Riverdale, NY - Manhattan (2-9) concludes non-conference play at St. Francis Brooklyn (7-5) on Sunday, December 23 at 2:00 pm.
Series History
* The Jaspers have won the last three meetings as the teams will be meeting for a fourth-straight season.
* Manhattan owns a commanding 54-19 advantage in a series that dates back to 1907-08.
* The Green & White claimed last year's match-up by an 80-79 count in overtime.
Not Too Bad
* Over the last three match-ups, the Jaspers are shooting 47.5 percent (19-of-40) from deep, compared to just 28.0 percent (21-of-75) for the Terriers.
Join The Jaspers In Brooklyn Heights
* Following Sunday's game, fans are invited to a gathering at the Custom House (139 Montague Street) to meet Head Coach Steve Masiello and Marc Ernay, the Sports Director for 1010 WINS.
Lock It Up, No You Lock It Up!
* Manhattan is 37th nationally in scoring defense, yielding a MAAC-low 63.7 ppg while also ranking 36th in turnovers forced (16.7/game) and 72nd in steals (7.7/game).
* The Jaspers have collected 10 steals in each of their last two games and have recorded double-figures in thefts twice this year (George Washington-13).
* Manhattan has limited the opposition to less than 60 points four times .
* The Jaspers held UConn, which entered averaging 84.1 ppg, to a season-low 61 points.
Season-Highs
* The last time out at UAlbany, Manhattan set season-highs in points (67), field goals (27), field goal percentage (.466) and assists (18).
Return Of The Mack
* Sophomore Nehemiah Mack scored 19 of his career-high 21 points at UAlbany after halftime, fueled by going 3-for-4 from distance, and is averaging 14.5 ppg over his last two games.
* Mack also converted all six free throws and paces the MAAC with a 92.6 percent conversion rate. He is also the lone Jasper to start all 11 games and ranks among the MAAC leaders with 1.4 spg (10th MAAC) and 2.5 apg (13th MAAC).
* Thanks to Mack, Manhattan is averaging 14.0 assists in the last three games after notching just 10.0 each time out over its first eight.
* The Newcomers
* The Jasper newcomers have accounted for 52.4 percent of the team's scoring, 42.3 percent of the rebounding and 51.9 percent of the minutes.
* Freshman Warren Williams hit for double-figures for the seventh time in eight games against the Great Danes with 12 points.
* William leads the team in scoring (8.5 ppg) while pacing the squad a team-best three times and is fourth in the MAAC in field goal percentage (.520).
* Freshman Samir Stewart handed out a career and Manhattan season-high five assists, against no turnovers, at UAlbany.
* Classmate Tykei Greene is averaging 8.0 ppg over the last two games, highlighted by a career-high nine at UConn.
Non-Conference Noise
* Manhattan's 11 non-conference opponents have posted an impressive .541 winning percentage this season.
* Three of the Jaspers' 12 non-conference opponents qualified for the NCAA or the NIT a year ago en route to posting a stellar .518 winning percentage.
Scouting St. Francis Brooklyn
* The Terriers enter with a 7-5 record, including a perfect 4-0 record at home, and is led by Jalen Jordan (16.0 ppg).
Paulicap Doubles Down Against Stony Brook
* Junior Pauly Paulicap notched his sixth career double-double against Stony Brook with a personal-best 24 points and 10 rebounds while turning away five shots.
* He has now blocked at least five shots on six occasions and ranks ninth in school history with 83.
* In the annual "Battle of the Bronx" against Fordham, Paulicap had 15 points, six rebounds and eight drawn fouls in 22 minutes.
The Glass
* The Jaspers have owned the offensive glass in nine of their 11 games and are second in the MAAC and 92nd nationally with 11.7 each time out.
* Sophomore Ebube Ebube has recorded double-figures on the glass three times and ranks ninth in the MAAC with 5.4 rpg.
* Ebube pulled down a career-high 12 caroms in the win over Coastal Carolina while also notching double-figures against Fordham and at GW. Additionally, the Puerto Rico native has drawn a team-best 10 charges.
From Deep
* Junior Tyler Reynolds ranks ninth in the MAAC in three-point percentage (.417) and 11th in triples per game (1.8) while senior Thomas Capuano is 14th in the MAAC in three-point percentage (.382). At UAlbany, Capuano canned a pair of triples while dishing out four assists with eight points and two steals.
KEMI NKU Basketball Classic
* Manhattan took two of three at the KEMI NKU Basketball Classic with Mack and Williams each being named to the All-Tournament Team.
* Williams scored all of his career-high 13 points in the win over UNC Asheville after halftime and notched 12 points and seven rebounds against NKU, averaging 9.3 ppg on the weekend
* Mack scored nine of his career-high 11 points in the final 3:50 of the Jaspers' comeback victory over Coastal Carolina en route to averaging 6.0 ppg, 2.7 apg and 2.0 spg.
* Ebube recorded 6.3 ppg and 8.3 rpg for the tournament while drawing seven charges.
Closing Time
* Manhattan dominated the opposition at the NKU Basketball Classic over the final 10 minutes of action, outscoring its three opponents by a combined 60-34 count, shooting 54.3 percent from the floor, including 57.1 percent from deep, while posting a +4.3 margin on the glass.
Lucky Number 13
* In the win over Coastal Carolina, the Jaspers rallied from a 13-point deficit over the final 9:37 thanks to forcing the Chanticleers into 0-for-8 shooting during that time while posting a 13-7 advantage on the glass.
Congrats Coach
* Masiello earned his 200th win at the school against Coastal Carolina, which includes his time as an Assistant and a Head Coach, with the triumph.
