NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. ? The Manhattan College men's basketball team surrendered a 13 point first half advantage, eventually falling to Iona (12-19, 8-10) 87-75 this afternoon in New Rochelle. Seniors Devon Clarke and John Kelly led the charge for the Gaels on Senior Day as the duo combined for 12-13 shooting from the field and 6-6 from the free-throw line. Clarke finished with a game-high 16 points and Kelly added a career-best with 14. Jaspers' sophomore guard Antoine Pearson scored in double-figures for the 21st game this season finishing with 15 points.
Manhattan (11-18, 5-12) cruised into halftime boasting a 47-41 advantage. The Jaspers 47 points over the first stanza marked a season-high. Manhattan saw its largest lead of the contest at the 11:17 mark when Devon Austin, a junior forward, connected on his second straight 3-pointer giving the Jaspers a 28-15 advantage.
Austin scored 12 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out three assists on the afternoon.
Iona rallied for a 17-6 run to open the second half thanks in part to junior forward Gary Springer who scored seven points over this time frame. Springer's lay-up with 13:21 remaining gave Iona a 54-53 advantage, and marked its first lead since the first two minutes of the contest. Springer posted 13 points on the afternoon, 11 which came in the second half.
The Jaspers scored just 10 points over the first 11 minutes of the second half.
Iona would hang on to its lead down the stretch eventually running off with the 12 point decision. The Gaels completed the regular-season sweep of Manhattan after being swept by the Jaspers in the previous two years.
Manhattan was outrebounded on the afternoon, 35-24, and was outscored in the paint 48-20. Kelly was efficient in the blocks shooting a perfect 7-7.
Freshman guard Chris Smith and Darryl Crawford each registered double-figures in the Jaspers final regular-season contest of the 2007-08 campaign. Smith finished with 13 points, while Crawford added 10.
The Gaels were 62.7% (32-51) from the field, and 83.3% (20-24) from the line. Manhattan's figures weren't as impressive as it was 41.1% (23-56) from the floor and 72.4% (21-29) from the charity stripe.
Manhattan enters the 2008 MAAC Championships standing as the #8 seed. The Jaspers opening round contest with #9 Saint Peter's is set for Friday evening at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. Tip off is slated for 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised on MAAC TV.
