Dec. 7, 2008
Final Stats
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Marist women's basketball team successfully swept through its first weekend in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play, defeating Canisius 70-52 at the Koessler Athletic Center on Sunday afternoon. The Red Foxes held the Golden Griffins without a field goal for 11:09 of the second half to pull away. Junior forward Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) led all players with 24 points and nine rebounds.
Fitz was 10-of-18 from the field and made all three of her free throws. Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) added 16 points and four assists. Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) had nine points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
Canisius (3-4, 1-1 MAAC) started the game red-hot from the three-point line, getting triples from Marie Warner, Micayla Drysdale, and Brittane Russell to go ahead 9-2 with 17:10 >in the first half. The Golden Griffins grew their lead to nine on a Stephanie MacDonald layup in transition to make the score 11-2. Marist would not be down for long. Fitz and Gang combined for nine points to get within one of the Golden Griffins, 12-11, with 13:05 left in the first half.
Marist (7-1, 2-0 MAAC) took its first lead of the game on a Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) three-pointer, going ahead 14-12 with 12:35 left in the half. Canisius took the lead right back on an Ellie Radke jumper and Amanda Cavo triple to take a 17-14 lead. A Viani three-pointer got the Red Foxes within one, 20-19, with 7:15 to go in the half. The Golden Griffins quickly extended their advantage to five at 24-19 with 6:08 left in the opening stanza. Once again, Marist would go on a big run. Capped off by an Allenspach three-pointer, the Red Foxes went on an 8-2 run to go ahead 28-26 with 4:07 left in the half. Marist took its largest lead of the half with 2:30 to go as Maria Laterza (Brooklyn, N.Y.) made a pair of free throws. Canisius came back and tied the game at 30-30 going into halftime.
Viani and Fitz combined for Marist's first 11 points in the second half, going ahead by six, 41-35, with 16:02 remaining. Canisius battled back and took the lead on a Cavo three-pointer, making the score 46-45 with 11:49 to go. Cavo's three was the Golden Griffins' last field goal until there was 40 seconds left in the game. Johnson answered with a layup in the lane to give Marist a 47-46 lead with 11:11 to go. Canisius made the score 49-48 on a pair of MacDonald free throws with 8:04 to go in the game. A Fitz jumper with 7:13 to go started a 16-0 run that lasted 6:33 to put the game out of reach.
Marist shot 54.2% in the second half and was 46.2% from the field in the game. Canisius was held to 24.2% from the field in the second half and made only two threes in that half. The Red Foxes outrebounded Canisius 39-31 and forced 19 turnovers. Marist dominated the lane, scoring 28 points in the paint.
The Red Foxes return to the McCann Center on Saturday, Dec. 13 when they take on the Boston University Terriers at 2 p.m. The game can be heard on GoRedFoxes.com beginning at 1:45 p.m.