Getting It Done Off The Court
* Senior Samson Usilo was recently inducted into the prestigious Chi Epsilon National Engineering Honor Society, which is dedicated to the purpose of maintaining and promoting the status of civil engineering.
The Bench
* The Manhattan reserves have outscored the starters on four occasions this year.
Defense Wins Games
*The Jaspers have paced the MAAC in turnovers forced in three of the last five years (2015-2016, 2014-2015, 2013-2014) and are 25-14 under Masiello when turning the opposition over at least 20 times.
* Masiello's teams have also recorded at least 10 steals in a game 53 times with Manhattan going 40-13 (.754) and is 45-7 (.865) when holding teams to less than 60 points.
Masiello Quick Hits
* Masiello has led the Jaspers to a 118-119 (.498) record, including going 72-62 (.537) during MAAC play, and 57-33 (.633) at Draddy Gym over his eight seasons, including 44-22 vs. league opposition. He has won two MAAC Titles, advanced to title game three times, claimed two Metropolitan Coach of the Year awards with a pair of 20-win campaigns. Masiello has also participated in the NCAA Tournament in 13 of his first 21 seasons as a player or coach, including being a part of eight conference champions and one National Title.
* In his first tenure as an assistant, Masiello was a part of two MAAC titles and three 20-plus win seasons. All told, Masiello has been a member of four of Manhattan's five MAAC Championship teams and five of the school's 12 20-win seasons in recording a combined 201-155 record.
* Now in his 22nd season as either a player or a coach, Masiello has a career collegiate record of 479-265, including 358-237 on the sidelines, with one National Title, two National Championship Game appearances, two Final Fours, six Elite Eight berths, eight conference championships, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and 15 20-win seasons.
MAAC Preseason Poll
* Manhattan was tabbed eighth in the MAAC Preseason Poll. The Jaspers were slated eighth prior to the 2011-2012 season and finished with 21 victories.
Congrats Smooth
* Former standout and current color analyst Chris "Smooth" Williams joined the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 10. Williams clinched the Jaspers' first-ever MAAC Championship in 1992-93 at the line and led the Jaspers to 72 career wins while handing out 271 assists and scoring 792 points.
Mid-Major Madness
* Paulicap (1st) and Capuano (2nd) were each selected to preseason All-MAAC teams by Mid-Major Madness.
Success On The Bench
* Associate Head Coach Matt Grady was a member of Manhattan's 2014 & 2015 MAAC Championship teams while Assistant Coach RaShawn Stores and Special Assistant to the Head Coach Tyler Wilson were each student-athletes on the Jaspers' title-winning teams.
This Is Manhattan Basketball
• Manhattan has three wins in NCAA Tournament play, defeating West Virginia (1958), Oklahoma (1995) and Florida (2004).
• The Jaspers have won five MAAC Tournament titles in the last 25 years (1993, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2015).
• Manhattan received an at-large berth in 1995 and defeated Oklahoma before falling to Arizona State.
What's A Jasper?
* The unique nickname of Manhattan College's athletic teams, the Jaspers, comes from one of the College's most memorable figures, Brother Jasper of Mary, F.S.C., who served as the College's athletic director in the late 19th century. One of the greatest achievements of Brother Jasper was that he brought the then little-known sport of baseball to Manhattan College and became the team's first coach. Since Brother Jasper was also the Prefect of Discipline, he supervised the student fans at Manhattan baseball games while also directing the team itself. During one particularly warm and humid day when the college was playing a semi-pro baseball team called the Metropolitans, Brother Jasper noticed the Manhattan students were becoming restless and edgy with the team coming to bat in the seventh inning of a close game. To relieve the tension, Brother Jasper called timeout and told the students to stand up and stretch for a few minutes until the game resumed. Since the College annually played the New York Giants in the late 1880's and into the 1890's at the old Polo Grounds, the Manhattan College practice of the "seventh inning stretch" spread into the major leagues, where it has now become a time-honored custom practiced by millions of fans annually.
This Is Manhattan College
• Why is Manhattan College in the Bronx? Our campus was originally located in Manhattan at the intersection of 131st Street and Broadway. In 1923, Manhattan College moved to its present Riverdale location in order to accommodate a growing student body. But with more than 60 years of history established as Manhattan College, the institution decided to retain the name despite the geographic misnomer.
• 17 alumni are members of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering — an impressive number for an institution the size of Manhattan College.
• Manhattan is one of only 182 remaining colleges founded in the United States before the Civil War.
Meet The Staff
* Masiello is joined on the bench by Matt Grady, Doug Thibault, RaShawn Stores, Brandon Kuhn and Tyler Wilson. Grady is in his eighth year as an associate head coach with Thibault beginning year one. Stores is back for his third seasons while Kuhn is in his second year as the Strength & Conditioning Assistant/Director of Operations and Wilson his second as a Special Assistants to Masiello.
* Grady was a member of Manhattan's 2014 & 2015 MAAC Championship teams while Stores and Wilson were each student-athletes on the Jaspers' title-winning teams.
113th Season Of Manhattan Basketball
* In its 113th season, the Manhattan men's basketball program boasts a 1366-1236 overall record (294-316 MAAC). The Jaspers' storied men's basketball team was established in 1904-05 and took a two-year hiatus during the 1943-44 and 1944-45 season due to World War II.
Pretty Good
* Over the last six years, the Jaspers are 58-18 when leading at the half, 34-13 when limiting teams to less than 40 percent shooting and 52-32 when forcing more turnovers than the opposition.
Up Next
Manhattan will open MAAC play at Draddy Gymnasium against Quinnipiac on Thursday, January 3 at 7:00 pm.