Box Score
ALBANY, N.Y. - The third meeting with Loyola (13-17) was the charm for the Manhattan men's basketball team. After dropping its two regular-season contests to the Greyhounds, Manhattan (11-19) saved its best effort for the MAAC Tournament First Round as the Jaspers rallied to a 94-79 victory at the Times Union Center in Albany on Friday night. Junior guard Rico Pickett led the Jaspers' charge with a career-high 33 points and senior guard Darryl Crawford (16 points, 10 rebounds) delivered his third double-double against the Greyhounds this season.
Manhattan exploded for its highest scoring half of the year behind 23 of Pickett's points in the first half to carry a 51-36 lead into the break. The Alabama native shot 8-for-12 in the period and delivered a 360 degree two-handed jam midway through the stanza which received a roar from the crowd.
The Jaspers got rolling after surrendering the first bucket 12 seconds into the game and scored 14 unanswered points. Pickett started to warm up when he scored on three consecutive trips down court, which was capped by his second of three 3-pointers in the period helping Manhattan to a 17-4 advantage.
The Jaspers held its largest lead of the game in the first half going up 19 points with 5:26 left. Manhattan converted 22-of-24 (90.9%) free-throws in the first half, including a perfect 5-for-5 from Crawford who scored 11 points in the period.
Manhattan got comfortable at the free-throw line sinking 38-of-46 (82.6%) of its free-throws in the game, an effort anchored by Pickett who shot 10-for-11 from the charity stripe. The Jaspers were four free-throw shy of the program record of 42 set in 1958-59 against Army.
Loyola opened the second half with an 11-4 run to battle back into the contest, and eventually cut its deficit to five points twice. The Greyhounds pulled within 69-64 with 8:10 remaining, but Jaspers' senior guard Patrick Bouli responded with a big 3-pointer. Soon after, freshman guard George Beamon scored five straight points, including a 3-point play to put the Jaspers back up by double-figures (77-66).
Beamon led the Manhattan bench with 13 points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Antoine Pearson added eight points and four assists over 22 minutes. Bouli dished out a game-high six assists in 37 minutes.
Pickett put the Jaspers up by double-figures for good with 4:40 remaining. The MAAC's leading scorer (17.7 ppg) determination to finish a lay-up mid-air, despite being slammed to the ground from a flagrant foul by Brett Harvey. Pickett converted the pair of free-throws for what proved to be a four point play to put Manhattan out front 84-73.
Jaspers' senior forward Brandon Adams was the fourth Manhattan player to post double-figures as he finished with 14 points along with five rebounds. It was the third time in the last four games Adams posted double-figures and the sixth time this season.
Loyola was led by sophomore forward Shane Walker who posted 26 points on 9-for-11 shooting and eight rebounds. Greyhounds' junior guard Jamal Barney, who scorched Manhattan for 24 points in their previous meeting last Sunday, added 13 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The Jaspers 94 points were their most scored in a game this season. Manhattan shot 44.8% (26-58) from the field to the Greyhounds' 50% (26-52) shooting mark. The Jaspers also converted 17 Loyola turnovers into 28 points.
Manhattan advances to the MAAC Quarterfinals to face top-seeded Siena (24-6, 17-1 MAAC) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The contest will be televised live on MSG2.
