Dec. 30, 2002

Box Score

Poughkeepsie, NY - The Marist College men's basketball team earned its fifth consecutive win in the Hudson Valley Challenge Cup, defeating Army 74-57 this evening at the McCann Center. The Red Foxes have won back-to-back games, improving to 5-5 on the year, while the Black Knights fall to 2-6 on the season.

Army took a 5-0 lead a minute into the game, and led by as much as six points, 11-5 4:26 into the contest. Back-to-back three pointers in the Red Foxes next possessions tied the game with 14:25 left, and a Chris Handy (Salt Lake City, UT) jumper 7:08 into the half gave Marist a lead it would never relinquish. Six of the eight Red Foxes who played in the first-half had at least one three-pointer, as Marist took a 38-29 lead into the intermission.

Marist maintained at least a six point lead over the first nine minutes of the second half, before Army, closed to within five points twice, the last time with 9:45 left in the game, 51-46. The Red Foxes outscored the Cadets 23-11 over the final 9:45, and 20-9 in the final 6:51, pulling away for the win.

Handy scored a career-high 17 points on 5-6 shooting from the field and the line, connecting on both of his three point attempts. Nick Eppehimer (Pottstown, PA) continued to play well, scoring 17 for Marist, including a perfect 5-5 night from the free throw line. Eric Siegrist (Poughkeepsie, NY) had a career-high 12 points off of the bench for Marist, while David Bennett (Salt Lake City, UT) added 10 points and three assists. Brandon Ellerbee (Plano, TX) dished out a career-high seven assists, scored nine points, and had three steals, while committing a season low, one turnover in the game.

Army was led by the 13-point effort of Bill Mohr, and received 10 points each from Sean O'Keefe and Mike Dames.

Marist connected on 10-21 from behind the line, while Army was good just 5-14 times from downtown. The Red Foxes hit 18-21 at the free throw line and shot 39.7 percent from the field for the game. Marist out rebounded Army 36-31 on the night, committing just 12 turnovers, while forcing 14 from the Black Knights.