Manhattan University Athletics

Hamden, CT - Manhattan will look to open 2020 with four-straight wins as the team travels to defending conference champions Quinnipiac on Saturday, January 11. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 pm and the game can be streamed live on ESPN3. 

GAME NOTES

Last Outing
Manhattan held Saint Peter's, the MAAC's highest scoring team, to 26 points below its season average on January 9, besting the Peacocks in an 85-52 victory at the Yanitelli Center. 

Going into Thursday's game, the Peacocks averaged a league-leading 78.4 points per game. The Manhattan defense, ranked second in the MAAC, forced 20 turnovers from Saint Peter's and out-rebounded the Peacocks 39-25, including 31 defensive boards. Manhattan shot 55.7 percent for the game, the best scoring performance of the team so far this season, including a 66.7 percent third-quarter where the Jaspers scored 28 points. 

Courtney Warley (West Chester, PA / Bishop Shanahan) scored a team-high 16 points, just one off her season scoring high. She sparked the Jasper offense from the start of the game, earning eight points in the opening period on 4-4 shooting from the floor. Warley added three steals, two assists and six rebounds to her stat line for the night. Lizahya Morgan (East Hartford, CT / Capital Preparatory Magnet) contributed a season-high 14 points for Manhattan, including nine in the first quarter on 3-4 shooting from three. Morgan added a game-high four steals, another season best. 

Defense Wins Championships
Manhattan ranks second in the MAAC in scoring defense, holding opponents to 60.3 points per game. The Jaspers are also second in three-point field goal percentage defense (.295) and blocked shots per game (3.2), while leading the MAAC in steals per game (9.7). 

NCAA Rankings
Manhattan ranks just above Nebraska for fewest turnovers per game in Division I (13.8), coming in at 47th in the nation. The squad also ranks among the nation's top 50 for best turnover margin, coming in at 46th (4.15).

Upcoming Milestones
Pamela Miceus (Haverstraw, NY / North Rockland) is just one block away from 46, which would tie her with both Barbara Kelly (1980-81) and Lindsey Loutsenhizer (2008-12) for 16th all-time.

With 524 career rebounds, Warley is 17 away from tying Linda Bores (1980-84) for 16th in program history. Warley is also 51 steals away from 15th on that all-time list. Currently fifth on the program's all-time blocks list, she is six away from 100 for her career.

Now at 250 career assists, Gabby Cajou (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) is seven away from tying Donna Seybold (1986-90) for 16th all-time, and is 27 steals away from tying Michelle Pacheco (2006-10) on that all-time list.

About the Bobcats
A number two pick in the MAAC Preseason Poll, Quinnipiac reigns as the defending MAAC champions. Now 1-2 in conference this season, the Bobcats have beaten Siena, while losing to both Iona and Rider this month.

Shaq Edwards leads Quinnipiac's offense with 15.3 points per game, good for sixth in the MAAC. Paige Warfel leads the league in rebounds per game, pulling down 10.6 boards per contest this season.

Previous Meeting
In the last meeting of Manhattan and Quinnipiac on February 28, 2019 in Hamden, the Jaspers were able to cut the Bobcat lead to single digits in the fourth quarter but were unable to spark a run, falling 59-42.
 
Lynette Taitt (Bronx, NY / Bishop Loughlin) paced the Jaspers with 17 points, including 11 in the first half, when she went 5-11 from the floor. Taitt added four assists and three steals, both tied for game-highs. Warley earned her fifth double-double of the year, scoring 14 points (all in the second half) and grabbing 12 boards. Though shooting just 2-7 from the floor, Warley went 10-12 from the foul line on the night. 

All-Time Series
Quinnipiac is 12-1 against the Jaspers all-time. The Jaspers' one victory against the Bobcats came on December 6, 2015, when Manhattan beat Quinnipiac 52-42 on the road to open the 2015-16 MAAC season 2-0. Former Manhattan guard Amani Tatum paced the Jaspers with 18 points, eight of which came in the fourth quarter. She added then career-highs of seven rebounds and five steals.