Game 2: Manhattan (0-1) vs. Harvard (1-1)
Friday, November 16, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.
Lavietes Pavilion (2,050) - Cambridge, Mass.
Scouting Report
Manhattan (0-1)
Manhattan returned its entire starting line up from the program's 21-win campaign last year under Steve Masiello, who was in his first season at the helm. Jaspers' two-time All-MAAC guard George Beamon, who garnered First Team honors in 2011-2012, missed the season opener at #2 Louisville with an ankle injury. Beamon is the MAAC's reigning scoring champion averaging 19.0 points per game last season.
Rhamel Brown stepped up against the Cardinals in the absence of Beamon going off for a team-high 18 points and career-high 15 rebounds, which marked his eighth career double-double. Brown is the 2011-12 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year. The 6'7", 230-pound forward from Brooklyn is one of the top shot blockers in the country. ESPN.com ranked Brown 7th overall in the category last year after he averaged 2.47 rejections per contest, which led the MAAC.
Junior point guard Michael Alvarado has been a mainstay in the starting line up since his arrival in Riverdale and was tabbed co-captain with Beamon and Brown for the 2012-13 campaign. Alvarado is regarded as one of the premier point guards in the conference. He was a Third Team All-MAAC selection last year who averaged 8.5 points and 3.2 assists. Alvarado is coming off a 13 point effort against the Cardinals on Sunday.
Sophomore RaShawn Stores earned the start against Louisville joining Alvarado, his former high school teammate, in the backcourt for the first time since their careers at All Hallows in the Bronx. Stores scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds over 28 minutes in his collegiate debut.
Sophomore forward Emmy Andujar is expected to make a big impact in 2012-2013 coming off a MAAC All-Rookie campaign. Andujar led Manhattan in assists (105) and rebounding (189) last year, while averaging 8.5 points.
The Jaspers added seven newcomers to the program. Manhattan's 2012-13 roster has been described by Masiello as one of the deepest he has been around as a coach and player.
Harvard (1-1)
Harvard was picked to finish second in the Ivy League according to the league's preseason poll. The Crimson is coming off a program record 26-win season earning Harvard's second straight Ivy League title in the sixth under head coach Tommy Amaker (93-57 at Harvard). Amaker was named the USBWA District I Coach of the Year in 2011-12.
Junior guard Laurent Rivard is the top returning scorer for the Crimson with 10.1 points per game last season. Rivard knocked down 66 three-pointers and shot 41.0% beyond the arc in 2011-12.
Harvard finished fourth in the nation yielding only 55.6 points per game last year. The Crimson was 25th in NCAA Division I in free-throw shooting (.747).
An underclassmen backcourt featuring sophomore Wesley Saunders (14.5 ppg) and freshman Siyani Chambers (11.5) has anchored Harvard's offensive production through its first two games this season. Saunders is coming off an 18 point effort in a 67-64 buzzer beating loss at UMass on Tuesday as part of the ESPN 24-hour college basketball marathon.
Chambers added 14 points against the Minutemen and senior guard Christian Webster scored 10 points in 31 minutes off the bench. The Crimson knocked down 22 of 26 (84.6%) of its free-throws.
