Box Score
RIVERDALE, NY – After playing five out of six on the road, the Manhattan College women's basketball team returned home on Sunday afternoon for its annual “Play 4 Kay” game against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) rival Fairfield. The Jaspers (7-18, 3-13 MAAC) were unable to come away with the victory, however, as the Stags (13-11, 10-5 MAAC) notched a 64-43 win at Draddy Gymnasium.
Fairfield scored the first nine points of the game and led 22-10 after one quarter. Manhattan trimmed its deficit to six, 22-16, on a Kayla Grimme (Altoona, PA) jumper with 6:47 left in the second quarter before the Stags responded with six straight points to bring the margin back to 12 at 28-16.
The Stags led 33-20 at halftime and increased their cushion to 53-30 heading into the fourth quarter. Manhattan rallied for the first eight points of the final period to pull within 53-38, but that's as close as the Jaspers would get, as Fairfield secured a 64-43 victory.
Grimme recorded her second straight double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Amani Tatum (Cambria Heights, NY) added 12 points and three assists, while Taylor Williams (Windsor, CT) finished with seven points and four boards off the bench. Manhattan shot 30.6 percent (15-of-49) from the field, 11.5 percent (3-of-26) from three-point range, and 66.7 percent (10-of-15) at the free throw line.
Kelsey Carey led the Stags with 15 points to go along with seven rebounds and three assists. Samantha Cooper tallied 11 points, eight boards and four assists, while Kristine Miller contributed 10 points and five rebounds. Kendra Landy added nine points and six assists for Fairfield. The Stags shot 53.7 percent (29-of-54) from the floor and outrebounded the Jaspers 34-28. Fairfield went 2-for-12 (16.7 percent) from downtown and 4-for-9 (44.4 percent) at the charity stripe.
Up next for the Jaspers is a 5 p.m. matchup at Monmouth (12-12, 7-8 MAAC) on Thursday. The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
NOTES: It was Manhattan's 10th annual “Play 4 Kay” game for breast cancer awareness…The Jaspers honored survivors during a halftime ceremony and sold pink t-shirts to benefit breast cancer charities…The players also wore pink t-shirts, headbands and socks…Manhattan has faced Fairfield more than any other opponent in program history…The Stags lead the all-time series 47-37…Grimme has seven double-doubles this season and five in the Jaspers' last seven games…The contest was the opener of a Manhattan basketball doubleheader, as the Jasper men's team took on Saint Peter's following the women's game…Prior to the contest, there was a co-ed alumni game that included approximately 20 former women's players.