Riverdale, NY (July 26, 2005)- Seventh-year Manhattan College men's basketball coach Bobby Gonzalez announced today the Jaspers' 2005-06 non-conference men's basketball schedule. A Pre-Season NIT appearance, a third-straight ESPN Bracket Buster appearance, a game at Syracuse, and the annual Battle of the Bronx game vs. local rival Fordham highlight the schedule.
Manhattan will open up the season at the Meadowlands on November 14, visiting Big East member Seton Hall in an opening round game of the Pre-Season NIT. The winner of the Seton Hall-Manhattan game will play the winner of the Boston University-Duke game.
The Jaspers will play their home opener on November 26, hosting CAA member George Mason in a return game from last year's Bracket Buster. Manhattan's next four non-conference games will be played on the road, as the Jaspers travel to NCAA participant Syracuse on November 30 before playing at Rhode Island on December 6. The team will then play in the road at North Dakota State (December 18) and South Dakota State (December 20) before returning home for two home games, battling Bronx rival Fordham on December 23 and St. Francis-NY on December 30.
The final non-conference game will be Manhattan's third consecutive ESPN Bracket Buster game, as the Jaspers are slated to be a home team with the game being played on February 18 against an opponent to be determined.
Manhattan posted a 15-14 record in the 2004-05 season, 9-9 in MAAC play, and advanced to the second round of the MAAC Tournament, but return 10 letter winners, four starters, and nearly 75% of the team's scoring, led by 2005 MAAC Rookie of the Year
CJ Anderson.
