Game 28: Manhattan (11-16, 8-8 MAAC) vs. Fairfield (17-12, 9-7 MAAC)
Friday, March 1, 2013 at 9 p.m.
Draddy Gymnasium (2,520) - Riverdale, N.Y.
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Scouting Report
Manhattan (11-16, 8-8 MAAC)
The Jaspers are 5-1 in their last six games, including their most recent 65-64 victory at Buffalo on Saturday in the ESPN Ramada BracketBuster. Freshman forward Shane Richards led Manhattan in scoring for the sixth time this season, posting 14 points with four three-pointers. It was Richards' 10th double-digit scoring effort of the year.
Manhattan won three of its four home games in February. The Jaspers picked up a thrilling double-overtime victory over Iona on Feb. 15 with junior forward Rhamel Brown going off for 21 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks. Brown ranks eighth in the nation averaging 3.04 blocks per game, and he is two blocks away from tying the program's single season record that he set last year (84). Brown also leads the MAAC with a 56.0% field goal shooting percentage and he is fifth averaging 7.1 rebounds per game.
The Jaspers have also relied on sophomore forward Donovan Kates who has scored in double-figures in five of the last six games. Kates exploded for a game-high 17 points in the Jaspers' 62-40 victory over Fairfield at Alumni Hall on Feb. 12, posting 15 points in the second half. In the last five MAAC games, Kates has helped the Jaspers post a 4-1 record averaging 13.0 points and shooting 47.8% (11-23) from three-point range.
Manhattan's backcourt features junior point guard Michael Alvarado and sophomore point guard RaShawn Stores. The former high school teammates at All Hallows each scored in double-figures on Saturday in the Jaspers' win at Buffalo. They have combined for 118 assists this year, nearly have of Manhattan's total. Stores earned two of his three MAAC Rookie of the Week Awards during the Jaspers' hot streak in February. Stores averaged 8.3 points and shot 46.4% from the field helping Manhattan to a 5-2 record during the month. He matched a career-high with 13 points in victories over Canisius (Feb. 7) and Buffalo (Feb. 23).
Sophomore forward Emmy Andujar has also played some of his best basketball of the season in February. Andujar has averaged 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists in the seven games. He scored 15 points to help lead Manhattan to its last win at Draddy Gymnasium against Iona. He converted the game winning layup with only seconds remaining. Andujar leads Manhattan with 67 assists on the season.
Manhattan enters the final weekend of the regular-season fighting to finish in the top-6 of the MAAC standings to avoid playing an extra game in the opening round of the MAAC Tournament. The Jaspers control their own destiny to secure a top-6 seed by winning the last two contests over Fairfield and Loyola.
Fairfield (17-12, 9-7 MAAC)
The Stags have gone 2-2 in their last four games since Manhattan snapped their five-game win streak on Feb. 12 at Alumni Hall. Fairfield is coming off a 58-50 loss to Albany in the ESPN Ramada BracketBuster on Saturday in Bridgeport, Conn. The Stags have been without senior guard Desmond Wade, the team's assist leader (3.8 apg), who has missed the last four games due to injury.
Fairfield is led by senior guard Derek Needham who has averaged 14.9 points per game this season. Needham's 68 three-pointers are the fourth most in the MAAC this season.
Stags' junior forward Maurice Barrow has come off the bench in all 16 MAAC contests. He is averaging 10.9 points shooting 51.2% from the field and has pulled down 5.2 rebounds per game. Freshman forward Amadou Sidibe, a 6'8" product of Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, has also been a force in the post. Sidibe has started all 16 MAAC games and has posted a team-high 6.2 rebounds against conference opponents, going along with 5.8 points per game.
Fairfield (40.2% fg % def.) and Manhattan (38.4% fg% def.) are the top two defensive teams in the conference. They have each allowed only 58 points per game in MAAC contests.
