Manhattan sophomore guard Antoine Pearson hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 1:11 left in regulation time to help lift the visiting Jaspers to a 69-65 win over Canisius College Friday night in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action in the Koessler Athletic Center. The win improves Manhattan to 8-7 overall and 2-3 in the MAAC, while the Golden Griffins slipped to 2-13 overall and 0-5 in league play.
Canisius sophomore Frank Turner scored a game-high 18 points in the loss for the Griffs, while teammates Jovan Robinson and Greg Logins (pictured) added 15 and 12 points, respectively. The 15-point game for Robinson was a season-high for the sophomore guard and the 12-point effort by Logins marks his new career high.
Canisius trailed 65-60 with 3:11 left in the game but cut the Jaspers' advantage to 65-62 after freshman Elton Frazier drove the lane and laid one in for two points. After Manhattan came up empty on its next possession, Canisius came down the floor and missed a pair of shots but gained the offensive glass after the ball bounced off a Manhattan defender. Canisius came out of a 30-second timeout and knotted the game at 65-65 with 1:37 left on the clock after Robinson hit a 3-pointer from the left wing off a pass by junior guard Bob Bevilacqua.
Manhattan took a 30-second timeout after Robinson's three and Pearson was able to get an open look at the top of the key to give the Jaspers the lead for good. With 22 seconds left in the game, the Griffs gained possession on a jump ball in the paint, but were unable to capitalize on the Manhattan turnover after the Blue and Gold was called for an offensive foul before the ball was throw into play. Moments later, Manhattan guard Patrick Bouli hit a free throw to seal the win for Manhattan.
“I thought we played hard and battled tonight, but the bottom line is we didn't make enough plays,” Canisius head coach Tom Parrotta said.
Canisius came out of the gates on fire, taking a 22-10 lead 8:35 into the contest after Turner hit a pull-up jumper from just outside the lane on a fast break. Manhattan got back into the contest with a 17-0 run during a span of 4:01, capped by a lay-up from Rashad Green that put Manhattan up 27-22 with 7:09 left in the half. Canisius fought back and took a 35-34 lead with 1:53 left before intermission after Bevilacqua hit a 3-point field goal from the right wing, but Green's jumper 52 seconds later gave Manhattan the lead back at 36-35. The Jaspers led 38-35 at the half despite Canisius shooting 54.2 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes.
Manhattan had four players score in double figures, led by Darryl Crawford and his team-high 14 points off the bench. Green was good for 13 points and 11 rebounds in the win for the Jaspers, while Devon Austin and Chris Smith chipped in 11 points apiece.
Canisius will return to action Sunday, Jan. 13, when the team plays host to Siena in the Koessler Athletic Center. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m., and the game can be seen live in Buffalo, Rochester and Albany on Time Warner Cable.
Game Notes: Manhattan is now 42-29 all-time against Canisius... Bevilacqua had six points, two rebounds and two assists in his first college start... Canisius scored 23 points off turnovers in the loss... Eight of the nine Griffs that played Friday night scored at least two points.
