Sunday, March 23, 2025 | 12:00 PM
Ocean Center | Daytona Beach, FL
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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - For the first time in program history, the Jaspers will compete in the Purple College Basketball Invitational. The Green and White will travel to Daytona Beach, Florida to face the University of Incarnate Word for the first time in program history. The Jaspers are coming off its second double-digit loss of the season in the MAAC Championships against Iona nearly 10 days ago in Atlantic City, NJ. In the last five games, Manhattan has six players averaging double-digit points. Throughout the last five, Manhattan has taken four of five, and have outscored its opponents averaging nearly 7.2 points more than its opponent. Unanimous Sixth Man of the Year award recipient Devin Dinkins averages a team high 44.4 percent from distance in the last five games played.
Scouting the Opposition:
•University of the Incarnate Word are led by second year head coach Shane Heirman, who came to UIW following a two-year stint as Associate head coach at Central Michigan University in the Mid American Conference.
•In 2013, UIW made the leap from Division II to Division I, and were not eligible for postseason play until 2018 as part of their probation period. In 2015, the Cardinals played in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) and fell to Louisiana-Lafayette 83-68 in the first round of their inaugural Division I tournament.
•The Cardinals and UIW are located in San Antonio, TX, and reside in the Southland Conference. Other notable schools are Lamar, McNeese, and Nicholls.
•Leading the charge for the Cardinals is Davion Bailey, who averages 16.5 points-per-game and has started in all 33 games for Heirman and UIW.
•The Cardinals fell to Nicholls in the Southland Conference Tournament on Monday, March 10, by a score of 74-70, after winning its first round game vs. Southeastern Louisiana University 71-67 in Lake Charles, LA. Sunday's game against the Jaspers, will be the first game for Incarnate Word in nearly two weeks.
•The victory over Southeastern in the first round of the Southland Basketball Championships, marked the first victory for UIW in program history.
•In non-conference play, the Cardinals scored a season high 101 points against Schreiner inside the McDermott Center in San Antonio back in December.
•As a team, Incarnate Word leads the Southland Conference in three-point percentage, averaging 37.7 percent from distance, nearly two points better than Southland Champion, McNeese, averaging 35.4, alongside Northwestern State.
•Point guard Jalin Anderson averages 5.1 assists-per-game, which leads the Southland Conference by half an assist (McNeese's Quadir Copeland, 4.5 APG).
•Leading the Southland Conference in minutes played per game are two Cardinals in Davion Bailey and Dylan Hayman who both average 34.4 minutes-per-game.
Additional Tips:
•Against the Sacred Heart Pioneers on Thursday, March 6th, the Green and White logged 24 total assists on 33 made shots, which was the highest on the year. Just three weeks earlier against Merrimack, the Jaspers logged 22 on 30 made field-goals, second most.
•Manhattan boasts the highest scoring offense in the MAAC, averaging 76.0 points-per-game. On the defensive side, the Jaspers sit 11th out of 13, averaging 74.5 points surrendered per contest. Manhattan averages the 77.0 free-throw percentage per game, which is the highest in the MAAC by just .07 points.
•Devin Dinkins sits third in the MAAC averaging 44.0 percent from distance per contest. Additionally, Dinkins sits atop the MAAC leaderboard averaging 87.7 from the stripe.
•Wesley Robinson sits two spots behind the aforementioned Dinkins averaging 84.1 percent from the free-throw line, just one slot behind Rider's TJ Weeks Jr. (85.5%)
DINKINS AND HOLMES - JASPER SIXTH MAN LORE
An All-MAAC Third Team choice Dinkins was named as the best reserve in the MAAC, garnering unanimous MAAC Sixth Player of the Year honors. Appearing in all 29 games for the Jaspers, coming off the bench in all but one game, Dinkins logged over 30 minutes of action per game and averaged 13.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, ranking 11th in the MAAC in points per game. A native of Washington, DC, he led the MAAC in free throw percentage, ranked third in free throws made, ninth in three-pointers per game, and 11th in total three-point field goals made. Dinkins becomes the second ever Jasper to receive the award, joining David Holmes, who won it back in 2002-03.
WILL SYDNOR - TOP TIER ROOKIE
Sydnor, a unanimous All-Rookie Team choice and an All-MAAC Second Team member, claimed MAAC Rookie of the Year accolades. From Bronx, NY, the freshman forward averaged 14.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 blocks per game this season. Sydnor's scoring and rebounds both ranked ninth in the MAAC. He was second in defensive rebounds, fourth in blocks, fifth in field goal percentage, eighth in double-doubles, and ninth in field goals. Sydnor joins a list of Jaspers garnering the respective award featuring Tim Cain ('81-82), Perry Bromwell ('82-83), Leo Parent ('84-85 as Co-Rookie OTY), Keith Bullock ('89-90), Jason Hoover ('93-94), Heshimu Evans ('94-95), Bruce Seals ('99-00), CJ Anderson ('04-05), and Shane Richards ('12-13 as Co-Rookie OTY)