Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan men's basketball team came up short on Super Bowl Sunday as the Jaspers dropped a 62-56 decision to Loyola (12-12, 5-9 MAAC) at Draddy Gymnasium. Darryl Crawford and Rico Pickett led Manhattan (8-16, 3-11) with 19 points apiece. The Greyhounds balanced scoring attack, which went nine players deep, was led by Shane Walker who posted his second straight double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds).
Manhattan erased a two point halftime deficit and rallied out to a five point lead (41-36) with 12:25 in the second half on Mohamed Koita's 3-pointer from the wing. The product of Cergy, France contributed a career-high nine points, while adding five rebounds and two steals to his stat line.
Loyola did not let the Jaspers' advantage grow any larger, and with 5:39 remaining Greyhounds' junior guard Jamal Barney converted a 3-point play to earn a 48-46 advantage, a lead they would not relinquish. Barney, the MAAC's scoring champion in 2008-09 (18.1 ppg), finished with seven points in 11 minutes off the bench.
The Greyhounds outscored Manhattan 14-9 over the final five minutes. Crawford sank a pair of free-throws at 1:32 to pull within 54-52, but the Jaspers could not come up with a defensive stop the next time down court to get any closer. Loyola freshman guard Robert Olson sank a jumper helping Greyhounds kept it a two possession ball game the rest of the way.
The see-saw battle featured nine ties and six lead changes. Both teams shot 35% from the field. Loyola capitalized on 19 points off 14 Manhattan turnovers.
Manhattan won the rebounding battle for the second straight contest (40-38), which was anchored by a game-high 10 boards from Crawford. Senior guard Patrick Bouli added seven rebounds to the effort.
Crawford recorded his second career double-double. He also led Manhattan with three steals, three blocks and two assists in 37 minutes.
Pickett shot an efficient 7-for-15 (46.6%) from the field. The junior guard from Alabama led the Jaspers into the break with 15 points, before Loyola clamped down on him in the second half.
Manhattan returns to action on Friday when the Jaspers travel to New Rochelle for a local MAAC showdown with Iona. Tip off is slated for 7:30 p.m.
