Click here to view the 2011-12 Manhattan Women's Basketball Yearbook
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - The Manhattan College women's basketball team battled back from 12 points down to take the lead in the second half before Niagara (12-18, 9-9 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) rallied to secure a 56-44 victory over the Jaspers (16-14, 10-8 MAAC) in each team's regular season finale at the Gallagher Center on Sunday afternoon. Despite the loss, Manhattan earned the No. 3 seed for next weekend's MAAC Tournament when Marist beat Loyola later in the day.
The teams traded baskets early on until Niagara went on a 7-0 spurt to turn a 7-7 deadlock into a 14-7 advantage. The Jaspers trimmed their deficit to 14-10 on a three-pointer by Schyanne Halfkenny (Hyde Park, Mass.), but the Purple Eagles outscored Manhattan 11-4 over the next four minutes to increase their lead to 11 points, 25-14. A Nadia Peters (Bronx, N.Y.) layup at the 5:52 mark trimmed the margin to nine, then Lindsey Loutsenhizer (North Huntingdon, Pa.) scored eight straight points to pull the Jaspers within three, 27-24, with 1:36 left before halftime.
Niagara led 30-26 at the break, then extended its lead to seven points on a trey by Ali Morris on the first possession of the second half. The Purple Eagles held a 35-28 advantage with 16:56 remaining before Manhattan responded with a 9-0 run. The Jaspers took their first lead of the game, 37-35, on a Monica Roeder (Marlton, N.J.) three-pointer at the 10:55 mark.
It would remain that way for nearly two minutes until the Purple Eagles went back in front, 38-37, on a three-ball by Meghan McGuinness. Kayla Stroman then got a steal and layup to increase Niagara's advantage to three, 40-37. After a free throw by Halfkenny made it a two-point game, McGuinness drained another trey to put Niagara up 43-38 with 7:19 left. That three-pointer started a 12-2 Niagara run that gave the Purple Eagles a 12-point advantage, 52-40, with 4:16 remaining.
The Jaspers pulled within eight on a layup by Loutsenhizer and a pair of Peters free throws, but Niagara went 4-for-4 at the line down the stretch to secure a 56-44 triumph. With the win, the Purple Eagles earned the No. 5 seed in the MAAC Tournament.
Halfkenny led the Jaspers with 15 points. Loutsenhizer added 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Peters contributed 10 points, seven boards and three steals. Roeder grabbed six rebounds off the bench, and Alyssa Herrington (Cambridge, N.Y.) handed out a team-high four assists to go along with three steals. As a team, Manhattan shot 30.5 percent (18-of-59) from the field, but was just 5-for-23 (21.7 percent) from three-point range. The Jaspers went 3-for-5 (60 percent) at the free throw line.
Lauren Gatto and McGuinness each had 12 points and five rebounds to lead Niagara. Stroman contributed nine points and four steals to go along with a game-high seven assists, while Morris tallied five steals. Niagara shot 44.4 percent (20-of-45) from the field and outrebounded Manhattan 34-32. The Purple Eagles shot 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from beyond the arc and 90 percent (9-of-10) at the charity stripe.
The Jaspers open MAAC Tournament play with a matchup against sixth-seeded Siena (11-16, 9-9 MAAC) at 11:30 a.m. on Friday at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. Manhattan and Siena split the season series in 2011-12, with each team winning at home.
NOTES: Niagara swept the season series for the first time since 2007-08...Manhattan leads the all-time series 24-23...The Jaspers had won three straight at the Gallagher Center...Manhattan dropped its regular season finale for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign...Halfkenny led the Jaspers in scoring for the fourth time in the last five games...Manhattan has won at least 10 MAAC games in all three seasons of John Olenowski's tenure as head coach...The Jaspers, who were picked fourth in the MAAC Preseason Poll, placed higher than their preseason projection for the third successive season...Manhattan will be the No. 3 seed in the MAAC Tournament for the second straight year.
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