Jaspers End Non-Conference Play with UVA Loss

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Charlottesville, VA - The Manhattan College women's basketball team (3-8) wrapped up its non-conference schedule with a 69-47 road loss to Virginia (7-6) on Thursday, December 21 at the John Paul Jones Arena. Senior center Kayla Grimme (Altoona, PA / Altoona Area) led the Jaspers with 15 points, while senior guard Amani Tatum (Cambria Heights, NY / James Madison) contributed six points, eight rebounds, six steals, and five assists. 

Manhattan found itself in an 8-0 hole early in the first quarter, but was able to respond with a 14-10 run that cut the lead to four with 8:21 left to play in the second. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers hit back with a punch of their own, putting together a 15-2 run that left them up 33-16 with 3:56 left in the half. The Jaspers went into the locker room down 43-25. 

In the third, Manhattan was able to outscore UVA 11-9, holding the Cavaliers to 33.3 percent shooting in the quarter, the team's lowest shooting-percentage period of the game. However, down 16 going into the fourth, the Jaspers were unable to prolong the momentum, while the Cavaliers stabilized their shooting, outscoring the Jaspers by six in the final period.

The Cavaliers out of the ACC are the third Power Five conference team the Jaspers played this season. Manhattan lost to the Pac-12's #24 Cal in the first game of the 2017 Cal Classic on November 24. The Jaspers then traveled to Penn State of the Big 10 on December 3, also falling to the Lady Lions in that game. 

Though outsized, the Jaspers nearly equaled UVA in rebounding, pulling down 31 to the Cavaliers' 32. Alex Smith (Bronx, NY / Middle Tennessee State) matched her career high of 10 points in the game on 57.1 percent shooting. 

Up Next:
Manhattan will start league play on Thursday, December 28 at 7 p.m. against Saint Peter's in Draddy Gymnasium.