Game 13: Rider Broncs (5-7, 0-1 MAAC) at Manhattan Jaspers (4-8, 1-0 MAAC)
Sunday, January 6, 2013-2 p.m.
Riverdale, N.Y.-Draddy Gymnasium (2,520)
Live Video: JasperVision, MAAC.tv
Live Audio: www.gojaspers.com, www.gobroncs.com
ABOUT THE GAME
Manhattan (4-8, 1-0 MAAC) returns to Draddy Gymnasium for the only time in a five-game stretch for this afternoon's matchup with Rider (5-7, 0-1 MAAC). The Jaspers opened Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play with a 73-66 victory at Saint Peter's on Thursday night, while the Broncs are coming off a 62-47 loss to Marist in their MAAC opener. Manhattan, which has alternated wins and losses over its last five games, is looking to start 2-0 in conference play for the second consecutive season.
ABOUT THE JASPERS
The Jaspers (4-8, 1-0 MAAC) enter today's contest looking to win back-to-back games for the first time this season. Manhattan notched a 73-66 victory at Saint Peter's in its MAAC opener on Thursday night. Junior guard Monica Roeder, who had 26 points against Saint Peter's, averages a team-best 12.3 points per game. She leads the MAAC in three-point field goals, sinking 2.3 per outing. Freshman forward Shayna Ericksen is second on the squad in scoring (9.7 ppg), while also pacing the Jaspers in rebouding (7.4 rpg), steals (2.4 spg) and blocks (1.0 bpg). Senior forward Toni-Ann Lawrence contributes 8.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per outing, while junior guard Allison Skrec, who had a career-high 10 assists in the win over Saint Peter's, hands out 4.3 assists per contest. Following the game, Manhattan hits the road for three of its next four, starting with a matchup at Iona on Thursday afternoon.
ABOUT THE BRONCS
Rider (5-7, 0-1 MAAC) has dropped three straight, including a 62-47 loss to Marist in its MAAC opener on Friday night. Senior guard Sironda Chambers leads the Broncs and ranks third in the MAAC in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game. Chambers is also the conference's top free throw shooter (.857), and she's second in the league in three-point percentage (.500). Junior guard/forward MyNeshia McKenzie grabs 9.0 rebounds per contest, the second-most in the MAAC, to go along with 12.8 points and a team-best 1.6 assists per outing. In addition, McKenzie's .823 free throw percentage is the fifth-best mark in the league. Senior forward/center Caitlin Bopp currently sits second in the MAAC in blocks (2.0 bpg) and fourth in rebounding (8.5 rpg), and she also contributes 8.9 points per contest. After hosting Canisius on Thursday afternoon, the Broncs hit the road for four of their next five contests.
SERIES HISTORY
This is the 36th all-time meeting between the Jaspers and Broncs, with Manhattan leading the all-time series 27-8. Manhattan has won 13 of the last 15 meetings between the two, including the last four. Last season, Manhattan notched a 59-45 victory in Riverdale on Jan. 2, 2012, then recorded a 57-36 win in Lawrenceville on Feb. 12, 2012. The Jaspers are 11-5 against Rider at Draddy Gymnasium since the Broncs joined the MAAC in 1997-98.
LAST GAME--Manhattan 73, Saint Peter's 66
The hot-shooting Jaspers drained 12 three-pointers, one shy of the single-game school record, and a season-high 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from downtown in a 73-66 victory over Saint Peter's at the Yanitelli Center on Thursday night. A 12-0 Manhattan run midway through the first half turned a 29-29 game into a 41-29 Jaspers advantage, and Manhattan led 43-35 at halftime. The Jaspers built a 20-point cushion, 62-42, with 7:32 left, but Saint Peter's gradually chipped away, pulling within four at 70-66 with 20 seconds remaining. However, late free throws by Toni-Ann Lawrence and Shayna Ericksen put away a 73-66 Manhattan victory. Monica Roeder had a game-high 26 points, while Ericksen came close to a triple-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight steals. Ashley Stec added 11 points and nine boards, and Allison Skrec handed out a career-high 10 assists.
RIDER CONNECTIONS
Manhattan assistant coach Christine Sikiric is a 2005 Rider graduate, and she started 56 of 57 career appearances for the Broncs after transferring from UMBC. Sikiric, then known by her maiden name Catalanotto, averaged 6.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and a team-high 3.3 assists per game during her two seasons at Rider.