March 2, 2008
Final Stats
Press Conference Video
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Behind a career-high 20 points from senior swingman Ben Farmer (Clinton, Conn.), the Marist men's basketball team closed out the regular season with a 82-64 triumph over Loyola at the McCann Center. The Red Foxes finished the regular season at 17-13 overall and 11-7 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Marist is the #6 seed in next weekend's MAAC Tournament, and will face #3 Niagara on Saturday at 10 p.m. in a game televised on MSG.
Prior to the game, Marist honored the seven members of its senior class - Farmer, manager Ashley Mahon, forward Ryan Stilphen (Bay Village, Ohio), center Spongy Benjamin (St. Francis Village Erin, Trinidad), guard Louie McCroskey (Bronx, N.Y.), forward Shae McNamara (Milwaukee, Wis.) and guard Joe Keegan (Brick, N.J.). The Red Foxes' seniors combined for 55 points and 29 rebounds.
The Red Foxes had five double-digit scorers. Benjamin finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Red-shirt sophomore point guard David Devezin (Houston, Texas) added 14 points, four assists and three rebounds. Freshman guard Jay Gavin score 13, and Stilphen tallied 10 points and nine rebounds.
After falling behind early by four on two occasions, the Red Foxes took the lead for good with 12:21 left in the first half on a basket by Gavin. That hoop was part of a 19-2 run for the Red Foxes.
A pair of Loyola three-pointers from Marquis Sullivan cut Marist's lead to six at halftime, as the Red Foxes led 38-32. A jumper by Loyola's Michael Tuck with 15:22 remaining cut Marist's lead to 44-43, but the Red Foxes never surrendered the lead. A three-pointer by Farmer at the midway point of the second half put Marist up 59-54, and started the Red Foxes on an 18-3 run, which enabled them to put the game. Marist's largest lead was 19 points.
The Red Foxes shot 50 percent from both the field and three-point line while holding Loyola to a .393 shooting percetange. Sullivan, who hit six three-pointers, led the Greyhounds (18-13, 12-6) with 20 points.
In addition to his 20 points, Farmer also had a stellar day on the defensive end, as he held Gerald Brown, Loyola's leading scorer, to 10 points on 3-for-11 shooting.
