 25-8 Canisius run that made it 53-37 with 8:26 left.
With the Griffs leading 58-44 and 4:07 remaining, Wentworth made a three-pointer and was fouled in the act of shooting. She converted the free throw, as well, then, after a Canisius turnover, Halfkenny's layup cut the deficit to eight points, 60-52, with 3:30 to go. After a Canisius layup, Manhattan scored the next five points, pulling within five when Michelle Pacheco (Bronx, N.Y.) sank a trey to make it 60-55 at the 2:17 mark. That's as close as the Lady Jaspers would get, however, as Canisius, the MAAC's best free-throw shooting team, went 5-for-6 at the line over the final two minutes to cap off a 67-59 victory.
“Canisius is an older, much more experienced team (than we are),” Head Coach Myndi Hill said. “We executed well enough in the first half, but not in the second half.”
Wentworth and Regan each tallied 16 points to lead the Lady Jaspers. Regan added seven rebounds. Halfkenny notched a career-high eight points off the bench, while Pacheco handed out a career-best eight assists. Lindsey Loutsenhizer (North Huntingdon, Pa.) grabbed seven rebounds for Manhattan. The Lady Jaspers shot 36.7 percent (22-of-60) from the field, including 33.3 percent (8-of-24) from downtown, and 77.8 percent (7-of-9) at the charity stripe.
Marie Warner tallied a double-double for the Griffs, posting game-highs with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Russell added 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals for Canisius. Radke had eight points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Griffs, who outrebounded the Lady Jaspers 43-35. Canisius shot 41 percent (25-of-61) from the field, but was held to just 14.3 percent (2-of-14) shooting from three-point range. The Griffs entered the game leading the MAAC with over eight three-pointers per game and a team three-point percentage of .417. Canisius shot 78.9 percent (15-of-19) at the free throw line.
The Lady Jaspers return to action on Sunday afternoon for a 2 p.m. showdown with Rider, a team they have beaten seven straight times. The contest, which will be webcast at www.gojaspers.com as a part of the JasperVision package, is the front end of a Manhattan basketball doubleheader. Following the women's game, the Manhattan men take on defending MAAC champion Siena.
NOTES: This was the 43rd all-time meeting between the schools...Canisius leads the all-time series 26-17...This was the first road win in the series by either team since Canisius won at Draddy in 2006...Wentworth's previous career-high was eight rebounds, which she's done three times, most recently against Saint Peter's on March 8, 2008...She previously had 16 points at Rider on Feb. 3, 2008...Her double-double was the third by a Lady Jasper this season...Regan had double-doubles in back-to-back games against Stony Brook (Dec. 15) and Portland (Dec. 19)...Pacheco's previous career high was eight assists at Portland on Dec. 19...This game was the opener of a Manhattan basketball doubleheader...The men's team took on Marist following the women's game.
