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Riverdale, NY - Manhattan (6-9; 3-3 MAAC) will look to sweep the season series against Canisius (7-10; 2-4 MAAC) for the third-straight season and fourth time in five years on Friday, January 15 at 7:00 pm.
TOP STORYLINES
#1 - Senior Shane Richards scored a career-high 32 points, on 11-of-14 shooting (6-of-7-3pt), in the Jaspers' 94-86 win over the Golden Griffins last week.
#2 - Manhattan posted season-highs in points (94), field goal percentage (.558) and 3-point field goal percentage (.636) in the teams' first meeting.
#3 - The Jaspers' 14 three pointers in the teams' last match-up are the most since converting 14 in a 105-98 quadruple overtime loss at Canisius on January 30, 2000 and are just one off the school mark set in a win over Niagara on February 27, 1994.
QUICK HITS
* Manhattan's 63.3 percent three-point conversion rate (14-of-22) in the win at Canisius is its best single-game mark since making good on 83.3 percent (10-of-12) in a 71-70 win at Columbia on November 12, 2013.
* The Jaspers also scored on 17 of their final 20 offensive possessions in the first meeting with the Golden Griffins, going 11-of-17 (.647) from the floor, including 5-of-7 (.714) from deep, and 11-of-12 (.917) from the line.
* Manhattan hit for at least 90 points (Siena-92) in back-to-back games last week for the first time since going for 102 in a win over Niagara on February 27, 1994 and 99 in a MAAC Tournament victory vs. Iona on March 5, 1994.
* Richards' aforementioned career-high 32 points marks the first time a Jasper has hit for at least 30 since George Beamon had 31 in a win at Monmouth on February 19, 2014 and the is the most since Michael Alvarado had 33 in a victory over Marist on January 12, 2014.
* Over his last three games, Richards is averaging 21.7 points per game while shooting 55.3 percent (21-of-38) from the field and 55.6 percent (10-of-18) from deep.
* Head Coach Steve Masiello holds an 8-1 record against Canisius and is 15-2 as a member of the Manhattan Basketball program (7-1-assistant).
* Since taking over the head coaching reins in 2011-2012, Masiello is 60-33 (.645) against MAAC teams, including going 31-10 (.756) at home and 21-21 (.510) on the road.
* Richards is averaging 15.7 points per game vs. the Golden Griffins for his career while shooting 54.8 percent (34-of-62) from the floor, including 51.2 percent (25-of-49) from deep.
* In four games at the Koessler Center, he averaged 20.5 points per game while making good on 68.3 percent (28-of-41) from the floor and 67.7 percent (21-of-31) from distance. In three games against Canisius at home he is averaging just 9.3 points per game on 28.6 percent (6-of-21) shooting, including 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from distance.
* The last time out, Manhattan dropped a 55-53 decision to Niagara despite allowing a season-low 55 points while limiting the Purple Eagles to 35.6 percent (21-of-59) shooting, including 27.3 percent (3-of-11) from deep.
* The Jaspers have won five-of-seven thanks to averaging 74.9 ppg while shooting 45.7 percent from the floor, 43.3 percent from deep and 76.3 percent from the line.
* Manhattan is also limiting the opposition to just 31.3 percent (36-of-115) shooting on threes during its recent run, including 21.9 percent (14-of-64) after halftime.
* Additionally, in the last five minutes over the last seven games the Jaspers have outscored the opposition by an average 4.6 points per game thanks to making good on 80.0 percent (40-of-50) from the line while holding opposing teams to 31.3 percent shooting (21-of-67), including just 17.4 percent (4-of-23) from long range.
* This season, opposing three-point shooters are converting on 40.3 percent (48-of-119) in the first half compared to a scant 29.2 percent (35-of-120) after halftime.
* Over the final five minutes/overtime during MAAC play, Manhattan is shooting a blistering 83.3 percent (30-of-36) from the line.
* Richards' 32 points in the win at Canisius marked the 12th Jasper 20-point performance this season and the 11th game Manhattan has had a 20-point scorer.
* Richards, who had a team-high 21 points with seven rebounds and four assists in the victory over Siena before hitting for a team-high 12 at Niagara, paced the squad in scoring in all three games last week and a team-best nine times this season.
* Over his last seven games, Richards is averaging a team-best 19.3 points per game while shooting 43.8 percent (21-of-48) from deep and 86.4 percent (38-of-44) from the line. Additionally, after halftime he is notching 11.6 points each time out while shooting 53.8 percent (14-of-26) from long range and 91.3 percent (21-of-23) from the line.
