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Riverdale, NY - Manhattan (7-10; 4-4 MAAC) returns to action against Monmouth (14-4; 6-1 MAAC) on Thursday, January 21 at 8:00 pm on ESPN3.
TOP STORYLINES
#1 - The Jaspers hold a 7-2 advantage in the all-time series, including going 4-0 at Draddy Gymnasium.
#2- Manhattan has claimed all four meetings between the teams since Monmouth joined the MAAC prior to the 2013-2014 season, winning by an average of 10.3 points per game each time out.
#3 - Thursday's game kicks off an arduous stretch that will see the Jaspers play against the top three teams in the MAAC (Monmouth, Saint Peter's, Iona).
QUICK HITS
* Thursday's game kicks off an arduous stretch that will see the Jaspers play against the top three teams in the MAAC (Monmouth, Saint Peter's, Iona).
* Manhattan defeated Niagara by a 69-64 count on Sunday thanks to 22 points from senior Shane Richards.
* Richards has now hit for at least 20 points seven times this year and 14 for his career.
* All four of the Jaspers' MAAC wins have come by eight points or less with three of their four losses coming by five points or less.
* Manhattan has won six of its last nine games thanks to averaging 72.8 ppg while shooting 45.1 percent from the floor, including 41.1 percent from long range, and 74.5 percent from the line.
* Defensively, the Jaspers are limiting the opposition to just 43.7 percent shooting from the floor and 29.2 percent from deep, including 21.3 percent (16-of-75) after halftime, over the last nine.
* Richards is averaging a team-best 19.0 points per game over the last nine games while shooting 44.4 percent (48-of-108) from the field, 43.5 percent (27-of-62) on threes and 87.3 percent (48-of-55) from the line.
* Also during the last nine games junior Rich Williams (14.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and sophomore Zane Waterman (11.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg) are also scoring in double-figures. Senior RaShawn Stores is shooting 43.9 percent (18-of-41) from deep with a 2.3 assist/turnover ratio with junior Tyler Wilson averaging 6.3 assists each time out with a 2.0 assist/turnover ratio.
* Since taking over the head coaching reins in 2011-2012, Steve Masiello is 61-34 (.642) against MAAC teams, including going 32-11 (.744) at home and 21-21 (.510) on the road.
* In the last five minutes over the last nine games the Jaspers have outscored the opposition by an average of 3.7 points per game thanks to making good on 79.4 percent (50-of-63) from the line while holding opposing teams to 32.9 percent shooting (26-of-79), including just 20.0 percent (5-of-25) from long range.
* This season, opposing three-point shooters are converting on 38.1 percent (51-of-134) in the first half compared to a scant 28.2 percent (37-of-131) after halftime.
* Over the final five minutes/overtime during MAAC play, Manhattan is shooting a blistering 81.6 percent (40-of-49) from the line.
* Richards has paced the Jaspers in scoring in each of the last five games, averaging 20.2 points, 3.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game during that time while shooting 50.8 percent from the field (31-of-61), including 50.0 percent (16-of-32) from beyond the arc, highlighted by a career-high 32 points in the win at Canisius, on 11-of-14 shooting (6-of-7, 3-pt).
* On the year, Richards has led Manhattan in scoring 11 times with 16 double-figures performances while notching seven of the Jaspers' 13 20-point performances.
* After halftime over his last nine games, Richards is notching 10.8 points each time out while shooting 50.0 percent (16-of-32) from long range and 90.6 percent (29-of-32) from the line, highlighted by hitting for 25 of his career-high 32 in the second half of the victory at Canisius and 15 of his team-high 21 points in the win vs. Siena.
* In the victory over Morgan State, Richards converted a career-high seven three pointers en route to registering 28 points with seven caroms.
* A 2015-2016 All-MAAC Preseason Second Team selection, Richards was the hero in the first win of the year, a 69-67 come-from-behind triumph over George Mason, thanks to banking in a jumper with 1.2 seconds to play after earlier becoming the 37th member of the school's 1,000-point club.
* The New York native ranks among the MAAC leaders in scoring (18.3 ppg-4th), free throw percentage (.832-5th), threes (2.6/game-4th) and minutes (37.2-2nd).
* From long range, Richards has converted at least three triples in 56 of his 115 games, including at least four 31 times, and is the school's single-season (92-2015) and career (278) leader in threes. When he connects on four in a game, the Jaspers are 21-10, including 17-7 over the last three seasons.
* Lost in the midst of Richards' offensive outburst in the win over Canisius was Williams' third career double-double (19 points, 11 rebounds) with a career-high five assists. Following his 11-point, eight-rebound performance at Niagara he has now paced the team on the glass a team-best 10 times.
