MOUNT ST. MARY'S (11-19, 7-12 MAAC) at MANHATTAN (12-16, 10-9 MAAC)
Saturday, March 4, 2023, 2:00 p.m.
Draddy Gymnasium | Riverdale, N.Y.
GAME NOTES (PDF) | LIVE STATS | WATCH on ESPN3
MOUNT STORY LINES
- Mount St. Mary's earned a 63-58 win at Rider on Sunday behind a strong defensive effort. The Mount held Rider to 37.7 percent shooting in the game, including 4-of-16 (.250) from three-point range. The Mountaineers built a 15-point second-half lead (44-29) and held off a late Rider rally to secure the win. Jalen Benjamin scored 15 points while Malik Jefferson added 13 points and a season-high 14 rebounds in the win. Â
- Malik Jefferson recorded his third double-double of the season at Rider, and is rounding into form down the stretch. The 6-9 forward is averaging 12.5 points and 10.5 rebounds over the past two games, shooting 71.4 percent (10-of-14) from the field.
- Manhattan holds a 11-6 lead in the all-time series with the Mountaineers. This will be the Mount's first trip to Draddy Gymnasium a 71-57 Manhattan victory on Nov. 21, 2000. The Jaspers downed the Mount, 62-57, at Knott Arena in Emmitsburg on Jan. 13, 2023.
- The Mount clinches the No. 8 seed in the MAAC Tournament with a win over Manhattan or a Canisius loss to Niagara. If the Mount loses to Manhattan and Canisius beats Niagara, the Mount is the No. 9 seed except for one scenario. The Mount can fall to the No. 10 seed with a loss to Manhattan paired with wins by Canisius, Saint Peter's (over Siena) and Marist (over Quinnipiac).
- Malik Jefferson will be playing his 132nd career game at Manhattan on Saturday. That mark will break the school record for games played set by Junior Robinson (2014-18). Jefferson has started 129 of his 131 career games, totaling 1,113 points and 902 rebounds.
- Jalen Benjamin led the Mountaineers with 15 points in the win at Rider on Sunday. Benjamin has been hot down the stretch, averaging 19.9 points and 4.1 assists over the past seven games, shooting 48.0 percent from the field. Benjamin has four 20-point games over that span, including a pair of 25+ point efforts. Benjamin has scored 15 or more points on 18 occasions this season.
- Up next, the Mount will play in the First Round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament on Tuesday, March 7, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
