Jan. 16, 2009
Box Score
Press Conference
Highlights
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The #21 Marist women's basketball team won its 13th straight game Friday night, defeating Saint Peter's 78-58 at the McCann Center. The Red Foxes shot a season-high 58.1% from the field in the win. Junior forward Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) led Marist with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Fitz was 6-for-10 from the field and 10-for-13 at the free throw line. Senior guard Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) was also 6-for-10 from the field and scored 18 points. Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) gave Marist nine points off the bench.
The two teams traded baskets to start the game with Saint Peter's taking a 9-8 lead on a Tania Kennedy jumper with 15:56 left in the first half. An Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) layup kickstarted an 11-0 run that included a Brandy Gang (Hartville, Ohio) three-pointer to give Marist a 19-9 lead with 11:50 to go in the half. The Peahens kept it close, getting to within five at the 5:25 mark on a Kennedy triple to make the score 25-20. The Red Foxes then got a Viani basket and four straight free throws from Johnson and Fitz sparked a 14-2 run that ended the half, going ahead 39-22 at the break.
Marist (16-1, 7-0 MAAC) grew its lead to 23 in the second half when Viani knocked down a three to make the score 48-25 with 16:40 to go in the game. The lead grew to 26 when Johnson made her only triple of the game to put the Red Foxes ahead 55-29 at the 11:57 mark of the second half. The Red Foxes took their largest lead of the game with 10:01 to go when Gang hit her second three-pointer of the game, making the score 60-33. Saint Peter's (4-11, 1-5 MAAC) battled back but only got as close as 20 the rest of the way.
The Red Foxes made 25-of-43 shots from the field on Friday night. Saint Peter's shot 36.2% from the field and 31.3% from the three-point line. Marist outrebounded the Peahens 33-28 and made 11 more free throws. The Red Foxes made 22-of-28 free throws while Saint Peter's made 11-of-16 attempts at the charity stripe. Kennedy led the Peahens with 22 points while Natasha Morris added 10 points off the bench.
Marist goes on the road Sunday afternoon to take on rival Siena. Tipoff in Loudonville, N.Y. is set for 2 p.m.
