Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Junior forward Rhamel Brown delivered a heroic effort posting 21 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks to send Manhattan (10-15, 8-7) off with a thrilling 74-73 victory over Iona (15-11, 9-6) before a national audience as part of Rivalry Week on ESPNU. Brown's offensive rebound in double overtime off a missed free-throw setup sophomore forward Emmy Andujar's game winning layup in the 81st meeting of the local Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rivalry.
Andujar matched freshman teammate Shane Richards as they each posted 15 points off the bench in Manhattan's four straight victory. Richards converted clutch buckets of his own hitting his fifth three-pointer with 2:33 left in the extra session to help force the Jaspers' first double-overtime game since 2004.
The Jaspers and Gaels gave fans their money's worth on Friday in Riverdale with the Manhattan faithful participating in 'White Out Draddy' Night. The contest featured 11 ties and nine lead changes before Manhattan delivered the knockout punch with Andujar's second game-winning bucket against the Gaels in the last two years. Andujar buried a three-pointer at the buzzer on Jan. 12, 2012 to hand Iona its only home loss of the 2011-12 season.
Manhattan's premier defense contained the high octane Iona offense to only 58 points by the end of regulation as they held the Gaels' scoreless for the final three minutes. Trailing by four points, Andujar sank two clutch layups to force the Jaspers' first overtime contest of the year. The Gaels entered the game leading the league with an 82.6 scoring average.
With less than one minute to play in the second half, the Jaspers made a key defensive stop. Brown swatted Iona sophomore forward David Laury and secured the rebound to set up Andujar's layup with a foul with 39 seconds remaining that evened score at 58. Andujar could not finish the three-point play as he missed the go-ahead free-throw.
Each team had an opportunity to break the 58-58 tie at the end of regulation. The Gaels' went to senior guard Lamont Jones who missed a jumper with four seconds left. There were 1.2 seconds for Manhattan to work with as Brown had to throw up a shot that fell off the mark.
In the first overtime, Iona used a jumper by senior forward Taaj Ridley and a layup by Laury to take a 62-58 lead with 3:36 on the clock. The resilient Jaspers refused to go away as Richards hit his fifth three-pointer and Brown scored the final four points of the overtime session to force another five minutes. It was Brown's clutch free-throws with one minute on the clock that tied the game at 65-65.
Jaspers' junior guard Michael Alvarado was short on a contested layup with 11 seconds remaining in the first overtime. Then Jones took his shot to win it out of a timeout, but that was off the mark on a rushed three-point heave from 25-feet.
Ridley scored the first basket of the second overtime. Alvarado quickly answered burying a three-pointer in front of the Manhattan bench to give the Jaspers their first lead since the four minute mark in the second half. Alvarado scored five of his seven points in overtime.
Brown threw down a two-handed dunk to open a 70-68 lead with 2:32 on the clock. DaShawn Gomez knocked down a three on Iona's next possession to reclaim the lead. Laury hit a pair of free-throws at 1:21 to put Iona ahead 73-71. He finished with 16 points.
Iona's top two scorers Sean Armand (18.0) and Jones (22.9) fouled out in the last minute. Jones picked up his fifth foul with 11 seconds remaining on a flop that put Alvarado on the free-throw line with the Jaspers trailing by two. Alvarado hit the first shot, but missed the second allowing Brown to soar for his 10th offensive rebound. He kicked the ball out to Alvarado who found Andujar at the right elbow. Andujar used a spin move to get to the rim for the winning layup.
Andujar dished out five assists of his own and grabbed five rebounds in 41 minutes of work. Brown converted 9-of-18 field goal attempts in 42 minutes of action on a career night where he set personal highs in rebounding and blocks.
Iona was led by Jones' 17 points on a 6-for-20 shooting night. Ridley recorded a double-double (12 points, 16 rebounds) in the Gaels' fourth overtime loss of the season.
Manhattan dominated the glass outrebounding Iona 50-34. The Jaspers' bench also outscored the Gaels' reserves 36-12.
The Jaspers have won five of the last six games. Manhattan heads into Sunday's matchup with Niagara still tied for sixth in the MAAC standings. Tip-off with the Purple Eagles is slated for 2 p.m. at Draddy Gymnasium.