Feb. 1, 2008
Final Stats
Press Conference Video
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - For the fifth straight season the Marist women's basketball team has won 20 games, as their 84-63 defeat of Rider at the McCann Center Friday night put them at that mark. This is also the fifth time under Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) and Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) led Marist with 20 points apiece.
Fitz ended up with her third double-double in four games with a game-high 10 rebounds. She also was 10-for-10 at the free throw line. Viani set a new career-high in three-pointers made with a perfect 6-for-6 night from beyond the arc. Meg Dahlman (Spencerport, N.Y.) also scored in double-figures with 17 points, adding six rebounds. While only scoring two points on the night, senior guard Nikki Flores (Montvale, N.J.) tied a career-high with seven assists.
Marist led wire-to-wire for the third straight game, but the Broncs kept it close early. The Red Foxes jumped out to a 13-5 lead behind eight points from Fitz and Dahlman. Tammy Meyers would connect on a triple to get Rider within five, 13-8, with 13:18 to go in the first half. Marist would get the lead up to 10 with a pair of Fitz free-throws, making the score 19-9 with 11:50 to go in the opening half.
Rider would keep chipping away at the Red Foxes' lead, getting as close as three with a Janele Henderson three-pointer to make the score 30-27 with 4:32 left in the first half. Marist would answer with their biggest run of the first half, as threes from Viani and Sarah Smrdel (Mentor, Ohio) sparked a 10-2 run to end the first half.
The Red Foxes started the second half making five of their first six shots from the field to take a 53-36 lead with 16:54 to go. Viani's fourth three-pointer of the game gave Marist their first lead over 20 points, 58-36, with 14:36 to go. Her sixth and final three of the night gave Marist their largest lead of the game, 75-51, with 5:54 to go. Marist shot 51.7% in the second half to pull away from Rider and win 84-65.
Marist (20-2, 10-0 MAAC) shot 47.5% from the field, including a 60% mark from beyond the three-point arc. The Red Foxes, who came into Friday's game third in the nation in free throw percentage, made 19-of-20 against Rider for 95%. Ball movement was in full effect for Marist as the Red Foxes assisted on 17 of their 28 baskets.
Rider (6-15, 1-9 MAAC) was held to 39.6% shooting from the field by Marist. Tammy Meyers led the Broncs with 14 points, as Janele Henderson added 11 points.
Marist goes on the road for their next three games, beginning Sunday with a 2 p.m. game at Siena.
