Box Score
TOWSON, Md. - Four Jaspers scored in double figures as the Manhattan men's basketball team won its fifth straight game in an 81-62 triumph at Towson (0-11) on Tuesday. Junior guard George Beamon led Manhattan (8-4) with 21 points and senior guard Kidani Brutus added a season-high 18 points as the Jaspers ride the program's longest win streak in nearly five years. With the win, Manhattan remains undefeated in the last three weeks and has averaged a 20.8 point margin of victory during the hot stretch.
Jaspers' sophomore point guard Michael Alvarado delivered the top all around performance. Alvarado posted a season-high eight assists to go along with a career-high six steals and he added six points to his stat line over 32 minutes of work. Senior guard Liam McCabe-Moran contributed 12 points on a perfect shooting night going 4-for-4 from downtown and sophomore Rhamel Brown had 10 points to contribute to the Jaspers 47 point bench effort.
Manhattan used a 27-6 run midway through the first half to power itself to a double-digit lead on the Tigers after a sluggish start. The Jaspers strung together all five of their first half 3-point field goals consecutively during the surge to take a 39-23 advantage. Alvarado put the finishing touches on the huge run with a lay up off a steal at the 5:17 mark. Alvarado had all six of his steals in the first half as Manhattan forced 16 turnovers with their high energy full court pressure.
McCabe-Moran and Brutus combined for 16 of Manhattan's 22 bench points in the first half. McCabe-Moran sank three 3-pointers during the Jaspers' game changing run, while Brutus posted seven first half points, including a deep 3-pointer that capped the flurry of five straight long balls.
The Jaspers defense locked down Towson after the Tigers initially jumped out to a nine point lead (13-4) less than five minutes into the game. While Manhattan's offense was off and running the Jaspers' defense held Towson without a field goal for over a 10 minute span. The Tigers only had two field goals in the final 12:50 of the first half and Manhattan prospered from 18 points off turnovers.
The Jaspers carried a 39-29 advantage into the break with Beamon leading all players with 12 points.
Towson senior forward Robert Nwankwo kept the Tigers close early in the second half as he sparked a 10 point surge that cut Manhattan's lead to two points with 14:10 remaining. Nwankwo scored on back-to-back possessions during the run with a jumper and then a dunk, which was followed by freshman forward Jervon Pressley's three point play to make it a one possession game (49-47).
Nwankwo finished with 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocks to carry Towson. He shot 8-for-11 from the field.
Brown answered back for Manhattan on the next two trips down court with a lay up and then a two handed dunk off a beautiful no look feed from Alvarado in transition. Beamon followed with a 3-pointer to finish off the 7-0 run as Manhattan regained control with a 56-47 advantage.
The Jaspers shot 63% (17-27) from the field, 55.6% (5-9) from beyond the arc and led by double digits for the majority of the second half. Brown threw down three dunks as part of his 4-for-4 effort in the stanza, which included an electrifying one handed slam over a pair of Tigers.
Manhattan received seven points from freshman Donovan Kates and classmate Emmy Andujar tied Brown for a team-high with six rebounds.
The Jaspers look to keep their hot streak going on Friday at George Mason. Tip off is schedule for 7 p.m.
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