Bronx Insider: Sports Desk: Manhattan Men's Basketball Edged by Mount St. Mary's.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Manhattan Edged by Mount St. Mary's on Senior Day.

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – In the regular season finale for both teams, Manhattan was edged at home by Mount St. Mary’s, 74-69.

The Jaspers almost pulled off the win after trailing by double-digits in the first half for the third straight game.

Manhattan (12-17, 10-10 MAAC) rallied from a 19-point first-half deficit against Mount St. Mary’s (12-19, 8-12 MAAC) to lead by six early in the second half. Manhattan used a 27-5 run spanning the first and second halves to take a 3-point lead, 50-47, with 11:33 remaining.

“Tough one today. They came strong today, but we fought back,” said interim head coach RaShawn Stores. “[Our team] believes in each other. That is all you can ask for as we get closer to tournament time.”

The 27-5 stretch by the Jaspers spanned over 10 minutes and saw the Jaspers go 12-19 from the field. Seven Jaspers scored during the stretch. Defensively, Manhattan held Mount St. Mary’s to 2-15 shooting and forced four turnovers. That cooled a red-hot Mountaineer offense. The Mount hit over 50-percent from the floor and 3-point range in the opening 20 minutes.  

Putting the Jaspers into the lead for the first time Saturday was Nick Brennen with a corner three assisted by Ant Nelson, putting them up 48-47. The Jaspers held the lead until the Mountaineers scored eight straight to take a two-point advantage, 57-55, with 7:23 to play.

An immediate answer by the Jaspers followed with seven straight points to lead 62-57 with 5:35 left, which included a triple from Samir Stewart. The Mount took the lead for good at the end of a 9-0 stretch to build a 66-62 advantage.

Manhattan made it a one-possession game multiple times inside the final 90 seconds, but The Mount responded each time with a bucket or free throws.

Three Jaspers scored in double digits today, with one of them dropping a double-double. Nelson dropped 17 points while also dishing out seven assists. Nick Brennan sunk three of his six threes and finished the game with 15. Josh Robers was the Jasper who dropped a double-double accumulating 14 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. It was his fifth double-double of the season.

Before the game, the Jaspers honored the 2023 senior class.

Next for the Jaspers is the MAAC Tournament in Atlantic City, N.J., next week.

For the latest on the Manhattan College men's basketball program, follow the Jaspers on Twitter @JaspersMBB and Instagram @Jaspers.MBB.

Bronx Insider: Sports Desk: Manhattan Men's Basketball Sweeps Season Series with Siena.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jaspers Make it Back-to-Back Wins with Comeback Win at Siena.

ALBANY, N.Y. – Manhattan erased a double-digit first-half deficit for the second straight game and held on for a 67-66 win at Siena on Thursday night. The win gives the Jaspers a season sweep over the Saints.

Manhattan (12-16, 10-9 MAAC) picked up its second straight win and keeps the Jaspers’ chances alive to get a bye next week at the MAAC Tournament.

“This group has done a great job of battling adversity all year,” said interim head coach RaShawn Stores. “We have a mentally tough group, and we don’t panic in tough situations, it actually brings us closer together.”

The Jaspers closed the first half by scoring 17 of the final 21 points to tie the score at 37. The 17-4 run was part of a larger 32-8 stretch that spanned the first and second halves. Siena (17-13, 11-8) led 33-20 with 6:01 to play in the first half before the Jaspers’ run started. In the first half, the Jaspers shot 55-percent from deep and 60-percent from the field.

Nick Brennen hit a 3-pointer to start the run for the Jaspers. The run lasted 12 minutes and saw the Jaspers go 13-17 from the field, 3-3 from 3-point range, and record five steals. Marques Watson had seven, and Ant Nelson, Josh Roberts, and Samir Stewart added six for the Jaspers. Defensively, Manhattan held Siena to 3-17 shooting. Manhattan built a 52-41 lead with 14:35 left at the end of the run.

Siena got back on track and scored 13 straight points to retake the lead at 54-52. With 8:42 remaining, Daniel Schreier scored six consecutive points to start an 8-0 stretch for the Jaspers.

Manhattan took the lead for good when Samir Stewart hit a wing 3-pointer with 3:39 remaining to make it 67-65. The triple put Stewart over 1,000 career points. It wound up being the last field goal by either team. The only point scored over the final 3:39 was a free throw by Javian McCollum with 1:29 to play. The teams missed their last nine shots combined.

Five Jaspers scored in double figures. Watson led the way with 15 points. The fifth-year added seven rebounds and four assists. Roberts finished with 12, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Stewart finished with 11, and Nelson and Schreier added 10. The 10 points are a new career-high for Schreier.

Stores added, “We all believe in each other, and everyone wants their brother to succeed. To win a championship in Atlantic City, it is going to take every single member of this team. The mental toughness and togetherness we have is definitely an asset going into tournament time.”

McCollum had a game-high 30 points for the Saints.

The Jaspers close the regular season on Saturday against Mount St. Mary’s at 2 p.m. inside Draddy Gymnasium.