Box Score
Box Score
ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Manhattan College women's basketball team battled back from a 19-point deficit to pull within nine in the final minutes. However, the comeback attempt came up just short, as the Jaspers (1-6) dropped a 75-61 decision to Oakland (2-6) at the Athletics Center O'rena on Friday night.
With the score knotted at 8-8 early on, the Jaspers got a bucket from Allison Skrec (Roselle, N.J.) and a three-pointer from Nicole Isaacs (Fair Haven, N.J.) to take a 13-8 advantage. However, after a Shayna Ericksen (Long Valley, N.J.) layup made it 15-10 in favor of Manhattan, Oakland went on a 9-2 rally to take the lead, 19-17. An Ericksen free throw cut the margin to one at 19-18, but the Golden Grizzlies outscored the Jaspers 9-5 over the last 5:31 of the half to take a 28-23 cushion into the locker room.
After the teams traded layups to begin the second half, the Golden Grizzlies went on a 13-2 run in a span of three minutes to open up a 43-27 lead. With Oakland in front 52-35, Skrec hit a three-pointer and Kayla Grimme (Altoona, Pa.) added a pair of free throws to bring Manhattan within 12, 52-40, at the 11:27 mark. However, Oakland scored nine of the next 11 points to take its largest lead of the game, 61-42, with 9:19 remaining.
The Golden Grizzlies still led 63-46 when Isaacs hit the first of three consecutive treys that sparked a 13-5 Manhattan rally. After a jumper by Kylla Champagne (Paterson, N.J.), Nicole Anderson (Hamden, Conn.) sank two free throws to make it a nine-point game, 68-59, with 2:19 left. Oakland's Bethany Watterworth drained two foul shots at the 1:31 mark before the Jaspers again cut the margin to nine on a Skrec layup with 1:22 remaining. Elena Popkey hit a three on the ensuing Oakland possession, though, and, after a Manhattan turnover, Michele Hayes added two late free throws to finish off a 75-61 Golden Grizzlies victory.
Grimme recorded her third straight double-double, leading the Jaspers with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Skrec tallied 12 points and four assists, while Isaacs notched 12 points on four treys. She also distributed three assists. Ashley Stec (Cazenovia, N.Y.) grabbed eight rebounds and Ericksen added six boards. Manhattan shot 41.2 percent (21-of-51) from the field, 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from long range, and 59.1 percent (13-of-22) at the charity stripe.
Kim Bee posted 18 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks for the Golden Grizzlies. Amy Carlton added 16 points (all in the second half), while Olivia Nash contributed 13 points and six boards. Popkey finished with nine points and three assists, and Victoria Lipscomb had five assists and five steals for Oakland. The Golden Grizzlies shot 39.7 percent (27-of-68) from the floor and outrebounded the Jaspers 41-39. Oakland went 8-for-29 (27.6 percent) from downtown and 13-for-19 (68.4 percent) at the free throw line.
The Jaspers now have 12 days off before returning to action. Manhattan visits VCU (6-1) at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
NOTES: Manhattan played a game in the State of Michigan for the first time since a contest at Central Michigan on Dec. 30, 1997…The all-time series between the Jaspers and Golden Grizzlies is now even at 1-1…The Jaspers' last matchup against a member of the Horizon League was a 73-71 victory over Wright State in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Women's Basketball Invitational…Manhattan used its fifth different starting lineup of the season, with Anderson making her first collegiate start…Eight different Jaspers scored in the contest…Champagne had a pair of blocks, setting a career-high…The Jaspers outshot their opponent for the third time this season…Grimme is averaging 13.3 points and 10.0 rebounds over the last three games…Kelly Regan had three double-doubles in a four-game span from Feb. 6-15, 2009.
