Jan. 18, 2008
Final Stats
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - The Marist women's basketball team won their sixth consecutive game Friday night, defeating Iona 86-78 at the Hynes Athletic Center. After leading by four at halftime, the Red Foxes shot 61.9% in the second half to pull away and take the win. Marist made a season-high 31 free-throws in the win.
The Red Foxes put four players in double-figure scoring, led by Rachele Fitz's (Seven Hills, Ohio) 20 points and eight rebounds. Nikki Flores (Montvale, N.J.) scored 16 points, going 10-for-10 from the free-throw line. Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) also scored 16, making a team-high three three-pointers and dishing out four assists. Freshman Erica Allenspach scored in double-figures for the fourth time in five games, putting in 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field.
The first half was hotly contested, with four ties in the first 10:51. With the score tied 19-19, the Red Foxes took their largest lead of the half on a 10-4 run. Sparked by six points from Flores, Marist took a 29-23 lead with 5:12 to go in the half. Iona got within three at 30-27 with a jumper from Thazina Cook, but Fitz would answer on the Marist end with a three-point play to make the lead six again, 33-27, with 2:52 to go. Iona closed within four to end the half, 35-31.
The Gaels came out of the locker room with the momentum to start the second half. Three-pointers from Cook and Lauren DeFalco got Iona within two, 39-37, with 17:48 to go. Marist would respond, and in a big way. Powered by six straight three-pointers from Viani, Allenspach, Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio), and Élise Caron (Quebec, Canada), the Red Foxes went on a 32-11 run to take a 21 point lead, 71-50, with 7:08 to go. Marist would keep the lead at double-digits with strong free-throw shooting, going 11-of-12 from the line in the last six minutes. Iona would make free-throws down the stretch and get a pair of threes from Cook to make the final score 86-78.
Marist (16-2, 6-0 MAAC) shot 49% from the field and 63.6% from the three-point line. Iona was 28-of-66 from the field, shooting 42.4%. The Gaels held a 37-33 rebounding edge as each team forced 20 turnovers.
Iona (10-7, 4-2 MAAC) saw their six-game winning streak get snapped in the loss. Tiara Headen led all scorers with 28 points, going 12-for-18 from the field. DeFalco scored 15 points for the Gaels and had 5 assists, as Cook scored 12 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Anna McLean, the MAAC Co-Player of the Week, was held to four points and nine rebounds.
The Red Foxes return to Poughkeepsie to start a four-game homestand Monday against Canisius. Tip-off is at 4 p.m.
