Manhattan Jaspers
Record: 25-7
Head coach: Steve Masiello (3rd season)
Season summary: The Jaspers played a weak nonconference schedule, with their sole NCAA tournament-bound opponent being George Washington, a game Manhattan lost 80-74. But the Jaspers played well during conference play, finishing second to Iona in regular season play in the MAAC with a 15-5 record. Manhattan punched its ticket to the Big Dance by defeating the Gaels in a tight 71-68 victory in the MAAC tournament championship game. Senior guard George Beamon leads the team in scoring and rebounding with 19.2 and 6.6 respectively, and posted 17 games in which he scored 20 or more points.
How they make a run: Beamon lights up Louisville and the Jaspers crash the offensive boards hard against a Cardinal team that ranks 145th in offensive rebounding.
How they falter: Manhattan’s 175th-ranked scoring defense allows Louisville’s eighth-ranked scoring offense to blow past them and Beamon fails to get hot, similar to his six-point performance against St. Peter’s in the MAAC tournament.Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
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