* In the victory over Morgan State, Richards converted a career-high seven three pointers en route to registering 28 points with seven caroms.
* A 2015-2016 All-MAAC Preseason Second Team selection, Richards was the hero in the first Jasper win of the year, a 69-67 come-from-behind triumph over George Mason, thanks to banking in a jumper with 1.2 seconds to play. He also became the 37th member of the school's 1,000-point club earlier in the night.
* The New York native ranks among the MAAC leaders in scoring (18.3 ppg-4th), free throw percentage (.823-5th), threes (2.5/game-6th) and minutes (37.1-2nd).
* From long range, Richards has converted at least three triples in 55 of his 113 games, including at least four 30 times, and is the school's single-season (92-2015) and career (272) leader in threes. When he connects on four in a game, the Jaspers are 20-10, including 16-7 over the last three seasons.
* Lost in the midst of Richards' offensive outburst in the win over Canisius was junior Rich Williams' third career double-double (19 points, 11 rebounds) with a career-high five assists. Following his 11-point, eight-rebound performance at Niagara he has now paced the team on the glass a team-best 10 times.
* Over his last three games against the Golden Griffins, Williams is notching 15.7 points per game while shooting 53.3 percent (16-of-30) from the field.
* Williams is averaging 16.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game over the last 10 games with three double-doubles while making good on 46.5 percent (60-of-129) from the floor, and 86.5 percent (32-of-37) from the line.
* He had his second double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds) in the win over Morgan State after registering his first against Columbia (17 points, 11 rebounds).
* Williams has also hit for at least 20 points four times, highlighted by career-high 26 in the victory over George Mason.
* On the year, Williams, who paced the Jaspers in scoring for the fourth time in the win over Fairfield with 14 points, is among the MAAC leaders in scoring (16.4 ppg-7th), rebounding (7.1 rpg-6th), defensive rebounds (5.3 drpg-3rd) and free throw percentage (.787-12th).
* Williams has improved both his scoring (+10.9 ppg) and rebounding (+5.6) numbers from a year ago.
* The duo of Richards and Williams became the first set of Manhattan teammates to each notch 20 points in a game this year in the win at Morgan State and are averaginga combined 34.7 points per game (2nd MAAC).
* Junior Tyler Wilson helped energize the Jaspers' back-to-back 90-point performances last week, posting a 3.33 assist/turnover ratio (20 assists/6 assists) and is averaging 6.9 assists per game with a 2.18 assist/turnover ratio over the last seven. Wilson has registered a career-high 10 assists twice this season, including most recently in the victory at Morgan State.
* Wilson, who has paced Manhattan in assists in all 15 games this season, also dished out 10, against one turnover, vs. Marist. His performance against the Red Foxes was the first double-figure outing by a Jasper student-athlete since Von Damien Green had 10 against Saint Peter's on January 30, 2002.
* On the year, Wilson, who has also handed out at least seven assists nine times, leads the MAAC and is 16th nationally (6.3 apg) while also ranking among the league leaders in steals (1.5 spg-6th) and assist-turnover ratio (1.8-4th).
* Sophomore Zane Waterman notched his first career double-double with 12 points and a personal-best and Manhattan season-high 13 points in the win over Siena. He hit for a career-high 23 points at EKU and has hit for double-figures in four-of-five, averaging 13.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during that time.
* Waterman, who scored 22 points against Columbia, ranks among the league leaders in scoring (10.6 ppg-27th), rebounding (5.9 rpg-14th), field goal percentage (.469-13th) and offensive rebounding (2.3 opg-8th).
* Fellow sophomore Calvin Crawford is averaging 12.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game over his last four. He scored a career-high 15 points in the victory over Siena with three blocks and two steals before registering 13 points and five caroms in the victory over Canisius. On the year, he is averaging 10.0 points and 3.5 rebounds each time out while shooting 45.8 percent from the field.
* Senior RaShawn Stores has picked it up of late and is averaging 10.6 points and 3.2 assists per game over the last five games while posting a 4.0 assist/turnover ratio, highlighted by going for 16 points, five rebounds and four assists in the win over Siena.
* Stores scored a career-high 18 points against Marist, fueled by a career-high matching five three pointers, and is averaging 8.3 points and 2.8 assists (14th MAAC) per game on the year while making good on 44.0 percent (22-of-50) (4th MAAC) from long range.
* For his career, Stores, a 2015-2016 All-MAAC Preseason Third Team selection, is shooting 42.1 percent (64-of-152) on threes after halftime for his career, including making good on 45.9 percent (39-of-85) since the start of last year. Stores also has a 3.47 assist/turnover ratio (52 assists/15 TO) over the last two years in the second half.
