Box Score
FAIRFIELD, CONN. - The Jaspers have become the hottest team in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Manhattan earned its third straight victory with a 62-40 triumph over Fairfield (15-11-, 7-7) at Alumni Hall on Tuesday. Sophomore forward Donovan Kates had 15 of his game-high 17 points in the second half helping Manhattan snap the Stags' five game win streak. Winning four of the last five contests, Manhattan (9-15, 7-7) now looks forward to a highly anticipated meeting with local rival Iona at Draddy Gymnasium on Friday before a national television audience on ESPNU.
The Jaspers were ready to go from the opening horn in a game that was postponed for two days due to the winter storm that paralyzed parts of Connecticut over the weekend. Manhattan's 52.3% (23-44) shooting effort featured 10 Jaspers who finished in the scoring column. Sophomore forward Emmy Andujar scored 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting off the bench. Andujar added a game-high five assists and six rebounds to his stat line.
Junior Rhamel Brown anchored another superb defensive performance by the Jaspers on a night that he engraved his name in the program's record book. The 6'7" forward from Brooklyn set the career blocks record swatting three shots. He surpassed Jasper great Steve Grant (1974-78) for the all-time record finishing the night with 222.
Brown's presence on the interior helped the Jaspers' defense limit Fairfield to a season low 40 points and 25.4% (15-59) field goal mark. He corralled seven of his team-high eight rebounds on the defensive glass.
Manhattan made nine steals and turned 16 turnovers into 17 points. Reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week RaShawn Stores scored seven points to contribute to Manhattan's 32 points off the bench.
Manhattan played arguably its best half this season as the Jaspers entered the locker room with a 22-point lead, their largest halftime lead of the year. The Jaspers limited the Stags to 13.8% (4-29) shooting and 1-for-9 (11.1%) beyond the arc, while shooting 58.3% (14-24) in the stanza.
The Jaspers unleashed a furious 22-0 run that lasted 10:31 minutes. Manhattan opened a 26-8 lead at 4:29 after back-to-back jumpers by Michael Alvarado. The run was powered by consecutive three-point plays by Stores and another by Brown.
Manhattan's tenacious defense held Fairfield to only one field goal in the last 15 minutes of the first half, which consisted of a stretch where the Stags shot 0-for-17 from the field. Andujar led Manhattan into the break with eight points on 4-for-5 shooting.
Kates buried his first of two three pointers in the opening minute of the second half to give Manhattan its largest lead of the game (24). The Hopkinsville, Ky. went 4-for-5 from the field in the final 20 minutes. He finished the game a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line.
Stags' top scorer Derek Needham was held to only five points on a dismal 1-for-10 shooting effort. Manhattan did not allow Needham (14. 5 ppg) to get on the scoreboard until 6:47 in the second half. Fairfield was led by junior forward Maurice Barrow's nine points. Freshman Amadou Sidibe finished with a game-high 13 rebounds for the Stags.
The victory moved the Jaspers into a tie for sixth place in the MAAC standings with Fairfield. Manhattan will hold 'White Out Draddy' Night for Friday's ESPNU contest with Iona. Tip off is 7 p.m. and the first 1,000 students and fans will receive a free t-shirt.
