Manhattan University Athletics

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Manhattan has just one MAAC game this week, a Friday night visit to Mount St. Mary's in the first league contest between the two schools as MAAC members.
 
Manhattan is 10-6 all-time against The Mount. Friday's meeting will be the first since Nov. 21, 2000. Manhattan won the last meeting 71-57 in Riverdale. The sides have only faced each other four times since World War II.  

The Jaspers are coming off a 64-59 win over Niagara on Sunday. Ant Nelson had a game-high 24 points to lead Manhattan. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Jaspers. The Jaspers shot 50-percent from the floor and limited the Purple Eagles to 37-percent. To make up for only hitting the one 3-pointer, the Jaspers hit 23 free throws. The Jaspers attempted 30 free throws compared to Niagara's 17. Nick Brennen tallied 13 points, including nine free throws. Josh Roberts recorded 11 points, seven rebounds, and a season-best four rejections.
 
Mount St. Mary's sits at 6-10 overall and 2-3 in the MAAC and is coming in off a loss at Marist in its last game. The Mountaineers are 1-4 in their previous five games, with the lone win coming against Canisius, 64-60, on Jan. 2. Jalen Benjamin paces the offense for The Mount at 15 points per game. In MAAC games, the senior is averaging 18.2 points a night. Dakota Leffew is averaging over 13 points per game this season. Benjamin and Leffew also average over 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
 
Josh Roberts continues to lead the MAAC and Division I in field goal percentage at 76.2-percent. Roberts is one of five players in Division I shooting over 70-percent from the field.
 
Ant Nelson's 24 points against Niagara on Saturday were a season-high for the fifth-year guard. It was the fourth time in six games that Nelson logged 20-plus points.

For the latest on the Manhattan College men's basketball program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter @JaspersMBB and Instagram @Jaspers.MBB.