Game 21: Manhattan (6-14, 4-6 MAAC) vs. Siena (5-16, 3-7 MAAC)
Friday, February 1, 2013 at 7 p.m.
Times Union Center (8,444) - Albany, N.Y.
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Scouting Report
Manhattan (6-14, 4-6 MAAC)
The Jaspers play their second straight road game before returning to Draddy Gymnasium for five of the final seven Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference contests of the regular-season. Manhattan earned its fourth double-digit victory of the season defeating Rider 62-51 on Sunday in Lawrenceville, N.J.
Manhattan rallied behind freshman forward Shane Richards and junior forward Rhamel Brown to take down the Broncs. Richards exploded for a career-high 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting with four three-pointers, while Brown delivered his third double-double of the season and 10th of his career (10 points, 10 rebounds). Brown, the reigning MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, also swatted six shots.
Since earning his first career start at Marist on Dec. 7, Richards has emerged top scoring threat in the Jaspers' offense. Richards has averaged 10.7 points and has buried all 42 of his threes in the last 14 games, since he knocked down his first career field goal against the Red Foxes. Richards ranks second in the MAAC, averaging 3.2 three-pointers per contest against league opponents, and he is fifth in the conference with a 44.4% shooting mark beyond the arc.
Brown has developed into one of the premier big men in the MAAC. The 6'7" Brooklyn native leads all active Jaspers with 11.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Brown has taken on a larger scoring role in the absence of injured two-time All-MAAC guard George Beamon (19.0 ppg, 2011-12 MAAC scoring leader) who has been sidelined by the medical staff for the rest of the season. Brown has scored in double-figures 10 of the last 13 contests. He also leads the MAAC and stands 22nd nationally averaging 2.75 blocks per game.
Manhattan's defense has been spectacular against conference opponents as the Jaspers are tied for the league lead allowing only 60.0 points per MAAC contest. The Jaspers' 40.6% field goal defense against MAAC teams is the third best in the conference. The Jaspers have held their last two opponents to 51 points and their last five opponents below 65 points.
Siena (5-16, 3-7 MAAC)
The Saints have won three of their last six games, including a 79-75 victory at Marist on Sunday. Siena is 2-1 in its last three games at the Times Union Center.
Siena is led by senior forward O.D. Anosike, who has averaged a double-double this season (13.1 points, 12.0 rebounds). Anosike leads the nation in rebounding and he is tied for third in the country with 13 double-doubles.
Saints' guard Evan Hymes was named to MAAC Co-Player of the Week on Monday after he posted 25.5 points and 5.5 assists in the last two games against Niagara and Marist. Hymes has a 12.0 scoring average and is sixth in the MAAC averaging 3.8 assists per game.
Siena recorded its top scoring performance of the season at Marist on Sunday (79 points), but has posted 59.4 points per game this season. The Saints sit behind Manhattan in fourth place on the MAAC three-point field goal chart averaging 6.1 threes per contest.
