Game 7: Army Black Knights (7-1) at Manhattan Jaspers (1-5)
Tuesday, December 4, 2012-7 p.m.
Riverdale, N.Y.-Draddy Gymnasium (2,520)
Video: JasperVision HD
Audio: www.gojaspers.com, www.goarmysports.com
ABOUT THE GAME
Manhattan (1-5) continues its three-game homestand tonight at Draddy Gymnasium with a matchup against Army (7-1). The Jaspers have dropped four in a row and are looking to rebound from a 60-52 loss to Holy Cross on Saturday. The Black Knights posted a 53-47 victory over Yale on Saturday and have won six straight since their only loss of the season. Tonight, the Jaspers are celebrating "Wear Red" Night in support of the American Heart Association's "Go Red For Women" program.
ABOUT THE JASPERS
The Jaspers (1-5) are looking to avoid their first five-game losing streak since Jan. 18-Feb. 1, 2009, as well as their first three-game home skid under Head Coach John Olenowski. In its last game, Manhattan fell to Holy Cross by a 60-52 margin on Saturday afternoon. Junior guard Monica Roeder paces Manhattan with 12.7 points per game. She leads the MAAC in three-pointers, sinking 2.7 per contest. Freshman Shayna Ericksen averages 10.7 points to go along with a team-leading 6.7 rebounds per outing, while senior forward Toni-Ann Lawrence contributes 10.3 points and 4.8 boards a night. Lawrence is currently fourth in the MAAC in field goal percentage (.520). Senior guard Ondya Morgan distributes a team-best 3.7 assists per game and ranks third in the MAAC in steals (2.7 spg). The Jaspers wrap up their three-game homestand with the first matchup against Oakland in program history on Saturday.
ABOUT THE BLACK KNIGHTS
The Black Knights (7-1) are coming off a 53-47 victory over Yale on Saturday and enter tonight's game on a six-game winning streak. Four Army players are averaging double-figures in scoring, led by 14.9 points per game by senior guard Anna Simmers. Simmers also grabs 6.8 rebounds a night. Sophomore forward Olivia Schretzman contributes 12.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest, while freshman center Aimee Oertner tallies 10.5 points and 9.8 boards per outing. Oertner also averages 3.4 blocked shots per game, which ranks seventh in the nation. Freshman guard Kelsey Minato pours in 10.4 points a night and leads the Black Knights with 1.4 three-pointers per game. Junior guard/forward Jen Hazlett paces Army in assists, handing out 2.3 per contest. Manhattan is the first of three straight MAAC opponents for the Black Knights, who visit Rider on Friday before hosting their future Patriot League rival Loyola on Monday.
SERIES HISTORY
Manhattan and Army are meeting for the fifth consecutive season and the 14th time overall. The Jaspers hold an 8-5 lead in the series, but the Black Knights won last year's game, 58-43, at Christl Arena on Nov. 23, 2011. That loss snapped Manhattan's two-game winning streak in the series. The last time the squads met at Draddy Gymnasium, the Jaspers posted a 56-42 triumph on Dec. 30, 2010.
LAST GAME--Holy Cross 60, Manhattan 52
The Jaspers lost a rematch of last season's Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) quarterfinals, 60-52 to Holy Cross at Draddy Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. Both teams started out the game hot, and the score was tied at 13-13 midway through the first half. However, the Crusaders used an 8-0 run to build a nine-point advantage at the 6:32 mark, and Holy Cross went into the locker room leading 35-30. Manhattan scored the first two baskets of the second half to trim its deficit to one, 35-34, before Holy Cross responded with a 17-6 rally to increase its advantage to 12 points, 52-40. After the Crusaders pushed their lead to 14 points at 58-44, the Jaspers ended the contest on an 8-2 spurt to make it a 60-52 final score. Maggie Blair drained four three-pointers to finish with a team-high 12 points. She also grabbed a career-high six rebounds. Shayna Ericksen added 10 points for the Jaspers.
GO RED FOR WOMEN
Tonight the Jaspers are celebrating "Wear Red" Night in support of the American Heart Association's "Go Red For Women" initiative. The first 100 fans in attendance were given "Go Red For Women" t-shirts, and there is an information table promoting heart health where fans can also make a donation to support the fight against heart disease.