Three Reach Double-Digit Scoring As Blue Devils Fall To Manhattan In Home Opener

The host Central Connecticut State Blue Devils had three players reach double figures in scoring, but CCSU fell in its 2024-25 home opener to the Jaspers of Manhattan College, 78-64, on Thursday evening in Detrick Gymnasium. Selina Monestime led CSSU and all players in the game with 18 points, Meghan Kenefick had 15 points and Dagny Slomack, who has hit double digits in the first two games of her collegiate career, contributed 12 points.  Kenefick finished with a double-double, the first of her career, as she also pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE

Score:   CCSU 64, Manhattan 78
Records: CCSU (0-2, 0-0 NEC), Manhattan (1-1, 0-0 MAAC)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium |New Britain, Conn.

KEY MOMENTS

• Selina Monestime gave CCSU a 2-0 with a hoop at the 8:25 mark of the opening stanza.
• Monestime would stop a 7-0 Manhattan run with a traditional three-point play at the 5:45 mark.
• Central trailed 13-10 after the first quarter with Selina Monestime and Meghan Kenefick each scoring five points.  Kenefick also grabbed a team-best four rebounds in the opening 10 minutes of action.
• Manhattan held a five-point, 24-19, lead at the second quarter media timeout with 4:47 to play in the first half.
• The visitors would close the half out on a 12-7 run to extend their lead to ten, 36-26, at the halftime break.
• Meghan Kenefick finished the first half with a near double-double leading both squads in scoring and rebounding in the first 20 minutes with 10 points and eight rebounds. Selina Monestime netted nine points for the Blue devils in the first half.  Hana Muhl led the Jaspers with eight points at the break.
• After the Blue Devils cut the lead to just five at 40-35 at the 6:40 mark of the third, Manhattan would go on a 14-0 run to take a 54-35 advantage with 2:56 to go in the third frame.
• A Kayla Henry free throw with 3.1 seconds to play in the third made the score 56-40 in favor of the Jaspers heading into the final quarter.
• The Jaspers would outscore the Blue Devils, 9-7 to open the fourth quarter to hold a 65-48 advantage at the final media time out of the evening at the 4:54 mark of the final stanza.
• Central would battle back to cut the Manhattan led to 10 with 2:13 to play at 71-61 on pair of free throws by Monestime.
• The Blue Devils outscored the visitors, 24-22, in the fourth quarter to make the final score, 78-64.

NUMBER TO KNOW

3–Home games remain for the Blue Devils in the month of November

NOTES

• Monestime lead all scorers in the game with 18 points, and she also had seven rebounds; four of which came on the offensive glass.
• Kenefick finished with a double-double of 15 points (one shy of her career high) and a game-high 10 rebounds.  She also dished off a team-best four assists on the evening.
• Slomack had 12 points, as she went 8-of-10 from the foul line.
• Monestime and Kenefick led CSSU in steals, as they each had two thefts in the contest.
• Manhattan finished with 38-33 edge on the glass on Thursday night.
• Brianna Davis led a quartet of Jaspers in double figures with 16 points off the Manhattan bench.
• Manhattan turned 18 CCSU turnovers into 24 points on Thursday night
• The Blue Devils went 19-of-26 from the foul line on Thursday (73.1 %), as they hit 16-of-20 (80.0%) from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT

• CCSU heads back out on the road to take on the University of Massachusetts this Sunday, November 10 at 1:00 p.m. in Amherst.  Central returns to the friendly confines of the William H. Detrick Gymnasium next Tuesday, November 12 when Bryant University comes calling for a 7:00 p.m. game

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