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Niagara University, NY - Winners of three straight and five-of-six, Manhattan (6-8; 3-2 MAAC) returns to action vs. Niagara (4-12; 2-3 MAAC) on Saturday, January 9 at 3:00 pm.
TOP STORYLINES
#1 - The teams split last year's two meetings with each team holding court at home. Niagara holds a 16-10 advantage between the teams when playing at home since joining the MAAC in 1989-1990.
#2 - Saturday's game will be televised throughout New York to Time Warner Cable customers on channel 323.
#3 - Manhattan began its annual WNY swing with a rousing 94-86 win over Canisius, notching season-highs in field goal percentage (.558) and three-point percentage (.633).
QUICK HITS
* The Jaspers' 14 three pointers are the most since converting 14 in a 105-98 four quadruple overtime loss at Canisius (1/31/00) and just one off the school mark.
* Manhattan also has hit for at least 90 points in back-to-back games for the first time since going for 102 in a win over Niagara (2/27/94) before scoring 99 points in a MAAC Tournament victory over Iona (3/5/94).
* The Jaspers defeated Siena 92-87 in triple overtime on Monday and are averaging 93.0 ppg over the last two thanks to notching at least 20 assists each time out while shooting 47.9 percent (23-of-48) from deep, compared to just 37.5 percent (12-of-32) for the opposition.
* Manhattan's 92 points also marked its most in a game since a 90-72 victory over Niagara on February 16, 2014.
* Senior Shane Richards is averaging 26.5 points per game in the last two while shooting 65.4 percent (17-of-26) from the field and 69.2 percent (9-of-13) from deep with 40 of his 53 points coming after halftime.
* Head Coach Steve Masiello is 28-7, all-time, against Canisius and Niagara while a member of the Jasper program, including going 13-4 as a head coach.
* Since taking over the head coaching reins in 2011-2012, Masiello is 60-32 (.652) against MAAC teams, including going 31-10 (.756) at home and 21-20 (.512) on the road.
* Richards scored a career-high 32 points in the win over Canisius, making good on 11-of-14, including 6-of-7 from deep, and is averaging 15.7 points per game vs. the Golden Griffins for his career.
* In four games at the Koessler Center, he is averaging 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.
* The Jaspers have won five-of-six thanks to averaging 78.5 ppg while shooting 46.5 percent from the floor, 43.5 percent from deep and 77.3 percent from the line.
* Manhattan is also limiting the opposition to just 31.7 percent (33-of-104) shooting on threes during its recent run, including 21.3 percent (13-of-61) after halftime.
* Additionally, in the last five minutes over the last six games the Jaspers have outscored the opposition by an average 4.8 points per game while shooting 40.9 percent (9-of-22) from deep and 83.0 percent (39-of-47) from the line while holding opposing three-point shooters to just 18.2 percent (4-of-22) shooting.
* This season, opposing three point shooters are converting on 41.4 percent (46-of-111) in the first half compared to 29.1 percent (34-of-117) after halftime.
* Manhattan, which avenged an earlier 35-point setback at the hands of Siena, had five student-athletes notch double-figures in points in its win over the Saints for the first time this season.
* In the last two games, the Jaspers are shooting a blistering 87.5 percent (21-of-24) from the line over the final five minutes of the second half/overtime and are now converting on an astounding 87.9 percent (29-of-33). In the final five minutes/overtime of MAAC play with Richards (8-of-8), Stores (4-of-4) and Williams (4-of-4) leading the way.
* Richards' 32 points in the win over Canisius was his sixth 20-point performance of the year and the 13th in his career while also representing the most by a Manhattan player since current staff member Michael Alvarado had 33 in a win over Marist on January 12, 2014. It is also the first 30-point showing since George Beamon dropped 31 in a victory against Monmouth (2/19/14).
* His output also marked the 12th Jasper 20-point performance this season and the 11th time in 14 games Manhattan has had a 20-point scorer.
* Richards, who earlier this week had a team-high 21 points with seven rebounds and four assists in the win over Siena, has paced the squad in scoring a team-best eight times.
* Over his last six games, Richards is averaging a team-best 20.5 points per game while shooting 46.5 percent (20-of-43) from deep and 85.5 percent (35-of-40) from the line. Additionally, after halftime he is notching 12.7 points each time out while shooting 60.9 percent (14-of-23) from long range and 95.2 percent (20-of-21) 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 Manhattan 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 (18.8 ppg-4th), free throw percentage (.826-5th), threes (2.6/game-4th), defensive rebounds (3.9 drpg-13th) and minutes (37.4-2nd).
* From long range, Richards has converted at least three triples in 55 of his 112 games, including at least four 30 times, and is the school's single-season (92-2015) and career (271) 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). Williams has also paced the team on the glass for the team-leading ninth time while handing out a career-high five assists.
* He notched 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 is averaging a team-leading 17.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game over his last nine contests with three double-doubles while making good on 47.4 percent (55-of-116) from the floor, 41.4 percent (12-of-29) from distance and 88.6 percent (31-of-25) from the line.
* 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 squad in scoring for the fourth time in the win over Fairfield with 14 points, is among the MAAC leaders in scoring (16.8 ppg-7th), rebounding (7.0 rpg-6th), defensive rebounds (5.1 drpg-4th), offensive rebounds and free throw percentage (.797-10th).
* Williams has improved both his scoring (+11.3 ppg) and rebounding (+5.5) numbers from a year ago.