* The Jaspers are 41-21 over the last three years when Stores, who was granted an extra year of eligibility on July 22, 2015 by the NCAA, starts including going 17-8 last year.
* Both Richards & Stores are the only MAAC student-athletes to have played in each of the last three MAAC title games and have been a part of 64 total wins, including going 8-1 during MAAC Tournament play.
* Manhattan turned Siena over 23 times and rank 25th nationally with a MAAC-best 16.0 forced turnovers per game and have turned the opposition over at least 16 times in nine games.
* During Masiello's tenure, the Jaspers are 20-9 when forcing the opposition into at least 20 turnovers.
* Manhattan also had nine steals against Siena before registering seven at Niagara and lead the MAAC and rank 56th nationally with 7.7 per game.
* The Jaspers had 10 steals in the win over Fairfield and are 32-5 when hitting the 10-steal standard since Masiello took over the program for the 2011-2012 season, including 21-2 over the last three years.
* Manhattan is 40-5 when leading at the half over the last three seasons, including going a perfect 15-0 a year ago. Additionally, since the start of last season the Jaspers are 21-2 when leading with five minutes to play and 16-12 in games decided by 10 points or less.
* Also, over the last three years, Manhattan is 21-7 when limiting teams to less than 40 percent shooting, 25-8 when winning the battle of the boards and 32-14 when forcing more turnovers than the opposition.
* Masiello, who holds a career record of 85-62 (52-30 MAAC), set the school-record for MAAC Tournament wins a year ago with his eighth against Iona while breaking current ESPN analyst and former Jasper Head Coach Fran Fraschilla's previous mark.
* Since returning to Riverdale, Masiello has led Manhattan to a pair of MAAC Titles as well as a pair of 20-plus win campaigns. In his first tenure, he was a part of two MAAC Championships and three 20-plus win seasons. All told, Masiello has been a member of four of the five Jasper MAAC Championship teams and five of Manhattan's 12 20-win seasons in accruing a 168-98 record.
* In his 20th season as either a player or a coach, Masiello has a career collegiate record of 446-208, including 325-180 on the sidelines, with one National Title, two National Championship appearances, two Final Four appearances, six Elite Eight berths, eight conference championships, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and 15 20-win seasons.
KEY MATCH-UPS
Defense - Manhattan allowed Canisius to score 86 points, shoot 50.0 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from distance in the first match-up and will need to tighten up those numbers.
Tough Points - The Golden Griffins are averaging a MAAC-high 82.1 points per game and have arguably one of the finest offenses among mid-major teams. That being said, the Jaspers need to make the visitors earn those points and yield nothing easy.
Balance - In the last meeting, four different Manhattan players scored in double-figures. The Jaspers will need that balance to be successful not only against Canisius but for the rest of the season.
GOLDEN GRIFFIN PERSONNEL
Malcolm McMillan leads four double-figure Canisius scorers with 16.6 points per game while also handing out 4.4 assists each time out. Phil Valenti is the primary option down low, averaging 14.8 points and a team-best 5.6 rebounds per game. Kassius Robertson (14.6 ppg) and Jermaine Crumpton (12.5 ppg) round out the double-figure scorers for the Golden Griffins.
ASSISTING THE EFFORT
Manhattan handed out a season-high 21 assists while posting a 2.63 assist/turnover ratio in the last meeting with Canisius.
DID YOU KNOW???
Manhattan Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tom O'Connor hired Canisius Head Coach Jim Baron as St. Bonaventure's Head Coach in 1992.
REVENGE
The Jaspers avenged a 35-point loss to Siena from December with a thrilling 92-87 victory in triple overtime on January 4.
90-POINT CLUB
Manhattan's 92 points also marked its most in a game since a 90-72 victory over Niagara on February 16, 2014.
BALANCE
The Jaspers had five student-athletes notch double-figures in points in its win over Siena for the first time this season.
CLOSING IT OUT ON DEFENSE
Manhattan closed out the win over Fairfield by holding the visitors scoreless over the final 3:25 as the Stags missed four shots, turned it over twice and came away empty-handed on each of their final eight possessions.
LAST SEVEN GAMES SPLITS
Second Half FG% (.477) | First Half FG% (.436)
Second Half FG% D (.386) | First Half FG% D (.486)
Second Half 3-Point O (34-of-75) | .453) | First Half 3-Point O (23-of-61) | .377)
Second Half 3-Point D (14-of-64) | .219) | First Half 3-Point D (22-of-51) | .431)
UP NEXT
The Jaspers host Niagara on Sunday, January 17 at 7:00 pm.
