Game 28: Iona Gaels (16-11, 11-5 MAAC) at Manhattan Jaspers (6-21, 3-13 MAAC)
Thursday, February 28, 2013-7 p.m.
Riverdale, N.Y.-Draddy Gymnasium (2,520)
Live Video: JasperVision HD
Live Audio: www.gojaspers.com, www.icgaels.com
ABOUT THE GAME
Manhattan (6-21, 3-13 MAAC) returns home for this first time in 17 days to take on Iona (16-11, 11-5 MAAC) tonight at Draddy Gymnasium. This is the Jaspers' annual "Play 4 Kay" game for breast cancer awareness. The Jaspers wore pink t-shirts during pregame warmups, and the team is also collecting donations in support of the cause. Manhattan is looking to snap a six-game skid and is coming off a 48-43 loss at Niagara on Sunday. The Gaels, meanwhile, have won five straight, inclduing a 71-47 victory over Siena on Sunday.
ABOUT THE JASPERS
The Jaspers (6-21, 3-13 MAAC) enter tonight's contest, their first at Draddy Gymnasium since Feb. 11, looking to snap a six-game losing streak. Manhattan is coming off a 48-43 loss at Niagara on Sunday afternoon. Junior guard Monica Roeder paces the Jaspers with 12.3 points per game and is 26 points away from 1,000 for her career. Roeder also ranks third in the MAAC in three-pointers per game (2.0). Senior forward Toni-Ann Lawrence is second on the team in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 9.1 points and 6.0 boards per outing. Junior guard Allison Skrec tallies 8.4 points a night to go along with a MAAC-leading 4.9 assists per contest. Freshman forward Shayna Ericksen leads Manhattan in rebounding (6.4 rpg) while also pouring in 7.2 points per game. The Jaspers conclude the regular season on Sunday afternoon, when they welcome Niagara to Riverdale on "Senior Day."
ABOUT THE GAELS
The Gaels (16-11, 11-5 MAAC) are currently tied for second place in the MAAC and have won five straight, including a 71-47 victory over Siena on Sunday. Sophomore guard Damika Martinez is the MAAC's leading scorer, averaging 17.7 points per game. She drains 2.1 three-pointers per contest and adds 5.4 rebounds per outing. Freshman forward Joy Adams pulls down a MAAC-best 9.7 rebounds per game to go along with 13.2 points a night. Sophomore guard Aleesha Powell, meanwhile, tallies 9.3 points, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per outing. Junior center Sabrina Jeridore paces the MAAC with 3.0 blocks per game, while senior guard Haley D'Angelo hands out 3.4 assists per contest and boasts the best assist/turnover ratio in the conference (1.9). Freshman forward Cassidee Ranger has come off the bench in every game and leads the MAAC in three-point percentage (.437). Iona concludes the regular season with a visit to Rider on Sunday afternoon.
SERIES HISTORY
Manhattan has faced Iona at least once every season since 1979-80 and leads the all-time series 44-23. The Jaspers have won four of the last six meetings between the squads, but Iona won the last, notching a 76-46 victory at the Hynes Athletic Center on Jan. 10. Manhattan's last win over the Gaels was a 59-54 triumph at Draddy Gymnasium on Feb. 15, 2012. The Jaspers have beaten Iona at home in each of the past two seasons.
LAST GAME--Niagara 48, Manhattan 43
A layup and putback by Lauren Gatto with 17 seconds remaining clinched a 48-43 victory for Niagara over Manhattan at the Gallagher Center on Sunday afternoon. The Jaspers scored the first 10 points of the game and had a 16-5 lead with 12:25 left in the first half. The Purple Eagles slowly chipped away, however, going in front 25-24 before an Allison Skrec jumper gave Manhattan a 26-25 halftime edge. The lead changed hands several times in the second half, and Niagara held a 40-36 advantage before layups by Toni-Ann Lawrence and Monica Roeder forced a 40-40 deadlock. The Purple Eagles eventually built a three-point advantage, 44-41, and held on for the 48-43 victory. Roeder led the Jaspers with 14 points, while Skrec notched 11 points and five assists. Shayna Ericksen chipped in 10 points, and Lawrence pulled down a team-high six rebounds.
PLAY 4 KAY
The Jaspers are wearing pink socks and shoelaces during tonight's game in support of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's "Play 4 Kay" initiative for breast cancer awareness. In addition, the team wore pink t-shirts during pregame warmups, and the first 150 fans in attendance received pink t-shirts. This marks the sixth consecutive season in which all 10 MAAC institutions are participating in the event. In addition, the Jaspers once again volunteered at the Susan G. Komen New York City Race for the Cure at Central Park West in September. The team worked the first water station, handing out water to the 25,000 runners/walkers on the 5K course.
POSTSEASON SCENARIOS
The Jaspers will be seeded either eighth, ninth or 10th in next weekend's MAAC Tournament. Manhattan is currently the No. 9 seed and will clinch at least that spot with wins in its final two games or a pair of Saint Peter's losses. If Saint Peter's knocks off Marist on Friday night, the Peacocks would own the tiebreaker should they finish with the same record as the Jaspers. Should Manhattan drop both of its remaining games and Saint Peter's defeats Loyola on Sunday, a coin toss would determine which team is seeded ninth and which is seeded 10th. The No. 9 seed will play either Loyola or Siena in the first round of the MAAC Tournament at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, while the No. 10 seed takes on either Loyola, Siena or Canisius at 12 p.m. Manhattan could still possibly move up to the No. 8 seed with two wins, two Loyola losses and a Canisius victory over Siena on Sunday.