Manhattan-Sacred Heart Game Notes
Game 9: Manhattan Jaspers (2-6) at Sacred Heart Pioneers (4-4)
Monday, December 17, 2012-7 p.m.
Fairfield, Conn.-William H. Pitt Center (2,062)
Video: www.necfrotrow.com
Audio: www.gojaspers.com, www.sacredheartpioneers.com
ABOUT THE GAME
After taking a nine-day break for finals, Manhattan (2-6) returns to action tonight against Sacred Heart (4-4) at the Pitt Center. The Jaspers haven't played since Dec. 8, when they snapped a five-game losing streak with a 47-43 victory over Oakland. The Pioneers have been off since a 51-46 loss at Stony Brook on Dec. 4. Tonight, Manhattan, which played six of its first eight games at Draddy Gymnasium, begins a span where five of its next seven contests are on the road.
ABOUT THE JASPERS
The Jaspers (2-6) snapped a five-game losing streak with a 47-43 victory over Oakland on Dec. 8. The nine-day break since that contest equals Manhattan's longest of the season. Freshman forward Shayna Ericksen, the current MAAC Rookie of the Week, paces the Jaspers in both scoring and rebounding. She averages 11.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Ericksen also leads the team with 1.3 blocks per contest. Junior guard Monica Roeder contributes 10.9 points per outing and sinks a team-best 2.1 three-pointers a night. Senior forward Toni-Ann Lawrence, who notched her first career double-double against Oakland, pours in 10.1 points per game to go along with 5.9 rebounds per contest. Senior guard Ondya Morgan leads Manhattan in both assists (3.0 apg) and steals (2.4 spg). The Jaspers return to Draddy Gymnasium for a matchup with Ohio on Wednesday night before hitting the road again for four of their next five.
ABOUT THE PIONEERS
Sacred Heart (4-4) returns to action for the first time since a 51-46 loss at Stony Brook on Dec. 4. Sophomore guard Gabrielle Washington, the reigning NEC Rookie of the Year and Preseason First Team All-NEC selection, leads the Pioneers in scoring. She averages 16.5 points per game. Washington also boasts the second-best free throw percentage in the nation (.969). Senior forward Morgan Merriman contributes 12.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per outing, while senior guard Kiley Evans tallies 9.9 points and a team-high 5.3 boards a night. Junior guard Ericka Norman paces the MAAC and ranks 16th nationally in assists, averaging 6.4 per contest. Norman is also eighth in the nation with 4.1 steals per game. Along with junior forward/center Enjoli Bland, that quartet has started every game for Sacred Heart this season. The defending NEC champions, the Pioneers were picked second in the NEC Preseason Poll.
SERIES HISTORY
Manhattan and Sacred Heart are meeting for the fifth consecutive season. The Jaspers have won two straight against the Pioneers, including a 62-50 triumph at Draddy Gymnasium on Dec. 30, 2011. The home team has won all four previous meetings in the series, which Manhattan leads 3-1. Sacred Heart is the second of three Northeast Conference opponents the Jaspers will face this season. Manhattan lost, 53-47, to Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 25 and visits Monmouth on Dec. 28.
LAST GAME--Manhattan 47, Oakland 43
The Jaspers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 47-43 victory over Oakland at Draddy Gymnasium on Dec. 8. Manhattan held Oakland scoreless for a span of nearly 12 minutes in the first half, going on a 21-0 run during that time to open up a 28-5 lead. The Jaspers held a 28-9 advantage at halftime. Manhattan led 39-20 midway through the second half, but Oakland responded by scoring 18 of the next 22 points to cut the margin to five, 43-38, with 1:17 remaining. Toni-Ann Lawrence sank a pair of free throws at the 17-second mark to make it a three-possession game, then Allison Skrec iced the 47-43 victory by hitting a pair at the line with eight seconds left. Lawrence had her first career double-double in the contest, matching a career-high with 13 points and adding 10 rebounds. Skrec tallied 11 points, while Shayna Ericksen posted eight points, eight boards and a career-high four blocks.