RIVERDALE, NY – The Manhattan Jaspers Men’s Basketball team (1-0) took down the Bears of St. Joseph’s Brooklyn (0-1) by a score of 125-59 on Tuesday night inside Draddy Gymnasium.

HOW IT HAPPENED


After 226 days, the Jaspers, who were selected to finish fourth in the MAAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, were ready to get back to work inside the friendly confines of Draddy Gymnasium.
Starting back and forth were both the Jaspers and Bears alike, with back-to-back buckets to open the game.
Reigning NE10 Rookie of the Year Erik Oliver Bush, who found junior guard Jaden Winston for the driving layup to put Manhattan in the driver’s seat, never looked back.
Off a missed floating jumper, it was junior forward Anthony Isaac who posted his first NCAA basket to force the Bears to take their first timeout of the game.
Into the game was Norfolk State transfer Terrance Jones, who nabbed his first trey of his Jasper career off a near-perfect Winston pass.
Down the stretch of the first half, Marko Ljubicic strongarmed his way into the low post to add points eight and nine of the half for the sophomore, before Devin Dinkins capitalized on a Bears’ turnover.
Burying threes were the Jaspers, who found the arc, and most notably, was Fraser Roxburgh to tack on his first triple of the night.
To end the half, Ljubicic capitalized on a Winston missed triple attempt, who netted the buzzer-beater to take a double-digit lead into the locker room.
Joining the party was freshman guard Quron Elliott, who posted his first collegiate bucket on an assist from Isaac midway through the second stanza.
Freshman guard Omari Moore added to the Jasper lead with his first collegiate basket.
Manhattan capped off a near-perfect night from junior forward Michael Lawlor, who netted his 13th point of the night off a commanding three-pointer to seal the first victory of the Jaspers’ season.

STATS AND NOTES


Graduate guard Terrance Jones opened his Green and White career with 21 points on seven-of-10 shooting, which included five triples, and grabbed two boards in 13 minutes on the floor.
Redshirt Junior guard Devin Dinkins posted 19 points on five-of-11 from the floor. The reigning MAAC Sixth Man of the Year and All-Conference Third Teamer went a perfect eight-for-eight from the charity stripe.
Sophomore forward Fraser Roxburgh added 15 points to the scoresheet, while corralling 10 boards for his first double-double of the season. The Australian native converted the two free throws attempted in his one trip to the line.
Sophomore forward Marko Ljubicic netted 14 points on five-of-six shooting from the floor and grabbed 12 rebounds for his first career double-double.
Freshman guard Asier Miguel logged 13 points on five-of-seven shooting with one triple and three rebounds. The first-year guard also logged his first career block in the contest.
Junior guard Jackson Delaney added six points off two triples with one rebound and an assist.
The Jaspers’ 125 points are a new program record, set initially back against the Wagner Seahawks during the 1971-72 season, when the Green and White posted 119.

NEXT UP:

Manhattan kicks off its West Coast swing as the Jaspers trek to Southern California to take on the Trojans of USC on Sunday, November 9, beginning at 6 p.m. EST, inside the Galen Center. The contest can be viewed with a paid subscription on Big Ten Plus.

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