Manhattan College is not even in Manhattan -- it's in Riverdale.

But it's back on the map for March Madness.

Late-January madness best describes Tuesday night's first-place showdown in the MAAC conference between the Manhattan Jaspers and the Marist Red Foxes. The Jaspers (the institution was founded on the isle of Manhattan -- hence, the name) are best remembered in NCAA circles for their upset win over Oklahoma in the '95 Tournament, and as a stepping-stone to prime-time jobs for young, up-and-coming coaches like Steve Lappas (Villanova, now UMass) and Fran Fraschilla (St. John's, now New Mexico).

But this squad is poised to make history of its own.

With wins earlier this season against local rivals St. John's, Fordham, Hofstra and Iona, the Jaspers have staked their claim as the best college hoops teams in the Big Apple (they'd probably knock off the Knicks too). They won the ECAC Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden for the first time in 29 years. Now their sights are set on a conference championship and a return to the Big Dance.

That goal appears within reach, after the Jaspers (14-3, 6-2) upended the Red Foxes 67-62 to take back sole possession of first place. Manhattan's intensity emanates from Bobby Gonzalez -- the latest young coaching phenom to take the reins at Manhattan. A Pete Gillen protege with assistant stints at Xavier, Providence, and Virginia, the 37-year-old Gonzalez has resurrected the 5-22 program he inherited three years ago.

Gonzalez is a character -- he talks 10 miles a minute, with a grin a mile wide. On several occasions when his team made a momentous play, Gonzalez leaped up and down and pumped his fists as if a national championship were at stake. He may use Manhattan as a stepping-stone too. But one thing's for sure -- in that moment, there was no place he would rather have been.

"It was like any atmosphere that I've ever seen, ACC or whatever," said Gonzalez following the game. "It was an incredible feeling. That's what I wanted to see when I came here three years ago."

The atmosphere even had an NBA flavor. Willis Reed was in the house, following an appearance earlier in the season by Jeff Van Gundy. I sat alongside scouts from the NBA and the NBA's new minor league, the NBDL. Manhattan had a scintillating point guard named Mugsy Green (18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists), not much taller than Muggsy Bogues. Marist even had a strong scorer named Rick Smith (not to be confused with Marist's most famous hoops grad, Rik Smits).

The bottom line is, this team is worth a watch. A sellout crowd -- 2,428 -- piled into Draddy Gym on Tuesday night. "It's becoming the place to go, so hopefully the word gets out," said Gonzalez.

Consider the word out, coach. Manhattan's back on the map.

E-mail Kieran Darcy at kieran.d.darcy@espn.com.