Box Score
HAMDEN, Conn. – On Sunday afternoon, the Manhattan College women's basketball team visited Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)-leading Quinnipiac. The Bobcats (16-3, 8-0 MAAC) jumped in front early and never looked back, posting an 85-51 victory over the Jaspers (2-15, 1-7 MAAC) at the TD Bank Sports Center.
Quinnipiac opened the game on a 15-0 run and gradually built on that lead throughout the first half. The Bobcats shot a scorching 61.8 percent (21-of-34) from the floor and 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from downtown in the opening 20 minutes and took a 37-point, 58-21, advantage into the locker room.
Manhattan scored the first four points of the second half before Quinnipiac rallied to push the margin to a game-high 44 points at 84-40 with 4:20 remaining. However, the Jaspers outscored the Bobcats 11-1 the rest of the way to make it an 85-51 final.
Taylor Williams (Windsor, Conn.) was the only Jasper to reach double-figures in the scoring column, notching a career-high 16 points to go along with six rebounds. Mikki Guiton (Schwenksville, Pa.) posted career-bests with nine points and 10 rebounds, while Kayla Grimme (Altoona, Pa.) also just missed a double-double with eight points and 10 boards. As a team, Manhattan was limited to 24.1 percent (14-of-58) shooting, including 10 percent (1-of-10) from three-point land. The Jaspers went 22-for-28 (78.6 percent) at the charity stripe.
For Quinnipiac, Maria Napolitano led the way with 19 points. Val Driscoll finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, while Samantha Guastella recorded 14 points. Nikoline Ostergaard tallied 10 points to go along with six assists, and Gillian Abshire handed out eight assists. Quinnipiac distributed 29 assists on 31 made field goals and outrebounded Manhattan 45-42. The Bobcats shot 47.7 percent (31-of-65) from the field, 43.3 percent (13-of-30) from long range, and 66.7 percent (10-of-15) at the free throw line.
The Jaspers and Bobcats meet again next Monday at Draddy Gymnasium, but first, Manhattan heads to Siena (10-7, 3-5 MAAC) for a 2 p.m. matchup on Saturday. It will be the first meeting between the squads since the Saints knocked the Jaspers out of last season's MAAC Tournament.
NOTES: Due to travel delays caused by the inclement weather, the contest tipped off three hours later than originally scheduled…Manhattan has never beaten Quinnipiac in five all-time meetings…The Jaspers had two players tally double-digit rebounds for the second straight game and the third time in their last four contests…Guiton doubled her previous career-high of five rebounds, set at Fordham on Dec. 14…The only other time Williams reached double-figures in scoring, she had 11 points against American on Dec. 17…As a team, the Jaspers set season-highs in free throws (22) and free throw attempts (28)…Manhattan played its first road game in 35 days…The Jaspers played a school-record eight straight contests at Draddy Gymnasium from Dec. 17-Jan. 16.