Box Score
DURHAM, NH – On Tuesday night, the Manhattan College women's basketball team paid a visit to New Hampshire for its first road game since the season opener. However, despite 15 points by Amani Tatum (Cambria Heights, NY) and a Kayla Grimme (Altoona, PA) double-double, the Jaspers (1-3) were unable to come away with the victory, dropping a 72-57 decision to the Wildcats (4-1) at Lundholm Gymnasium.
It was a back-and-forth game to start, as there were five lead changes prior to the first media timeout, and the largest advantage either side had during that stretch was New Hampshire's 2-0 cushion after the first basket of the game. The Jaspers were in front 8-7 at the timeout, which came at the 4:54 mark of the first quarter, but New Hampshire went on a 10-0 after that to open up a nine-point, 17-8, spread with 2:15 remaining in the period.
New Hampshire led 19-11 after one and extended that advantage to 23-13 early in the second quarter. After the Jaspers pulled within five at 26-21, the Wildcats responded with a 7-0 spurt to bring the margin back to 12 points, 33-21, before Nicole Anderson (Hamden, CT) hit a layup in the waning seconds of the half to cut Manhattan's deficit to 10, 33-23, at intermission.
The Wildcats extended their lead to a game-high 18 points, 45-27, with 6:48 left in the third quarter, but a Blake Underhill (Edgewater, NJ) layup 30 seconds later started an 8-0 Manhattan spurt that brought the Jaspers within 10 at 45-35. However, New Hampshire scored seven of the next nine points to run the margin back to 16, and the Wildcats held a 52-38 edge after three quarters.
Manhattan got back within 10 when a pair of Tatum foul shots made it 54-44 early in the fourth quarter, but the Jaspers would pull no closer. New Hampshire pushed the advantage to 16 points at 69-53 with 3:01 left, then, after a Grimme layup and a jumper by Tatum cut the margin to 12, the Wildcats finished out a 72-57 victory at the line.
Tatum had four rebounds and three steals to go along with her 15 points, while Grimme finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. Crystal Ross (Philadelphia, PA) and Nyasha Irizarry (Brooklyn, NY) contributed eight points apiece, and Irizarry handed out two assists. Manhattan shot 32.3 percent (21-of-65) from the field, but went just 15-for-28 (53.6 percent) at the line and was held without a three-pointer in 12 attempts.
Corinne Coia tallied a game-high 19 points for the Wildcats. Stephanie Spoto added 12 points and eight rebounds, while Carlie Pogue chipped in 10 points. Aliza Simpson and Ashley Storey each recorded nine points, and Peyton Booth grabbed eight rebounds, as New Hampshire outrebounded Manhattan 43-39. Kristen Anderson finished with six points, six rebounds and six assists for the Wildcats, who shot 44.9 percent (22-of-49) as a team. New Hampshire went 2-for-8 (25 percent) from long range and 26-for-35 (74.3 percent) at the charity stripe.
After playing four times in 10 days to start the season, the Jaspers are now off until Sunday, when they welcome Brown (5-0) to Draddy Gymnasium for a 2 p.m. tilt. It will be Manhattan's first meeting with the Bears in 15 years.
NOTES: It was Manhattan's first game in the State of New Hampshire since Dec. 9, 2011…The Wildcats have won three straight against the Jaspers and lead the all-time series 5-3…Manhattan used a different starting lineup for the third straight game, with Grimme and Ross both on the floor to start…Tatum led the Jaspers in scoring for the third time in four contests this season…It was Grimme's second double-double of the season, and the sixth of her career…She also recorded five blocks for the second time this season (she had seven at Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 14) and has 17 blocks in Manhattan's first four games…The last time the Jaspers didn't make a three-pointer, they went 0-for-9 from downtown at Fairfield on Feb. 11, 2015…Ten different players scored at least one point for Manhattan.