* He had his second double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds) in the win over Morgan State after registering his first against Columbia (17 points, 11 rebounds).
* Williams has also hit for at least 20 points four times, highlighted by career-high 26 in the victory over George Mason.
* On the year, Williams, who paced Manhattan in scoring for the fourth time in the win over Fairfield with 14 points, is among the MAAC leaders in scoring (15.7 ppg-8th), rebounding (6.8 rpg-7th), defensive rebounds (5.1 drpg-4th) and free throw percentage (.785-10th).
* Williams has improved both his scoring (+10.2 ppg) and rebounding (+5.3) numbers from a year ago.
* The duo of Richards and Williams became the first set of Jasper teammates to each notch 20 points in a game this year in the win at Morgan State and are averaging a combined 34.0 points per game (2nd MAAC).
* Over his last seven games, Stores is averaging 10.9 points, 3.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 43.6 percent (17-of-39) from deep with a 3.14 assist/turnover ratio. In the win over Niagara, Stores scored 15 points, highlighted by four free throws over the final 11.9 seconds, after hitting for 16 points over a career-high 49 minutes in the win over Siena.
* Stores scored a career-high 18 points against Marist, fueled by a career-high matching five three pointers, and is averaging 8.8 points and 2.9 assists (12th MAAC) per game on the year while ranking second in the MAAC with a 43.5 percent (27-of-62) conversion rate from long range with 1.9 triples (13th MAAC) and 1.1 steals (14th MAAC) per game.
* For his career, Stores, a 2015-2016 All-MAAC Preseason Third Team selection, is shooting 41.7 percent (65-of-156) on threes after halftime for his career, including making good on 44.9 percent (40-of-89) since the start of last year. Stores also has a 3.3 assist/turnover ratio (56 assists/17 TO) over the last two years in the second half.
* The Jaspers are 42-22 over the last three years when Stores, who was granted an extra year of eligibility on July 22, 2015 by the NCAA, starts including going 17-8 last year.
* Both Richards & Stores are the only MAAC student-athletes to have played in each of the last three MAAC title games and have been a part of 64 total wins, including going 8-1 during MAAC Tournament play.
* Wilson, who helped energize Manhattan's recent back-to-back 90-point performances last week, is averaging 6.1 assists per game and has registered a career-high 10 assists twice this season, including most recently in the victory at Morgan State.
* Wilson, who has paced the squad in assists in 15 games this season, also dished out 10, against one turnover, vs. Marist. His performance against the Red Foxes was the first double-figure outing by a Jasper student-athlete since Von Damien Green had 10 against Saint Peter's on January 30, 2002.
* On the year, Wilson, who has also handed out at least seven assists on nine occasions, leads the MAAC and is 20th nationally (6.1 apg) while also ranking among the league leaders in steals (1.5 spg-5th) and assist-turnover ratio (1.8-4th).
* Waterman has hit for double-figures in three-straight and six-of-seven, averaging 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game during that time while shooting 48.4 percent (31-of-64) from the floor.
* He notched his first career double-double with 12 points and a personal-best and a Jasper season-high 13 points in the win over Siena after a career-high 23 points at EKU and has scored in double-figures.
* Waterman, who scored 22 points against Columbia, ranks among the league leaders in scoring (10.9 ppg-24th), rebounding (5.9 rpg-15th), field goal percentage (.477-10th) and offensive rebounding (2.1 opg-7th).
* Sophomore Calvin Crawford is averaging 10.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game over his last six, fueled by three double-figure scoring performances. After scoring a team-best matching 14 points in the victory over Fairfield, he notched a career-high 15 points in the win over Siena before registering 13 points and five caroms in the victory at Canisius.
* Freshmen Ak Ojo and Samson Usilo were each declared out for the rest of the season by Masiello.
* Manhattan turned Siena over 23 times and rank 25th nationally with a MAAC-best 16.1 forced turnovers per game and have turned the opposition over at least 16 times in 10 games.
* During Masiello's tenure, the Jaspers are 20-9 when forcing the opposition into at least 20 turnovers.
* Manhattan also had nine steals in the win against Siena before registering seven in both games against Niagara and lead the MAAC and rank 48th nationally with 7.8 per game.
* During MAAC play, Monmouth and the Jaspers are each averaging a league-best 8.0 steals per game.
* Manhattan had 10 steals in the win over Fairfield and is 32-5 when hitting the 10-steal standard since Masiello took over the program for the 2011-2012 season, including 21-2 over the last three years.
* The Jaspers are 41-5 when leading at the half over the last three seasons, including going a perfect 15-0 a year ago. Additionally, since the start of last season Manhattan is 22-2 when leading with five minutes to play and 17-13 in games decided by 10 points or less.
