Riverdale, NY - Junior Zavier Turner (Indianapolis, IN / Ball State) scored a team-high 19 points to pace three players in double-figures as Manhattan dropped a heartbreaking 77-76 decision to Canisius in the MAAC opener for each team.
The Golden Griffins improve to 3-4 while the Jaspers fall to 2-5.
In the opening stanza, Canisius started the game on a 14-6 run only to see Manhattan respond with an 11-2 run in taking a 17-16 lead with just over 12 minutes in the first half.
The Golden Griffins would briefly answer only to see the Jaspers grab control of the game with 11-straight points in taking a 30-21 lead with 8:29 to play. Junior Calvin Crawford (Middletown, NY / St. Thomas More (CT)) got things started with a three pointer before grabbing a rebound on the ensuing possession.
Freshman Aaron Walker Jr. (Brooklyn, NY / Cardozo) then converted a three-point play and junior Zane Waterman (Winston-Salem, NC / Fayetteville Academy) blocked a Kassius Robertson layup with Turner grabbing the rebound. Turner then canned a triple on the other end before junior Samson Usilo (Jr., Brooklyn, NY / Nazareth (NY)) capped the spurt with a layup.
After Canisius fought back to make a three-point game with 5:48 to play in the first half, Manhattan responded with a 14-3 half-ending run, including eight-straight at point. Freshman Na'Quan Council (Blackwood, NJ / Scotland Performance Institute (PA)) capped the spurt with back-to-back triples, the last of which beat the buzzer while giving the Jaspers a 46-32 halftime lead.
Manhattan shot 52.9 percent (18-of-34) from the floor, including 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from deep, in the first half while turning 12 Golden Griffin miscues into an 18-3 advantage in points off turnovers.
After halftime, Canisius was able to rally thanks to 13 points from Jermaine Crumpton and 12 from Kassius Robertson.
Crumpton led all players with 26 points to go along with nine rebounds to lead the way for the visitors.
Manhattan, which pulled down at least 40 rebounds for the third-straight game, won the battle of the boards for the seventh-straight game by a 40-39 count with Waterman grabbing a game-high 10. Crawford added 12 points while junior Zavier Peart (Miami, FL / Eastern Florida State) chipped in with 10 points.
The Jaspers will return to action at Saint Peter's on Sunday, Decmeber 4 with opening tip tabbed for 2:00 pm.