Box Score Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF)Baltimore, MD - Senior Shane Richards (New York, NY / York Prep) drained a career-high seven three pointers en route to matching his career-high of 28 points while junior Rich Williams (Brooklyn, NY / Vermont Academy (VT)) notched his second double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds) to lead Manhattan to a 78-66 win over Morgan State.
After the Bears opened the game with a quick bucket, the Jaspers quickly responded with this RaShawn Stores (Sr., Bronx, NY / Robinson School (NJ)) layup before freshman Thomas Capauno (Hastings-on-Hudson, NY / Iona Prep) drained this jumper. Richards then canned his first triple of the game in giving the visitors the early 7-2 lead at the 17:45 mark while forcing a timeout.
After Antonio Gillespie briefly answered with a triple, Richards buried
this three before
converting his third in staking Manhattan to an early 13-7 lead with 16:28 remaining.
Morgan State responded with a jumper before
Tyler Wilson (Bronx, NY / Cardinal Hayes) found Stores
with this nifty pass for the first of his career-high matching 10 assists in giving the Jaspers a 15-9 game advantage with 14:59 until halftime.
The Bears would continue to fight and tied the game up at 19-19 with 11:18 remaining in the opening half. However, Williams immediately responded with a jumper just 15 seconds later in giving Manhattan a lead it would not relinquish the rest of the way.
Williams followed with a pair of free throws and
this jumper in capping a personal 6-0 run.
The lead would grow to a half-high 11 when Capuano canned a three pointer before Wilson capped the Jaspers' season-high 46-point first half ouput
with this impressive layup as the visitors took an eight-point lead into the break.
After halftime, WIlliams opened the scoring
with this three pointer while setting the tone for the rest of the game.
The lead would grow to a game-high 14 on five occasions in the second half, but Manhattan would have to continue to fight in putting away the Morgan State.
With 7:26 to play, Richards converted his career-high seventh three pointer, extending the Jaspers advantage out to 65-51 as the visitors appeared to be in complete control.
However, it wouldn't be that easy as the Bears ripped off six-straight points en route to notching a 10-1 run in trimming the deficit to 66-61 with 5:02 remaining. Morgan State then had a chance to make it a single-possession game but were forced into a turnover and Manhattan immediately took advantage.
Williams hit a jumper to a spark a game-clinching 6-0 run in extending the Jasper advantage out to 72-61. The lead would twice more hit 14 points before Manhattan exited Baltimore with a hard-fought 78-66 victory.
The Jaspers (3-7)scored a season-high 78 points, fueled by a season-best 10 three pointers and 87.0 percent (20-of-23) conversion rate from the line. The Bears shot a solid 47.8 percent (22-of-46) from the line, but made good on just 25.0 percent (2-of-8) from deep.
Manhattan is next in action at Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday, December 29 at 2:00 pm.
Notes:
* Richards' seven three pointers are tied for the second-most in a single game in school history.
* Richards and Williams both hit for 20 points, marking the first time since Emmy Andujar and Richards each hit the mark in last year's 79-70 victory over Fairfield.
* Richards is now averaging 24.0 points per game over two career games against Morgan State while converting on 52.4 percent (11-of-21) from deep.
* The Jaspers recorded six runs of at least five-straight points, including five of at least six.
* Manhattan is now a perfect 3-0 when leading at the half this season and when either tied or leading with five minutes to play.
* Sophomore Calvin Crawford (Middletown, NY / St. Thomas More (CT)) made his season-debut, scoring two points with a rebound in six minutes of action.
* Sophomore walk-on Chris Rivera (Bronx, NY / All Hallows) was added to the roster before the game and played six minutes, notching one rebound and one assist.
* Wilson's 10 assists marked his second 10-assist performance this season after the Jaspers went almost 14 years without one double-digit performance. Wilson also added nine points off the bench.
* Capuano recorded his third double-digit scoring performance of the year, finishing with 10 points to go along with three steals.
* Manhattan is now 3-1 against Morgan State and is 6-3, all-time, against the MEAC.
* The Jaspers are limiting opposing three-point shooters to just 23.5 percent (12-of-51) shooting over the last four games.
