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Memphis, TN - Manhattan (1-6) travels to Memphis (5-2) on Saturday, December 12 at 8:00 pm in a game that will be streamed live on ESPN3.
TOP STORYLINES
#1 - The teams last met on December 2, 2006 with the No. 14 Tigers posting a 71-59 victory over the Jaspers. That Memphis team would advance to the Elite 8.
#2 - The Tigers lead the all-time series by a 2-1 count with Manhattan's lone win coming by an 88-69 count on December 21, 1957 at Madison Square Garden.
#3 - The match-up is reunion of sorts for head coach Steve Masiello and Memphis head man Josh Pastner as both squared off in the 1997 National Championship Game. Both were walk-on guards with Masiello appearing in Kentucky's overtime loss to Pastner and Arizona.
QUICK HITS
* For the Jaspers, this will be their second-ever game against the American Conference, previoulsy losing 71-64 to Louisville in the 2014 NCAA Tournament.
* All-time, Manhattan is 28-46 against current members of the American.
* This will be the Jaspers' first game in a NBA Arena since posting a 71-57 win over Fordham on December 22, 2014 at the Barclays Center.
* Manhattan's non-conference slate features four games against teams that qualified for the postseason a year ago, including three that participated in the NIT. Additionally, six of the non-conference opponents have qualified for the NCAA Tournament this decade.
* The Jaspers have notched season-highs in scoring over each of the last two games against Marist (70) and Columbia (71) while draining a season-best nine three pointers in each game. During that time, Manhattan has also won the rebounding battle for the first two times this year in attaining their first two halftime leads.
* In the two-game sample, the Jaspers are averaging 70.5 points per game while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor, including 36.0 percent from distance, while posting a +5.0 rebounding margin.
* Against Columbia, sophomore Zane Waterman notched the seventh-straight Manhattan 20-point performance to start the season, finishing with a career-high 22 points.
* In Waterman's previous game against Marist, he narrowly missed his first career double-double with nine points and a career-high 10 rebounds. On the year, Waterman ranks among the league leaders in scoring (10.6 ppg-28th), rebounding (6.3 rpg-10th), offensive rebounding (3.0-3rd) and steals (1.0-14th).
* Junior Rich Williams added 17 points and a career-high 11 rebounds against Columbia in notching his first career double-double.
* Over his last five games, Williams is averaging 19.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game with three 20-point performances while shooting 50.0 percent (35-for-70) from the floor, including 36.0 percent (9-for-25) from long range.
* Williams has increased his scoring (+11.8 ppg), rebounding (+4.9) and field goal percentage (+.073) numbers this season from his sophomore campaign.
* On the year, Williams, who has paced the squad in scoring three times and in rebounding on five occasions, is among the MAAC leaders in scoring (17.3 ppg-8th), rebounding (6.4 rpg-9th), defensive rebounds (4.6 drpg-7th) and blocks (0.9 bpg-13th).
* The Jaspers shot a blistering 70.0 percent (14-for-20) in the opening half against the Red Foxes, including 55.6 percent (5-for-9) from deep.
* Junior Tyler Wilson facilitated the offense against Marist, handing out a career-high 10 assists while committing just one turnover.
* The 10 assists are the most by a Manhattan student-athlete since Von Damien Green notched 10 against Saint Peter's on January 30, 2002.
* Wilson, who scored a season-high 13 at Fordham, has handed out at least six assists in five of his seven games, and ranks second in the MAAC and 20th nationally with 6.3 per game.
* He is also among the MAAC leaders in steals (1.7 spg-6th) and (assist/turnover ratio) (1.6-6th).
* Wilson's play on defense have also helped the Jaspers rank 17th nationally with a MAAC-best 17.1 forced turnovers per game to along with 7.7 steals per game (77th NCAA).
* Manhattan has forced a combined 90 turnovers over its last five games, including a season-high 25 in the win over George Mason - fueled by six drawn charges - leading to a 24-9 advantage in points off turnovers. The 25 were the most forced since the Jaspers turned Niagara over 25 times in a 78-77 victory on February 9, 2014.
* During Masiello's five years on the sidelines, the Jaspers are 19-9 when forcing the opposition into at least 20 turnovers.
* Manhattan recorded a season-high 11 steals against in the win over George Mason, improving 19-2 over the last three seasons when notching double-figures in thefts and is 30-5 when hitting the 10-steal standard over the last five years.
* After averaging just 1.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in his first two games, senior RaShawn Stores is notching 13.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists each time out while shooting 56.3 percent from the field, including 58.3 percent (7-for-12) from distance, over his last two.
* Against Marist, Stores scored a career-high 18 points, fueled by a career-high matching five three pointers, and is averaging 7.3 points and 3.0 assists per game on the year.
* For his career, Stores, a 2015-2016 All-MAAC Preseason Third Team selection, is shooting 43.1 percent (56-for-130) on threes after halftime, including making good on 49.2 percent (31-for-63) in the second half. Stores also has a 4.78 assist/turnover ratio (43 assists/9 TO) since the start of last season.
* The Jaspers are 36-18 over the last three years when Stores, who was granted an extra year of eligibility on July 22, 2015 by the NCAA, starts including going 17-8 last year.
* A 2015-2016 All-MAAC Preseason Second Team selection, senior Shane Richards was the hero in the first Jasper victory of the year, a 69-67 come-from-behind triumph over George Mason, thanks to banking in a jumper with 1.2 seconds to play. He also became the 37th member of the school's 1,000-point club earlier in the night.
* His father Mike played varsity football at Memphis in 1972.
* At Siena, Richards scored 22 of his game-high 26 points after halftime in notching his third 20-point performance of the year and the 10th of his career.
