Game Notes
GAME #10: Manhattan Jaspers (4-5) at Bucknell Bison (7-3)
Tuesday, December 20, 2016 - 6:00 PM
Lewisburg, PA - Sojka Pavilion (4,000)
Video: Patriot League Network
Live Stats
TODAY'S GAME
The Jaspers (4-5) conclude their four-game road trip with a visit to Bucknell (7-3) on Tuesday evening. In its last outing, Manhattan dropped a 63-60 decision at Fordham in the annual “Battle of the Bronx” on Saturday afternoon. The Bison, meanwhile, have won two straight. Bucknell is coming off a 77-66 victory over Cleveland State on Sunday. This is Manhattan's last contest before an eight-day holiday break. The Jaspers return to Drady Gymnasium for the first time in a month to open a four-game homestand against New Hampshire on Dec. 28.
ABOUT THE JASPERS
Manhattan (4-5), which concludes a four-game road trip tonight, suffered a 63-60 loss at Fordham on Saturday. Junior guard Amani Tatum paces the Jaspers in scoring with an average of 9.1 points per game. She's also tied for the MAAC lead in assists (4.8 apg) and ranks third in the league in steals (2.6 spg). Junior center Kayla Grimme records a team-high 6.8 rebounds per contest to go along with 8.9 points per outing. In addition, her 2.8 blocks a night are a conference-high. Senior guard Maeve Parahus tallies 8.0 points per game, and she's second in the MAAC with a .442 three-point percentage. Parahus drains 2.1 treys per contest. Senior center Mikki Guiton, meanwhile, contributes 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per outing. After an eight-day break, the Jaspers begin a four-game homestand on Dec. 28, when they take on New Hampshire (7-3) in their final non-conference tilt.
ABOUT THE BISON
Bucknell (7-3) has won its last two games and four of its last five. The Bison defeated Cleveland State by a 77-66 count on Sunday. Senior forward Claire DeBoer, the Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year, registers 14.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Sophomore forward Kaitlyn Slagus, meanwhile, is the only player in the Patriot League averaging a double-double this season. She tallies 14.0 points and a conference-best 10.3 boards per contest to go along with 1.5 blocks per outing. Slagus also leads the Bison with 1.8 three-pointers a night, and she's shooting .400 from beyond the arc. Senior forward Sune Swart registers 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, and sophomore guard Kyi English notches 8.9 points per contest. Senior guard Megan McGurk paces the Bison with 2.9 assists per outing. Following the game, Bucknell will have 10 days off before starting Patriot League play against Navy (7-3) on Dec. 30.
SERIES HISTORY
This is just the fourth all-time meeting between the Jaspers and Bison. Last season, Bucknell posted a 61-56 win over Manhattan at Draddy Gymnasium for its first-ever win over the Jaspers. That matchup was the first between the squads since the 2004-05 season, when Manhattan posted a 77-49 victory in Riverdale on Nov. 28, 2004. The only previous time the Jaspers visited Sojka Pavilion, they came away with a 59-49 win on Jan. 2, 2004.
LAST TIME OUT
In its first game following a 10-day break, Manhattan suffered a 63-60 loss in the “Battle of the Bronx” at rival Fordham on Saturday. The Jaspers had the ball and a chance to tie, but their three-point attempt at the buzzer was off the mark. Manhattan led 52-41 after three quarters and 55-41 after a Julie Høier trey early in the fourth, but the Rams rallied to pull ahead for good with just under 2:00 remaining. There were four ties and 13 lead changes in the contest. Neither side held an advantage of more than four points throughout the first half, and Fordham had a 26-25 lead at intermission. Amani Tatum paced the Jaspers with 13 points (all in the second half), while Høier finished with a career-high 11 points to go along with three assists. Kayla Grimme added seven points, and Gabby Cajou registered a career-best four steals.
