February 9, 2007 - Rider 75 Manhattan 68
February 9, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men’s College Basketball
RiderUniversity 75 Manhattan College 68
LAWRENCEVILLE—Junior Jason Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) compiled 23 points and a career-high 20 rebounds to lead Rider to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win over Manhattan Friday. “I’m proud of the way we played tonight,” said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey. “We were prepared to play well tonight.”
Trailing 32-24 at intermission, Rider (13-11, 7-7 MAAC) out-scored Manhattan 24-5 over the first eight minutes of the second half, nine points each by senior Terrance Mouton (Lafayette, LA/Acadiana) and sophomore Harris Mansell (Cheltenham, PA), to take a 48-37 lead with 12:00 left. “We really played good basketball during that stretch,” Dempsey said.
Mouton finished with 20 points and a career-high nine assists, while Mansell added 12 points and six rebounds. “We had a good mix of inside and out,” Mouton said. “We worked inside to Jason, and when he kicked it back out we were fortunate to make our shots.”
Mouton now has 1043 career points, 25th highest ever at Rider.
Thompson now has 13 ‘double-doubles’ this season and 26 for his career. Thompson is 10th in the nation in rebounds, 28th in scoring and 29th in blocked shots. He now has 1197 points, 17th highest ever at Rider, and 687 rebounds, ninth highest at Rider.
“We picked it up in the second half,” said Thompson, who had 14 points in the second half.
Manhattan (12-12, 9-5 MAAC) trailed 63-50 before going on a 14-2 run, 10 points by sophomore forward Devon Austin, to cut the lead to 65-64 with 3:33 left to play. That was as close as the Jaspers could get. Austin scored a game-high 38 points off the Manhattan bench. “Teams are going to make runs, there are not many blow outs in this league,’ Dempsey said. “We have good composure down the stretch, having been in some tight games this year.”
Trailing 20-10, Manhattan out-scored Rider 22-4 over the final nine minutes of the first half, 12 by Austin, to take a 32-24 lead at halftime.
Trailing 10-5, Rider went on a 15-0 run, six points by Thompson, to take a 20-10 lead mid-way through the first half. “Our big guy runs the floor as well as any big guy in the country,” Dempsey said of the 6’10” Thompson.
Thompson's 20 rebounds tied the Rider single-game record. The last time a Bronc grabbed 20 rebounds in a game was in 1977. Four Broncs have grabbed 20 caroms in a single contest, including Steve Jefferson, who did it twice, against La Salle in 1970-71 and against St. Joseph’s during the 1971-72 season. The last Bronc to do it was Joe Puhalski against Rochester during the 1976-77 season.
Freshman Ryan Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) added 12 points and seven rebounds off the Rider bench.
Rider and Manhattan have now split the home and home series the last four years, with the home team winning all eight games.
Rider has won 104 of its last 140 games in Alumni Gym (.743), including 6-4 this year. “It was nice to see this place rocking,” Dempsey said of the sold out Alumni Gym. “the crowd was here and into the game.”
Rider hosts Canisius Sunday afternoon. “Sunday is an extremely important game for us,’ Dempsey said. “This is a big weekend.”
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