* The duo of Richards and Williams also became the first set of Manhattan teammates to each notch 20 points in a game this year in the win over Morgan State and are second in the MAAC with a combined 35.4 points per game.
* Junior Tyler Wilson helped energize the Jaspers' recent back-to-back 90-point performances with a combined 15 assists and is averaging 6.8 assists per game with a 2.1 assist/turnover ratio over the last six games. Wilson has registered a career-high 10 assists twice this season, including most recently in a 78-66 win over Morgan State.
* Wilson, who has paced Manhattan in assists in all 14 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 five dimes on 10 occasions, leads the MAAC and is 16th nationally with 6.3 per game while also ranking among the league leaders in steals (1.6 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 also scored a career-high 23 points at EKU and has now hit for double-figures in three of his last four games, averaging 13.8 points and 5.8 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 (5.7 rpg-15th), field goal percentage (.471-14th), three-point percentage and offensive rebounding (2.2 opg-9th).
* Fellow sophomore Calvin Crawford is averaging 14.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game over his last three games. He scored a career-high 15 points in the victory over Siena with four rebounds, three blocks and two steals before notching 13 points and five rebounds in the victory over Canisius. On the year, he is averaging 10.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.
* Senior RaShawn Stores has picked it up of late and is averaging 11.8 points and 3.5 assists per game over the last four games while posting a 3.5 assist/turnover ratio, highlighted by 16 markers in the Manhattan's win over Siena.
* Stores scored a career-high 18 points against Marist, fueled by a career-high matching five three pointers, and is averaging 8.5 points and 2.9 assists (11th MAAC) per game on the year while making good on 42.6 percent (20-of-47) (4th MAAC) from long range.
* For his career, Stores, a 2015-2016 All-MAAC Preseason Third Team selection, is shooting 42.0 percent (63-of-150) on threes after halftime for his career, including making good on 45.8 percent (38-of-83) since the start of last year. Stores also has a 3.33 assist/turnover ratio (50 assists/15 TO) over the last two years in the second half.
* The Jaspers are 41-20 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 conference title games and have been a part of 61 total wins, including going 8-1 during MAAC Tournament play.
* Manhattan turned Siena over 23 times and rank 30th nationally with 16.0 forced turnovers per game and have turned over the opposition at least 16 times eight times.
* During Masiello's tenure, the Jaspers are 20-9 when forcing the opposition into at least 20 turnovers.
* Manhattan also notched nine steals against Siena and lead the MAAC and rank 54th nationally with 7.8 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 going 21-2 over the last three years.
* Manhattan is 40-4 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 16-11 in games decided by 10 points or less.
* Also, over the last three years, Manhattan is 21-6 when limiting teams to less than 40 percent shooting, 25-8 when winning the battle of the boards and 32-13 when forcing more turnovers than the opposition.
* Masiello, who holds a career record of 85-61 (52-29 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 168-97 record.
* In his 20th season as either a player or a coach, Masiello has a career collegiate record of 446-207, including 325-179 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
Change It Up - Manhattan started slow a year ago at Niagara and trailed big at the break.
Defense - While the Jaspers have filled it up offensively over the last two games, their defensive hasn't been at its tradtional level and will need to change in order for the two-time defending MAAC Champions to continue their recent success.
Continue The Process - After starting slowly for the second-straight year, Manhattan is right where it was a year ago at 6-8 and 3-2 in the MAAC and is in the process of establishing its identity.
CLOSING IT OUT ON OFFENSE
The Jaspers scored on 17 of their final 20 offensive possessions against Canisius, going 11-of-17 (.647) from the floor, including 5-of-7 (.714) from deep, and 11-of-12 (.917) from the line.
CLOSING IT OUT ON DEFENSE
Manhattan closed out the win over Fairfield by holding the visitors scoreless over the final 3:25 as Fairfield missed four shots, turned it over twice and came away empty-handed on each of their final eight possessions.
LAST SIX GAMES SPLITS
Second Half FG% (.497) | First Half FG% (.434)
Second Half FG% D (.399) | First Half FG% D (.503)
Second Half 3-Point O (33-of-67) | .469) | First Half 3-Point O (21-of-57) | .368)
Second Half 3-Point D (13-of-61) | .469) | First Half 3-Point D (20-of-43) | .368)
40-MINUTE CLUB
The Jaspers had four of their eight available scholarship players log at least 40 minutes in the win over Siena:
Richards (50), Stores (49), Wilson (46), Crawford (40)
FOR STARTERS
Manhattan has used eight different starting line-ups through their first 14 games.
WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN
Richards, who scored a game-high 26 points in the first game with Siena, finished up the year with a 23.5 point per game average against the Saints.
SECOND UNIT STEPS UP
A big reason that the Jaspers have put 90 points on the board in back-to-back games for the first time in over 20 years has been the play of the bench, which notched a season-high 41 points in the victory over Canisius after notching 37 points in the win vs. Siena.
70-POINT CLUB
Manhattan bested Fairfield 72-66 is 4-0 this year when limiting the opposition to less than 70 points and 33-6 over the last three years.
INJURIES APLENTY
The Jaspers have had seven players (six scholarship) miss a total of 43 games due to injury this year.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Richards, who became the 37th member of the school's 1,000-point club in the win over George Mason, is currently 22nd with 1,203 points.
UP NEXT
Manhattan hosts Canisius on Friday, January 15 with opening tip slated at 7:00 pm.
