Box Score
BALTIMORE ? The Manhattan College women's basketball team came into Sunday's game knowing that a second loss to Loyola would be costly in its hopes to earn a top-six seed in the MAAC Tournament. The Lady Jaspers (9-17, 6-9 MAAC) did what they needed to on Sunday afternoon, knocking off the Greyhounds (9-16, 4-10 MAAC) in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at Reitz Arena. Kelly Regan (Williamsville, N.Y.) recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds for her second straight double-double and seventh of the season.
After Loyola took an 11-7 lead at the 11:55 mark of the first half, the Lady Jaspers held the Greyhounds scoreless for the next 8:20. Manhattan went on a 12-0 run during that span to take a 19-11 lead. Meredith Tolley sank a three-pointer (Loyola's first of the game after starting 0-for-11) to make it 19-14 before the Lady Jaspers scored the final three points of the half to take a 22-14 lead into the locker room.
The Lady Jaspers' first four baskets of the second half were three-pointers, and Manhattan's lead reached a game-high 13 points when Annie McIntyre (Portland, Ore.) hit a free throw to make it 35-22 with 15:19 remaining. Loyola responded with a 10-2 run to pull within five points, 39-34.
After Kaitlin Grant hit a jumper to make it 45-40 with 7:14 remaining, Alyssa Herrington (Cambridge, N.Y.) drained a trey on the other end to bring Manhattan's lead back to eight points. McIntyre sank a three-pointer to bring the lead back to nine points, 51-42, with 6:37 left in the game before Loyola went on an 8-2 run to pull within three points at 53-50.
Herrington and Kerri White (Flushing, N.Y.) each hit a pair of free throws to bring Manhattan's lead back to seven before the Greyhounds got back-to-back layups from Grant and Siobhan Prior to get back within three points at 57-54 with 27 seconds remaining. Herrington nailed a free throw to make it a two-possession game, then Loyola missed two layups and Lindsey Loutsenhizer (North Huntingdon, Pa.) grabbed the rebound for the Lady Jaspers. Loutsenhizer was fouled immediately and drained both free throws to seal the 60-54 victory.
Regan led four Lady Jaspers in double figures. Herrington tallied 13 points, while McIntyre and Loutsenhizer each added 10 points off the bench. Loutsenhizer also grabbed eight rebounds, as the Lady Jaspers outrebounded the Greyhounds 42-29. White contributed eight points and six rebounds off the bench, and Laura Rivera (Elmont, N.Y.) distributed a team-high three assists. Manhattan shot 39.2 percent (20-of-51) from the field, 38.9 percent (7-of-18) from three-point range, and 68.4 percent (13-of-19) at the charity stripe.
Grant scored 21 of her game-high 24 points in the second half and added 12 rebounds. Prior finished with 15 points for Loyola. Candice Walker had a game-high four assists to go along with six points. As a team, the Greyhounds shot 40 percent (24-of-60) from the field, including just 6.3 percent (1-of-16) from downtown, and 50 percent (5-of-10) at the free throw line.
The Lady Jaspers are back in action when they host first-place Marist (23-3, 13-2 MAAC) at Draddy Gymnasium on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Red Foxes posted a 70-44 victory when the teams met in Poughkeepsie on Jan. 30. The contest is Manhattan's “Pink Zone” game for breast cancer awareness, and breast cancer survivors will be honored.
NOTES: The teams split the season series for the second straight season, with each squad winning on the road...Manhattan leads the all-time series 22-18 and won in Baltimore for the second straight year...After losing five straight, the Lady Jaspers have now won three of their last four...Manhattan has won back-to-back games for the first time since defeating Saint Peter's on Dec. 7 and Stony Brook on Dec. 15...Regan moved past Brooke Renkens and Tonya Obey into 15th place on Manhattan's all-time career scoring list...McIntyre played in her 100th career game on Sunday...A crowd of 1,294 was in attendance for National Girls and Women In Sport Day at Reitz Arena.