Manhattan Begins 2019 Against Quinnipiac

Live Stats | Game Notes

Riverdale, NY - Manhattan (2-10) opens up MAAC play against Quinnipiac (5-6) on Thursday, January 3 at 7:00 pm on College ID night as all fans with valid college identification will receive a free student ticket.



Series History
* The last time these teams met, the Jaspers claimed a thrilling 92-86 win on Senior Night at Draddy Gym.
* Manhattan leads the all-time series by a 6-5 count and have won each of the last four match-ups against the Bobcats at home.
* Head Coach Steve Masiello is 5-2, all-time, in MAAC home openers.

Among The National Leaders
* The Jaspers are 43rd nationally in scoring defense, yielding a MAAC-low 64.4 ppg, while also ranking 34th in turnovers forced (16.7/game), 66th in steals (7.8/game) and 95th in offensive rebounds (11.6/game).

Key Match-Up (Manhattan Defense vs. Cam Young)
* Young paces the MAAC in scoring at 18.4 ppg and averaged 24.5 ppg over two games against the Jaspers a year ago.
 
Recently
* Over the last two games, Manhattan is shooting  43.7 percent (45-of-103) from the floor, including  48.9 percent (23-of-48) in the opening stanza.

Pauly Doing Pauly Things
* Junior Pauly Paulicap scored a game-high 17 points last time out at St. Francis Brooklyn with four blocks.
* Paulicap has now rejected at least four shots 11 times as a Jasper, including three on 16 occasions.
* Is ninth in school history with 87 career blocks, two behind Mike Bruno for eighth.
* Paulicap, the reigning MAAC Defensive POTY, notched his sixth career double-double against Stony Brook with a career-high 24 points with 10 rebounds and five blocks after scoring 15 points with six caroms against Fordham.
* He is averaging a team-leading 9.4 ppg and 1.3 bpg while shooting 47.8 percent (22-of-46) from the floor.

Lock It Up, No You Lock It Up!
* The Jaspers have registered double-figures in steals three times this year - highlighted by a season-high 13 at GW - and are averaging 10.0 each time out over the last three games en route to ranking second in the league with 7.8 per game.
* Masiello's teams have recorded at least 10 steals in a game 53 times over his eight seasons with Manhattan going 40-13 (.754) during that time. 
* Manhattan has limited the opposition to less than 60 points four times .
* The Jaspers also rank second in the MAAC in turnovers forced (16.7/game) and have has paced the league in the category three times in the last five years (2015-16, 2014-15, 2013-14). Manhattan is 25-14 under Masiello when turning the opposition over at least 20 times.
* The Jaspers have limited the opposition to less than 60 points four times this year and are 45-7 (.865) under Masiello when surrendering less than 60 points.

Mack Leads The Way At UAlbany
* 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 paces the MAAC with a 89.7 percent conversion rate from the line, is the lone Jasper to start all 12 games and ranks among the league leaders with 1.4 spg (11th) and 2.3.
* Thanks to Mack, Manhattan set season-highs in points (67), field goals (27), field goal percentage (.466) and assists (18).

The Newcomers
* The Jasper newcomers have accounted for 51.5 percent of the team's scoring, 42.9 percent of the rebounding and 50.9 percent of the minutes.
* Freshman Warren Williams has hit for double-figures in seven of his last nine games and is averaging 9.8 ppg during that time.
* Williams is second on the squad with 8.4 ppg while ranking fourth in the MAAC in field goal percentage (.513).
* Freshman Samir Stewart handed out a career and Manhattan season-high five assists, against no turnovers, at UAlbany and has a 3.0 assist/turnover ratio in his last five games.
* Classmate Tykei Greene is averaging 7.7 ppg over the last three games, highlighted by scoring a career-high nine at UConn.

Non-Conference Noise
* Manhattan's 12 non-conference opponents have posted an impressive 54.8 winning percentage this season.
* Three teams on the schedule have registered 12-3 records (Hofstra, NKU and Stony Brook).

The Glass
* Manhattan paces the MAAC in offensive rebounding (11.6/game) and has owned the offensive glass in nine of its 12 games.
* Sophomore Ebube Ebube has recorded double-figures on the glass three times and is 14th in the MAAC with 5.3 rpg to go along with a team-best 10 offensive fouls drawn.
* Ebube pulled down a career-high 12 caroms in the win over Coastal Carolina while also notching double-figures against Fordham and at GW. 

Dynamic Duo
* The tandem of junior Tyler Reynolds and senior Thomas Capuano has combined to make good on 41.2 percent (35-of-85) from long range. 
* Reynolds paced the offense vs. UNC Asheville with a career-high 15 points on the strength of five triples, after scoring 12 points in the victory over Coastal Carolina. On the year, the Syracuse native is eighth in the MAAC in three-point percentage (.417) and 14th in triples per game (1.7).  
* Capuano ranks among the MAAC leaders in three-point percentage (.405-11th) and steals (1.2-15th). He is averaging 8.0 ppg, 3.0 apg and 2.0 spg over his last two games.
* In the opener against Elon, Capuano had 10 points off the bench, a career-high eight rebounds and four assists, against no turnovers.

The Bench
* The Jasper bench has outscored the starters on four occasions this year and have outpaced the opposing reserves in all 12 games.

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 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. Usilo had a career-high 12 points and 11 rebounds at Quinnipiac on January 7, 2017.

Masiello Quick Hits
* Masiello has led the Jaspers to a 118-120 (.496) record, including going 72-62 (.537) during MAAC play, and 57-33 (.633) at Draddy Gym over his eight seasons, including 44-22 (.667) 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 201-156 record.
* Now in his 22nd season as either a player or a coach, Masiello has a career collegiate record of 479-266, including 358-238 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.

Preseason Musings
* Manhattan was tabbed eighth in the MAAC Preseason Poll with Paulicap selected to the preseason All-MAAC Second Team.
* Paulicap (1st) and Capuano (2nd) were each selected to preseason All-MAAC teams by Mid-Major Madness.

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.

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.
* Was the first team in NCAA history to a win a game in Europe, defeating Holy Cross 70-54 on December 1, 2017 as part of the inaugural Belfast Classic.

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 1366-1237 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 host Niagara on Saturday, January 5 at 7:00 pm.