It’s a new year, but it’s still the same season at Manhattan.
Stony Brook handed the Jaspers their fourth straight loss yesterday, 50-44, at Draddy Gymnasium, despite no Seawolves player scoring double-digit points.
Manhattan (3-9, 1-1) led for most of the second half, but met its demise after shooting 40 percent on free throws.
Already playing without leading scorer George Beamon, sidelined most of the season with an ankle injury, Manhattan lost guard Michael Alvarado in the first half after he injured his right ankle. His status is unknown.
“You can’t go 8-for-20 from the foul line and win games that way without Mike Alvarado and George Beamon,” Manhattan coach Steve Masiello said. “The margin of error for us right now is so small. I thought we took care of all the big areas to win the game, but we didn’t do the little things.”
The game looked decidedly more 1913 than 2013. Cold-shooting was contagious, as both teams failed to crack 30 percent from the field in the first half, with Stony Brook holding a 21-19 lead at halftime.
Manhattan led by as many as six, buoyed by big man Rhamel Brown’s 15 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, but the Seawolves grabbed a 41-40 lead with 3:15 remaining on an Anthony Jackson 3-pointer, and never let go. Trailing 43-40, Manhattan guard RaShawn Stores was fouled on a 3-pointer with more than two minutes left, but the sophomore missed all three attempts.
Three players led Stony Brook with eight points, while senior Tommy Brenton did his customary stat-spreading, totaling six points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block.
“Tommy’s the example of who we are,” Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell said. “We’re not worried about points. I tell these guys all the time, ‘Offense is inconsistent, defense is consistent.’ It gives you a chance to win when you’re on the road, especially. We have a lot of different players and I think it makes us tough to guard.”
Stony Brook (9-4) is off to its best start since joining Division I in 1999 and, after coming so close in the past three seasons, its first NCAA Tournament appearance is well within reach.
But Masiello doesn’t just think Stony Brook can dance. Come March, he thinks it might be busting brackets.
“I think that team can actually knock some people off in the NCAA Tournament,” Masiello said. “They’re a very talented team. They’re a terrific team, actually. They have a lot of weapons.” I’m really impressed by them.”