Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y.- Jaspers' freshman forward Rhamel Brown scored a career-high 20 points, but Manhattan lost to Loyola (6-8, 2-2 MAAC) 82-67 on Friday at Draddy Gymnasium. The Jaspers were curtailed by Loyola's long-range shooting, connecting on 12-of-23 (52.2%) attempts from downtown, including seven in the second half to erase Manhattan's six point halftime lead.
Loyola was led by junior guard J'hared Hall (23 points) and sophomore guard Robert Olson (20 points) who each recorded career-high scoring efforts, after knocking down six treys apiece. The Greyhound sharpshooters combined for 14-of-19 (73.7%) shooting from the field.
Brown carried Manhattan (2-12, 0-4 MAAC) into the break with a 38-32 advantage, erupting for 16 points and seven rebounds in the opening 20 minutes. The 6'6" product of Transit Tech High School in Brooklyn quickly reset his previous career-high of 11 points that he produced against Texas A&M at the 2010 Old Spice Classic on Nov. 26 in Orlando. Brown opened the game shooting 7-for-10 from the field.
The Jaspers weren't fazed by the Greyhounds full court press in the first half, and they capitalized on 17 second chance points and forced Loyola into 12 turnovers. Hall kept Loyola afloat in the stanza, recording 17 points on 6-for-7 shooting with four 3-pointers.
Manhattan led by as many as 12 points in the first half as George Beamon recorded nine of his 15 points and Andrew Gabriel posted eight of his 11 points. Beamon finished with seven rebounds and four steals, before fouling out with 3:39 remaining.
Loyola attacked the Jaspers' Achilles heal in the second half burying seven 3-pointers at a 58.3% conversion rate. The Greyhounds' hot shooting exploited Manhattan's perimeter defense, which has yielded 64 3-pointers in six games at Draddy Gymnasium this season.
Manhattan went up eight, 40-32, with a pair of free-throws from Brown to begin the second half. However, Loyola's adjusted zone defense contained Brown who was held to only one more field goal.
While Brown was the focal point of the zone, Beamon and sophomore center Kevin Laue provided a spark for the Jaspers. The pair combined for eight consecutive points midway though the second half with Laue's short jumper at the 12:09 mark giving Manhattan a 55-52 lead.
Loyola quickly turned the table on the Jaspers, rallying off a 10-2 run which put the Greyhounds out-front 62-57 with Olson's 3-pointer with 9:10 remaining. The Greyhounds led the rest of the way and extended their lead to double-digits after the Jaspers turned the ball over four times and scored just one field goal in the final five minutes.
Brown completed his career scoring night shooting 8-for-13 from the field and 4-for-6 at the free-throw line. He had eight rebounds and blocked three shots in 35 minutes of work. Jaspers' junior Kidani Brutus and senior guard Nick Walsh filled in at the point guard position with the absence of freshman Michael Alvarado who sat out with an injury. Brutus registered six points, while Walsh contributed nine coming off the bench.
Manhattan returns to the hardwood on Sunday at 2 p.m. when the Jaspers host Marist. The Jaspers look for their 10th straight victory over the Red Foxes at Draddy Gymnasium.
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