Dec. 1, 2007
Final Stats
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist women's basketball team held Bucknell to 27.9% from the field on their way to a 68-56 win at the McCann Center Saturday afternoon. Sophomore Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) led Marist with a career-high 15 points, adding four rebounds.
Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) scored in double-figures for the seventh-straight game, putting in 14 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) added 10 points off the bench. Senior Meg Dahlman (Spencerport, N.Y.) scored nine points and pulled-down a career-high 14 rebounds. Prior to the game, the 2006-07 Sweet Sixteen team was honored with their NCAA Tournament rings and unveiled their MAAC Championship and NCAA Sweet Sixteen banners.
Marist (8-1) started the game playing excellent defense, holding Bucknell scoreless for the first 11:23 and without a field goal for the first 14:31 of the game. During this time, the Red Foxes would start the game 23-5, with Johnson, Dahlman, and Fitz scoring 14 of those points. Bucknell would get baskets from Ashton Sprouse and Amanda Brown to get within 15 points at 32-17 with 53 seconds to go, but Allenspach would set up Sarah Smrdel (Mentor, Ohio) in the paint to give the Red Foxes a 34-17 halftime lead. Marist held the Bison to 6-39 field goals in the half, a 15.4% clip.
The Red Foxes would establish their frontcourt in the second half, as Fitz and Dahlman scored six of Marist's first eight points to take a 42-19 lead with 17:20 to go in the game. Fitz would give Marist its largest lead at 27 when she put back in her own miss to put the Red Foxes ahead 50-23 with 13:42 to go. Bucknell's shooting would turn around in the second half, as the Bison chipped away at Marist's lead. The Bison shot 44.4% in the second half, and used that to go on a 30-13 run over the next 12:35, sparked by eight points from Hope Foster and seven points from Amanda Brown. Bucknell trailed 63-53 with 1:07 to go and that would be as close as the Bison would get. Nikki Flores (Montvale, N.J.) would score the last five points for Marist to put them over Bucknell 68-56.
Marist shot 45.3% from the field in Saturday's game and was 16-19 at the free-throw line. Both teams grabbed 42 rebounds, with Bucknell getting 17 offensive rebounds and Marist only able to get seven. The Red Foxes dominated the lane, scoring 40 of their 68 points in the paint. They also assisted on 16 of their 24 baskets, with Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) leading all players with six helpers.
Bucknell (2-5) was led by Amanda Brown, who scored 15 points and had six rebounds. Kesha Champion had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Hope Foster also scored in double-figures for the Bison, chipping in 10 points.
Marist will open the MAAC regular season Friday, Dec. 7 at the McCann Center against Iona. The Red Foxes defeated the Gaels 64-57 in overtime to win the MAAC Tournament last season. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.
Single-game and group tickets are available online at GoRedFoxes.com and at the Marist Ticket Office. For ticket information, call the Marist Ticket Office at (845) 575-3553.
