Jan. 13, 2008
Final Stats
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Behind 23 points from freshman guard Jay Gavin (Seat Pleasant, Md.) and an 18-point, six-rebound from red-shirt senior guard Louie McCroskey (Bronx, N.Y.), the Marist men's basketball team earned a 77-70 victory over Fairfield at the McCann Center on Sunday. The Red Foxes won their fifth straight as they improved to 11-6 overall and 5-1 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play.
With his 23 points, Gavin tied his career high, set on Jan. 7 against Manhattan. He hit a career-high seven three-pointers in 11 attempts as he topped the 20-point plateau for the fourth consecutive game. In those four games, Gavin is 22-for-34 (.647) from three-point range. As a team, Marist hit a season-high 13 three-pointers, marking the third consecutive game the Red Foxes hit at least 10 three-pointers.
Red-shirt sophomore point guard David Devezin (Houston, Texas) had a career-high nine assists to go along with eight points and four rebounds.
The Red Foxes scored the first 10 points of the game, and Gavin's first basket of the game gave Marist an 18-4 lead with 13:46 left in the first half. The Red Foxes' largest lead of the first half was 15, as another Gavin three-pointer put Marist up 35-20 with 4:15 remaining. However, Fairfield closed the half on a 13-0 run to cut Marist's halftime advantage to two.
The Stags (5-10, 3-3) extended the run to 16-0 and took their first lead of the game on the first possession of the second half, as Anthony Johnson converted a three-point play. After the lead changed hands twice more, a tip-in by red-shirt senior forward Ryan Stilphen (Bay Village, Ohio) put Marist up 39-38 with 16:57 remaining, giving the Red Foxes the lead for good. Stilphen's basket started Marist on a 10-0 run, and the Stags never got closer than four after that. Stilphen also led Marist with eight rebounds in the contest.
Herbie Allen finished with 19 points to lead Fairfield, and Anthony Johnson had 16 points and nine rebounds. The Stags shot .422 from the field, and just .167 (3-for-18) from three-point range.
The five-game winning streak is the second for the Red Foxes this season, and the sixth for Marist in Matt Brady's five years as head coach.
Marist will return to action on Thursday, with a road contest at conference rival Loyola. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. The Red Foxes and Greyhounds have split the season series each of the last two years.
