Feb. 17, 2006
Final Stats
New Rochelle, N.Y. -
Four players scored in double figures for the second-straight game in Marist's 80-62 victory over Iona (13-11/10-5 MAAC) at the Hynes Center this evening. With the win, the Red Foxes (19-5/14-1 MAAC) clinched at least a share of their third consecutive MAAC Regular Season Championship. Additionally, Marist has secured the first seed and the double-bye that accompanies it at the upcoming MAAC Tournament.
Both teams traded buckets to start the fist half and Marist took an 11-9 lead at 15:46. The Red Foxes then went on a 9-0 run including five points from Fifi Camara (Conakry, Guinea) to go up 20-11 at 10:02. Marist kept its distance but Iona cut the lead to seven, down 32-25 at 3:48, but Nikki Flores (Montvale, N.J.) nailed a pair of free throws to pad the lead. Marist led 38-29 at the break, having shot a perfect 14-14 from the free-throw line and forcing 11 turnovers by the Gaels.
Redshirt -sophomore Meg Dahlman (Spencerport, N.Y.) kicked off the second half with a bang, scoring eight straight points including back-to-back triples. That kick-started a 14-5 Marist run to open the half and go up 52-33 after five minutes. The Foxes kept a healthy lead, jacking it up to 18 points at 8:53 after a Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) triple, up 60-42. Each time Iona tried to cut into the Marist lead, a different Red Fox would step up with a big bucket. Marist capped the game with a three from senior Kristen Vilardi (Fishkill, N.Y.) to take the final to 80-62.
Tonight marked the second consecutive game that the Foxes have scored 80+ points. In the end, they forced 22 turnovers and shot 52% from three and 90% from the free-throw line.
Dahlman led all scorers with 20 points along with four blocks and two steals. Camara had 18 points and eight rebounds while Viani chipped in 14 points, seven assists and four steals. Marist's bench had a solid outing, with Shannon Minter (Ossining, N.Y.) adding 11 points and Flores recording six points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals.
Iona had three players in double figures, with Tiara Headen leading the way with 14 and Jessica Anger and Anna McLean adding 12 each.
Marist will head to Loyola on Sunday in search of its third consecutive 20-win season. Tip-off is slated for 1:00 p.m.
