Manhattan University Athletics

Albany, NY - After tying for fourth-place in the MAAC regular season and earning a #6 seed in the conference championship, Manhattan women's basketball will face #11 Saint Peter's Thursday, March 7.

Tip-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The contest will be streamed live on ESPN3. 

Game Notes:

Last Outing
Manhattan (11-18, 9-9 MAAC) broke open a close game with a big second half, posting a dominating 53-33 win over Canisius in the regular season finale for each team. Julie Høier ( Aabyhoej, Denmark / Marselisborg Gymnasium) scored 14 points with nine rebounds and three assists off the bench to pace the Jaspers on offense against the Griffs. Sophomore Courtney Warley (West Chester, PA / Bishop Shanahan) pulled down 11 rebounds, reaching double-figures on the glass for the 15th time this year. As a unit, Manhattan registered an impressive 2.67 assist/turnover ratio, committing just six turnovers, a season low. The Jaspers forced 17 Canisius miscues on the other end. 

Down the Stretch
Manhattan won four of its last five games on its way to a fourth-place tie with Monmouth and Canisius in the final MAAC standings. After opening conference play 1-5 in the league, the Jaspers defeated Marist by 18 in Poughkeepsie on January 27. Manhattan went 7-4 after that banner win, picking up another upset at Rider (60-57) on February 17.

Defense Wins Championships
Manhattan has consistently ranked second in the MAAC for scoring defense this year, allowing just 56.6 points per game from opponents, good for 26th in all of NCAA Division I. The Jaspers are one of just four MAAC teams to hold foes under a 60-point average, and conference opponents have averaged just 53.4 points against the Js.

With 37.9 rebounds per game, Manhattan ranks third in the league. The Jaspers also lead the MAAC with 4.1 blocks per game and rank second with 9.2 steals per contest.

Postseason Honors
Warley and teammate D'yona Davis (Bronx, NY / Truman) earned MAAC postseason honors on Monday, March 4. Warley was named to the 2019 All-MAAC Third Team, while Davis was a unanimous selection to the MAAC All-Rookie Team. 

Warley, a MAAC All-Rookie selection last year, led the MAAC in rebounding this season, averaging 9.0 boards per game overall this year. She shot a team-high 43 percent from the field, while also averaging 2.2 steals per game (tied for second in the league) and 1.7 blocks per contest (second in the conference). Davis, who started 17 games for the Jaspers, ranked 26th in the MAAC with a team-high 8.9 points per game, shooting .400 from the field. She added 3.0 rebounds per game, as well as 1.1 assists and 1.3 steals. Davis nabbed 10 double-figure scoring games this season, including two 20-point games, and led the Jaspers in scoring seven times. She averaged 10 points per game against MAAC foes.  

Warley's World
In MAAC games, Warley led the league with 9.9 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. She ranks 18th in all of NCAA Division I with 4.0 offensive rebounds per game and 50th in total rebounds (262). She also ranks 50th in blocked shots (50) this season. 

Warley earned 11+ boards in five of the Jaspers' last six games. She pulled down a career-high of 14 against Iona on January 18. Warley notched a career-high six blocks against Niagara on January 24, and a personal best seven steals at Iona on February 22.

Taitt the Great
Lynette Taitt (Irvington, NJ / Bishop Loughlin) scored in double-figures in 11 of the Jaspers' 18 MAAC games, including 10 of the last 12, on her way to averaging 9.8 points against conference foes. She became the Jaspers' go-to weapon late in close games, hitting go-ahead baskets at Rider (60-57) and Iona (54-52). She doled out a team-high 53 assists in MAAC play, adding 2.3 steals per MAAC game. 

The Regular Season Match-Ups
Manhattan won both regular season games against the Peacocks (1-14, 6-23) this year. In game one at Saint Peter's, Manhattan held the Peacocks to eight points in the fourth quarter to come away with a convincing 62-44 win. Warley scored a career-high 20 points, and grabbed 11 rebounds. She added four steals and four blocks in the game, as well.

In game two at Draddy Gymnasium, Høier earned her first double-double of the season, scoring 15 points and pulling down a career-high 12 rebounds. Hoier went 6-13 from the floor and 3-4 from the foul line. She earned eight defensive boards, while adding three assists, two blocks and a steal. The Jaspers defeated the Peacocks 62-46.

About the Peacocks
Saint Peter's boasts another MAAC All-Rookie selection, Briyanah Richardson. The freshman guard had the highest scoring game in the MAAC this season, putting up 39 points against Fairfield on January 15. The mark put her in the top-10 for most points in a single game in MAAC women's history. Richardson led her team averaging 13.1 points per game, which was sixth in the MAAC and the highest by any freshman. She also averaged 3.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 3.4 rebounds per game.

The Peacocks' one MAAC win this season came at Fairfield, a close 68-65 final. But Saint Peter's ranks as the league's second-best three-point shooting team (.325) and earned the third-highest steals per game in the conference (8.8). Along with Richardson, Zoe Pero also averages double-figures for the Peacocks (12.8 points per game).

All-Time Series
Saint Peter's leads the series 52-35.