Baltimore, Md. (January 24, 2007)- Antoine Pearson converted two free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining to break a 68-68 tie and propel Manhattan to a 70-68 win over Loyola tonight at Reitz Arena on the Loyola campus. The win moves the Jaspers back into a share of first place, and improves their record to 10-9 overall and 7-2 in MAAC play.
The two teams traded points in the early going, until, with the score tied at 6-6 with 14:19 remaining in the first half, the Greyhounds got five straight points from Josko Alujevic to open up a five point, 11-6, lead with 13:27 before the break. Manhattan responded with five consecutive points of its own to knot the score at 11, as the two teams settled in for a back and forth opening stanza that saw seven ties and four lead changes. The Jaspers would lead by as many as two points, while Loyola would lead by as many as four before a three pointer from Marquis Sullivan would give Loyola a five point lead, 35-30, with 42 seconds left in the first half. A Patrick Bouli three from the top of the key brought the deficit to two points, as the Greyhounds took a 35-33 lead into the locker room.
Manhattan opened the second half with a 10-1 run to open up the largest lead by either team in the game, seven points, capped by a Devon Austin three pointer with 14:05 to play to make the score 43-36 in favor of the road team. The Jaspers would hold the lead until two Shane James free throws knotted the score at 53 with 7:49 remaining. A Sullivan jumper gave Loyola the lead back at 55-53 and the team would trade two points at a time until another Bouli trifecta put Manhattan back in front, 62-59, with 4:25 to play. The Jaspers would push the lead to seven points, 68-61, with 2:00 to play following two Pearson free throws, before seven straight Loyola points would draw the Greyhounds even at 68 with 26 ticks on the clock. Loyola had a chance to take the lead, as James was fouled on his make to tie the score, but he missed the free throw, giving Manhattan the ball as the Jaspers would hold for the last shot. Pearson would drive to the basket with time running down, and converted both free throws after being fouled. Loyola's desperation three from Gerald Brown would fall short, giving the Jaspers the important road MAAC win and split of the season series with Loyola.
Pearson led all scorers with 18 points, including a perfect 10-10 from the line, and was joined in double-figures by Arturo Dubois (15 points, six rebounds, two blocks) and Brandon Adams (career-high 10 points, five rebounds). Dubois became the 28th Jasper to record 1,000 career points after his jumper with 11:14 left in the first half. The junior now has 1012 points since arriving in Riverdale.
Sullivan scored 15 to pace Loyola, while Omari Isreal tallied a double-double with 14 points and game-high 11 rebounds. Alujevic tallied 13 points, while the Jaspers held Brown, the MAAC leading scorer, to just nine points (two in the second half), holding his under 10 points for the first time all season.
Manhattan returns to action on Saturday, January 27, hosting Canisius College at Draddy Gym, with tipoff slated for 2:00 p.m. in a game that will be televised on RNN.
