Game 18: Marist Red Foxes (11-6, 6-0 MAAC) at Manhattan Jaspers (5-12, 2-4 MAAC)
Friday, January 25, 2013-4 p.m.
Riverdale, N.Y.-Draddy Gymnasium (2,520)
TV: ESPN3 (Dean Darling and Phyllis Mangina)
Live Audio: www.gojaspers.com, www.goredfoxes.com
ABOUT THE GAME
Manhattan (5-12, 2-4 MAAC) returns to Draddy Gymnasium for today's matchup with first-place Marist (11-6, 6-0 MAAC) in the "MAAC National Game of the Week" on ESPN3. The Jaspers are coming off a 76-50 loss at Fairfield on Sunday afternoon, while the Red Foxes recorded a 71-51 win at Niagara on Sunday. This is the opener of a Manhattan basketball doubleheader. Following the women's game, the Jasper men host defending MAAC champion Loyola on ESPNU at 7 p.m.
ABOUT THE JASPERS
The Jaspers (5-12, 2-4 MAAC) return home looking to rebound after a 76-50 loss at Fairfield on Sunday afternoon. Junior Monica Roeder is Manhattan's leading scorer with an average of 11.7 points per game. Roeder ranks third in the MAAC in three-pointers, draining 2.1 per contest. Freshman forward Shayna Ericksen is second on the team in scoring, averaging 9.2 points per game. She also paces the Jaspers in rebounding (7.4 rpg), steals (1.9 spg) and blocks (1.1 bpg). Senior forward Toni-Ann Lawrence contributes 9.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per outing, and she ranks fifth in the MAAC with a field goal percentage of .480. Junior guard Allison Skrec distributes a team-best 4.3 assists a night to go along with 7.4 points per outing. This is the first game in a span where the Jaspers play five out of six at home. Manhattan concludes the season series against Saint Peter's on Sunday afternoon at Draddy Gymnasium.
ABOUT THE RED FOXES
Seven-time defending MAAC champion Marist (11-6, 6-0 MAAC) is undefeated in conference play this season. The Red Foxes are coming off a 71-51 triumph at Niagara on Sunday afternoon. Senior forward/guard Elizabeth Beynnon paces Marist offensively. She averages 11.5 points per game and is shooting .475 from the field. Junior forward Emma O'Connor contributes 9.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, while junior guard Casey Dulin adds 9.2 points per contest to go along with a team-leading 3.2 assists per outing. Junior guard Leanne Ockenden pours in 8.8 points per game and drains a team-best 1.4 three-pointers a night. Ockenden also hands out 2.6 assists per outing and leads the squad with 2.22 steals per contest. Senior guard/forward Kristina Danella pulls down a team-best 4.9 rebounds per game. Today's contest concludes a three-game road trip for the Red Foxes, who host Siena on Monday.
SERIES HISTORY
The Jaspers and Red Foxes split the season series in 2011-12. After Marist notched a 61-41 victory in Poughkeepsie on Jan. 9, 2012, Manhattan earned a 48-44 win at Draddy Gymnasium on Feb. 4, 2012 to snap the Red Foxes' 34-game winning streak against MAAC opponents. Manhattan is the only MAAC team to have beaten Marist in the Red Foxes' last 57 games against conference foes. Overall, Manhattan leads the all-time series 23-20.
LAST GAME--Fairfield 76, Manhattan 50
Fairfield's Katie Cizynski and Brittany Obi-Tabot combined for 39 points to lead the Stags to a 76-50 win over Manhattan at Alumni Hall on Sunday afternoon. The Stags jumped out to a 6-0 lead before the Jaspers responded with a 6-2 run to pull within two. However, Fairfield scored 11 of the next 15 points to increase its lead to nine, The Stags led by 15, 32-17, with 4:01 left in the half, but Manhattan ended the half on a 9-2 spurt to pull within eight, 34-26, at the break. After an Allison Skrec jumper brought the Jaspers within seven, 55-48, at the 8:59 mark, Fairfield scored 21 of the final 23 points to pull away for the 76-50 victory. Monica Roeder led Manhattan with 13 points, while Toni-Ann Lawrence added 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting. Shayna Ericksen finished with 11 points, and Skrec tallied nine points to go along with a career-high-tying four rebounds.