March 7, 2004

Recap| Box Score| Photo Gallery

Albany, NY -- The Marist College women's basketball team has won its first-ever Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament, with a 76-74 win over Canisius. The Red Foxes, 20-10, have just their second 20-win season in program history and will make their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Marist, also co-Regular Season MAAC Champions, was the second-seed, while Canisius was the fourth-seed in the tournament

"I just feel so great for the kids, especially our seniors" said head coach Brian Giorgis, the MAAC Coach of the Year. "What the five seniors have gone through for four years and to have their careers end like this with a championship, it is just a tremendous feeling."

Stephanie Del Preore hit a pair of free throws with :18 seconds to play to put up the Red Foxes 75-72. Following a Canisius lay-up, Nina Vecchio hit her first free throw, with :06 to play, and a last second jumper by Becky Zak fell short to seal the victory for the Red Foxes.

Del Preore was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player, as she scored 30 points and had a double-double with 16 rebounds in the game. Over the course of the three games in tournament play Del Preore averaged 23 points and 9.7 rebounds.

"I am just so excited that we won," Del Preore said after the win. "I am so proud of everyone on this team. We had confidence in each other and it is just a huge win, the biggest win of my life and a dream come true."

Maureen Magarity was also named to the All-Tournament Team for her efforts in winning the conference title and automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. In the Championship Game, Magarity scored 18 points and pulled in five rebounds for the Red Foxes. Over the tournament, Magarity averaged 14.3 points and 6.0 boards.

Marist committed a season-low seven turnovers, equaling its effort against #23 ranked Auburn earlier in the season at home. On the other side of the ball, the Red Foxes forced 13 Canisius turnovers, with seven total steals, three by Vecchio.

The first half was a half of runs, with Marist answering every effort from the Griffs. The Red Foxes opened a 31-19 lead, from which point Canisius scored 10 unanswered points to close to 31-29 with 6:29 left. The Red Foxes responded with a run of their own, opening a 45-35 halftime lead.

The Griffs scored first in the second half, but Marist did not allow them to make a run. With 13:49 remaining in the game, Marist still maintained its double-digit lead, 58-48. From there, the Red Foxes would bend, but not break, never giving up the lead through the entire game.

The Griffs closed to within five points on numerous occasions, 61-56 for the first time with 10:25 to go, but Marist pushed the lead back to 65-57 less than a minute later. The Griffs cut it to five again with 7:21 to play, 65-60, before a four-point run pushed the lead to nearly double-digits again, 69-60 with 6:01 left in the game.

A three-pointer made the score 71-67 on a three-pointer with 4:53 to play, and the margin would not get any larger. The teams exchanged scoreless possession until a Becky Zak jumper and the score 71-69 with 2:14 to play. Del Preore sank a lay-up on the next possession to stretch the lead to four again, 73-69, but the Griffs again made a run, getting to within one-point, 73-72, with 55 seconds to play and setting up the final flurry, resulting in the Red Foxes title.

Freshman Shannon Minter provided the Red Foxes with a boost off of the bench. She tallied seven points and four assist in 12 minutes in the first-half, finishing the game with five assists. Kristin Keller was solid against for the Red Foxes, as she scored 11 points and had none boards, five offensive, in 20 minutes off of the bench. Rookie Alisa Kresge played 23 minutes and finished with two points, five boards and four assists, while not committing a turnover.

Marist shot 41.1 percent (30-73) from the field for the game, lighting it up in the first half with 1-37 from the field (19-37). The teams both pulled in 47 rebounds for the game, with Marist holding a 20-19 advantage on the offensive glass.

Marist will have a week wait before finding out its NCAA seeding and opponent, which will be announced, Sunday, March 14th on ESPN.