* Also, over the last three years, the Jaspers are 21-7 when limiting teams to less than 40 percent shooting, 25-8 when winning the battle of the boards and 33-15 when forcing more turnovers than the opposition.
* Masiello, who holds a career record of 86-63 (53-31 MAAC), set the school-record for MAAC Tournament wins a year ago with his eighth against Iona while breaking current ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla's previous mark.
* Since returning to Riverdale, Masiello has led Manhattan to a pair of MAAC Titles as well as a pair of 20-plus win campaigns. In his first tenure, he was a part of two MAAC Championships and three 20-plus win seasons. All told, Masiello has been a member of four of the five Jasper MAAC Championship teams and five of Manhattan's 12 20-win seasons in accruing a 169-99 record.
* In his 20th season as either a player or a coach, Masiello has a career collegiate record of 447-209, including 326-181 on the sidelines, with one National Title, two National Championship appearances, two Final Four appearances, six Elite Eight berths, eight conference championships, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and 15 20-win seasons.
KEY MANHATTAN MATCH-UPS
Three-Ball - Manhattan has been outstanding over the last nine games against opposing three-point shooters, limiting them to just 29.1 percent and 4.6 triples per game. The Jaspers will have to continue that success against a Monmouth team that leads the MAAC with a 38.7 percent conversion rate, including 41.7 percent during league play.
The Glass- If there is one thing that the Hawks have struggled with this season it is rebounding, as Monmouth is eighth in the circuit with a -2.4 rebounding margin.
Pressure- When these two teams play it is like looking in the mirror. Both teams apply 94 feet of pressure and are looking to turn the opposition every possession. The Jaspers lead the league in with 7.8 steals and 16.1 forced turnovers per game and will need to have success in both areas on Thursday night.
LAST NINE GAMES SPLITS
Second Half FG% (.472) | First Half FG% (.431)
Second Half FG% D (.396) | First Half FG% D (.485)
Second Half 3-Point O (41-of-93) | .441) | First Half 3-Point O (33-of-87) | .379)
Second Half 3-Point D (16-of-75) | .213) | First Half 3-Point D (25-of-66) | .379)
LAST YEAR AGAINST MONMOUTH
Manhattan averaged 79.0 points per game while shooting a blistering 51.0 percent (50-of-98) from the floor, including 45.5 percent (20-of-44) from deep. Richards averaged 14.5 points each time out while shooting 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from deep.
LOCKDOWN
Monmouth shooters made good on just 29.2 percent (7-of-24) from deep against the Jaspers last season.
FROM DOWNTOWN
Manhattan's 14 three pointers in the win at Canisius are the most since converting 14 in a 105-98 quadruple overtime loss at Canisius on January 30, 2000 and are just one off the school mark set in a win over Niagara on February 27, 1994.
EXCELLENCE PERSONIFIED
The Jaspers' 63.3 percent three-point conversion rate (14-of-22) in the win at Canisius is its best single-game mark since making good on 83.3 percent (10-of-12) in a 71-70 win at Columbia on November 12, 2013.
EFFICIENCY
Manhattan also scored on 17 of their final 20 offensive possessions in the first meeting with the Golden Griffins, going 11-of-17 (.647) from the floor, including 5-of-7 (.714) from deep, and 11-of-12 (.917) from the line.
FOR STARTERS
The Jaspers have used eight different starting line-ups through their first 17 games.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Richards, who became the 37th member of the school's 1,000-point club in the win over George Mason, is currently 18th with 1,251 points.
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
Eight of Manhattan's 13 student-athletes - Richards, Stores, Williams, Wilson, Crawford, Rivera, Capuano and Maloney - hail from the state of New York.
NEW LOOK AT DRADDY
Draddy Gymnasium will feature a state-of-the-art, sleek all-green look with white borders that will help showcase the school's brand in 2015-2016.
CLOSING IT OUT
Last year, the Jaspers went 9-4 in the months of February and March, and are 20-6 the last two years and 28-10 since the start of 2012-2013.
DRIVE TO THE TITLE
The Jaspers claimed their second-straight MAAC Championship a year ago thanks to outscoring the opposition by 14.3 ppg in the three-game event while posting a +6.3 margin on the glass and limiting opposing shooters to a miniscule 38.0 percent (60-for-158) conversion rate, including 22.0 percent (11-for-50) from distance, while winning all three games by double-figures.
POWERS TO HAVE NUMBER RETIRED
Former Manhattan College student-athlete, Head Men's Basketball Coach and AD Jack Powers will become the first Jasper to have his basketball uniform number 34 retired. It will be raised to the rafters on 'Jack Powers Night,' at halftime of the Iona game at Draddy Gym on February 26, 2016.
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