* The New York native also ranks among the MAAC leaders in scoring (17.6 ppg-7th), steals (1.1 spg-12th), and free throw percentage (.783-13th).
* From long range, Richards has converted at least three triples in 51 of his 105 games, including at least four 27 times, and is the school's single-season (92-2015) and career (247) leader in threes. When the New York City native connects on four in a game, the Jaspers are 18-9, including 14-6 over the last three seasons.
* Both Richards & Stores are the only MAAC student-athletes to have played in each of the last three conference title games and have been a part of 59 total wins, including going 8-1 during MAAC Tournament play.
* Freshman Thomas Capuano has had a solid start to his career, averaging 6.4 points, 1.9 steals (5th MAAC) and 2.4 assists each time out. He is also shooting 42.1 percent from the field and notched a career-high 14 points in the win over George Mason.
* Manhattan played with just five scholarship players against George Mason, while rallying from a 16-point deficit, which was the largest overcome since battling back from an 18-point margin at Iona on January 12, 2012. The Jaspers also made just eight substitutions in the aforementioned victory against the Patriots and played the final 10:48 with the same line-up.
* Manhattan is 36-3 when leading at the half over the last three seasons, including going a perfect 15-0 a year ago. Additionally, since the start of last season the Jaspers are 16-2 when leading with five minutes to play and 13-11 in games decided by 10 points or less.
* Also over the last three years, Manhattan is 30-6 when holding teams to less than 70 points, 20-6 when limiting teams to less than 40 percent shooting, 22-8 when winning the battle of the boards and 30-13 when forcing more turnovers than the opposition.
* Masiello, who holds a career record of 80-59 (49-29 MAAC), set the school-record for MAAC Tournament wins a year ago with his eighth against Iona while breaking current ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla's previous mark.
* Since returning to Riverdale, Masiello has led the Jaspers to a pair of MAAC Championships as well as a pair of 20-plus win campaigns. In his first tenure, he was a part of two MAAC Championships and three 20-plus win seasons. All told, Masiello has been a member of four of the five Manhattan's MAAC Championship teams and five of the Jaspers' 12 20-win seasons in accruing a 163-95 record.
* In his 20th season as either a player or a coach, Masiello has a career collegiate record of 441-205, including 320-177 on the sidelines, with one National Title, two National Championship appearances, two Final Four appearances, six Elite Eight berths, eight conference championships, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and 15 20-win seasons.
SCOUTING MEMPHIS
Memphis (5-2) is a unique squad that features three seniors and three freshmen among its top six-scorers, led by rookie standout Dedric Lawson (15.9 ppg, 9.0 rpg) and senior stalwart Shaq Goodwin (14.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg).
KEY MANHATTAN MATCH-UPS
Three-Point Line - Manhattan limited a lethal Columbia squad to just 25.0 percent shooting from long range in its last game and will need to keep up that pressure against a Tiger squad this is converting on a paltry 26.3 percent from deep.
Rebounding - It is no secret that Memphis relies on getting to the line (+72 FT|.701) while using its prowess on the glass (43.9 rpg). The Jaspers will have to keep the Tigers off the glass, especially on the offensive end.
The Building - For most mid-majors, playing in a NBA Arena is often a daunting task. Manhattan, however, has one of the most experienced mid-major teams in the country while showing a proficiency of holding court in tough venues.
FOR STARTERS
Due to a rash of injuries to start the year, the Jaspers used the same starting line-up for the just second time in seven games against Columbia. Stores, Capuano, Richards, Waterman and freshman Ak Ojo all drew the most recent starting assignments.
INJURIES APLENTY
Manhattan has had seven players (six scholarship) miss a total of 26 games due to injury this year.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Richards, who became the 37th member of the Jaspers' 1,000-point club in the win over George Mason, is 31st in school history with 1,063 points.
20/20 VISION
Richards notched a career-high 28 points and five steals to go along with six rebounds against Bucknell after scoring a game-high 23 at Saint Mary's
WILLIAMS BRINGS HIS A GAME
Williams scored a career-high 26 points, nine rebounds and four blocks over 40 minutes in the win vs. George Mason before notching 24 the next game against Fordham. He then recorded his third 20-point performance with 22 against Marist.
HIGH-POWERED DUO
Richards and Williams have combined for six 20-point performances and are fifth in the MAAC with a combined 34.9 ppg.
WITH THE VICTORY OVER MASON ...
Manhattan avoided its first 0-3 start since the 2005-2006 season with the program's first-ever win over the Patriots.
SIZZLING
The Jaspers shot a blistering 70.0 percent (14-for-20) in the first half against Marist.
CAPUANO POSTS BREAKOUT GAME
Capuano dropped in a career-high 14 points in the win over George Mason to go along with five steals and four assists over 36 turnover-free minutes.
IRON MEN
Five times this season a Manhattan student-athlete has played all 40 minutes in a game (Williams 2x, Capuano, Richards, Wilson).
LIFE BEGINS AT 80
Masiello became the sixth coach in school history with 80 victories in the win over George Mason.
NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
Manhattan's non-conference schedule consists of games at home again host Bucknell (11/21), George Mason (11/25), Columbia (12/9) and St. Francis Brooklyn (12/14) and road affairs Saint Mary's (11/16), Fordham (11/28), Memphis (12/12), Morgan State (12/20) and Eastern Kentucky (12/29). Masiello is 23-27, all-time, against non-MAAC opposition.
MASIELLO AT MANHATTAN
Masiello has been a part of four of Jaspers' five MAAC Championships while helping lead the Jaspers to a 163-95 record in nine seasons in Riverdale.
UP NEXT
Manhattan hosts St. Francis Brooklyn on Monday, December 14 at 7:00 pm.