- South Florida men’s basketball is on an unbelievable heater– but also still on the bubblePosted 2 months ago
- Kobe Bufkin is balling out for Atlanta Hawks’ G League team. When will he be called up to NBA?Posted 3 months ago
- Former Knicks guards Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett may yet prove Raptors won the OG Anunoby tradePosted 4 months ago
- Rebounding savant Oscar Tshiebwe finally gets NBA chance he’s deserved for yearsPosted 4 months ago
- Is Tyrese Maxey vs. Tyrese Haliburton the next great NBA guard rivalry?Posted 5 months ago
- The Detroit Pistons are going to be a problem in a few yearsPosted 6 months ago
- March Madness hero, ex-Fairleigh Dickinson guard Demetre Roberts joins Austin Spurs’ G League training camp rosterPosted 6 months ago
- Cam Thomas is balling out once again. Will he finally stay in the Nets’ lineup?Posted 6 months ago
- Former NBA lottery pick Elfrid Payton lights up Raptors as emergency replacement for Australia’s Cairns TaipansPosted 6 months ago
- How does Damian Lillard compare to Jrue Holiday on defense?Posted 7 months ago
Manhattan Jaspers: NCAA Tournament Profile
- Updated: March 10, 2014
Beamon averages 19.4 ppg for the Jaspers. (AP Photo)
Manhattan (25-7, 15-5 MAAC)- The Jaspers were the preseason favorite to win the MAAC, and though they weren’t appreciably better than Quinnipiac or Iona (Editor’s note: QU grad here, disgusted with the Bobcats’ performance in the semis), Manhattan outlasted both to capture the MAAC tournament title. The Jaspers are led by a pair of quick guards in 6-4 George Beamon (19.4 points, 6.5 rebounds per game) and 6-2 Michael Alvarado (12.3 ppg, 4.1 apg) and love to press. Their goal is to get out and score in transition. Manhattan likes to play the game in the 80’s, and forces 21 turnovers per game, which ranks 9th in the country.
The Jaspers own a win at South Carolina, and lost to George Washington by six early in the season. The MAAC champion has won a game in the NCAA Tournament five times since 2002, and Iona earned an at-large bid in 2011, so this is not a patsy league.
Beamon has gotten some NBA consideration, and though he’s slight of frame, has the ability to go on an offensive explosion at any given time. Manhattan also features a sharpshooter in 6-5 guard Shane Richards, who looks like a walk-on but could be a game-changer if he gets hot from behind the arc. He had 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting from three in Manhattan’s 71-68 triumph over Iona in the MAAC final.
KEY STATS:
Opponent Turnovers per Game: 9th (21.7)
Points per Game: 38th (77.6)
Points per Possession: 125th (1.5)
Three Point Percentage: 77th (36.7)
