Lady Jaspers Take On Loyola In MAAC Semifinals

Manhattan-Loyola Game Notes

TODAY'S GAME
The third-seeded Lady Jaspers (22-8) make their first MAAC semifinal appearance since 2003 this morning against second-seeded Loyola (19-11).  Manhattan notched a 59-47 victory over sixth-seeded Iona yesterday in its quarterfinal game, while the Greyhounds needed overtime to knock off seventh-seeded Canisius, 68-53.  The winner of today's contest, which is being broadcast live on MSG, moves into Monday afternoon's MAAC Championship Game against either top-seeded Marist or fourth-seeded Siena.

THE LADY JASPERS
Third-seeded Manhattan (22-8) picked up its third straight win, 59-47 over Iona in yesterday's quarterfinals.  Senior guard Abby Wentworth, a member of the All-MAAC First Team, leads the Lady Jaspers with 14.0 points per game.  She also distributes a conference-best 4.2 assists per contest and ranks second in the MAAC in steals (2.9 spg).  Junior forward Lindsey Loutsenhizer was selected to the All-MAAC Second Team.  She ranks second on the team in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 9.1 points and 5.6 boards per game.  Freshman guard/forward Monica Roeder, a MAAC All-Rookie Team selection, contributes 8.9 points per game, while junior forward Nadia Peters is Manhattan's leading rebounder (6.3 rpg).  She also tallies 2.6 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.  The Lady Jaspers are looking to move into the MAAC Championship Game for the first time since winning the title in 2003.

THE GREYHOUNDS
Second-seeded Loyola (19-11) rebounded from a loss to Saint Peter's in its regular season finale with a 68-53 overtime win against Canisius in the quarterfinals.  Junior guard Miriam McKenzie was selected to the All-MAAC First Team.  She leads the Greyhounds with 14.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.  Sophomore guard Katie Sheahin, a Second Team All-MAAC selection, was named the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year.  She averages 3.7 steals and 1.1 blocks per game to go along with 12.1 points, 5.8 boards and 4.1 assists per contest.  Senior guard Erica DiClemente also earned a place on the All-MAAC Second Team.  She contributes 11.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per outing.  McKenzie, Sheahin and DiClemente have all started every game this season for Loyola.  Senior forward Meredith Tolley adds 7.8 points and 5.4 boards per game, while sophomore forward Alyssa Sutherland tallies 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds an outing.

SERIES HISTORY
Loyola swept the season series in 2010-11 and has won five straight against the Lady Jaspers.  The Greyhounds posted a 78-61 victory at Draddy Gymnasium on Jan. 2, then won the rematch in Baltimore, 60-45, on Feb. 21.  Overall, this is the 46th meeting between the schools, and Loyola leads the all-time series 23-22.  The Lady Jaspers and Greyhounds are meeting in the MAAC Tournament for the fourth time.  Loyola posted a 68-63 triumph in the first round of the 2009 event and has won two of the three previous MAAC Tournament matchups.  Manhattan's only postseason victory over the Greyhounds was a 63-56 triumph in the 1996 semifinals.

WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME
The Lady Jaspers utilized the same aggressive defense they've displayed all season to notch a 59-47 victory over Iona in the MAAC quarterfinals on Friday morning.  A Lindsey Loutsenhizer layup sparked a 14-5 Manhattan run that broke a 9-9 tie midway through the first half.  The Lady Jaspers led 29-23 at the break.  Iona got back within four at 37-33 before Maggie Blair completed an old-fashioned three-point play to make it a seven-point game.  A Blair trey with 2:21 left then put the Lady Jaspers up 12 with 2:21 left, and Manhattan held on for a 59-47 victory, its first MAAC Tournament win since 2007.  The win moved Manhattan into the semifinals for the first time in eight years.  Abby Wentworth led the Lady Jaspers with 14 points, while Toni-Ann Lawrence tied a career-high with 12 points.

THIS SEASON VS. LOYOLA
Jan. 2-Loyola 78, Manhattan 61
Manhattan's three-game winning streak came to an end, as the Lady Jaspers dropped their MAAC opener, 78-61, to Loyola on Sunday afternoon at Draddy Gymnasium.  The back-and-forth first half featured five ties and 11 lead changes.  Manhattan used an 11-0 run to open up a 22-13 advantage, but Loyola responded with a 12-0 rally of its own to go up 25-22, and the score was knotted at 35-35 at the break.  The Greyhounds went on a 7-1 run to open up a 50-44 advantage early in the first half, and Manhattan would get no closer than three the rest of the way, as Loyola used torrid three-point shooting (the Greyhounds drained 15 treys in the game) to secure a 78-61 victory.  Maggie Blair and Alyssa Herrington both had 13 points to lead the Lady Jaspers, while Nadia Peters pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.
Feb. 21-Loyola 60, Manhattan 45
Manhattan led by as many as 14 points in the first half and had a 33-22 edge at halftime, but was held to just 12 second-half points in a 60-45 loss to Loyola at Reitz Arena on Monday night.  The Lady Jaspers jumped out to an early 17-3 advantage and led 33-19 after Abby Wentworth drained a pair of free throws with 25 seconds left in the first half.  However, a Loyola steal and three-point play cut the lead to 11 points, 33-22, at intermission.  The Greyhounds then opened the second half on a 14-2 run to take the lead.  Manhattan got back within four at 47-43, but was held scoreless over the final 6:01 as Loyola pulled away for a 60-45 victory.  Monica Roeder was the only Manhattan player in double figures with 17 points, while Lindsey Loutsenhizer and Nadia Peters both grabbed 11 rebounds.

TOURNAMENT SCENARIOS
Manhattan is looking to advance to the MAAC Championship Game for the sixth time in program history, and the first time since winning the title in 2003.  However, the Lady Jaspers have only won a semifinal game four times (in 1983, there was only a MAAC Championship Game).  Manhattan is 4-6 all-time in the MAAC semifinals.  Loyola has also played for the MAAC title five times, most recently in 2006, when the Greyhounds lost to Marist.  Loyola has a 5-6 all-time record in the MAAC semifinals.  The winner of this morning's game takes on either Marist or Siena in the MAAC Championship Game, which will be televised live by ESPNU at 1 p.m. on Monday.