Jan. 2, 2009
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Buoyed by a career-high 15 points by red-shirt senior Kaylen Gregory (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands) and a 15-point, six-rebound effort from red-shirt senior forward Ryan Schneider (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), the Marist men's basketball team earned a 60-54 home victory over Saint Peter's on Friday. The Red Foxes improved to 2-1 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play with the win.
Marist held Saint Peter's to just 19 points in the first half, and forced the Peacocks to commit 18 turnovers in the contest.
Making his first start since Dec. 9, red-shirt junior point guard David Devezin (Houston, Texas) dished out eight assists in 35 minutes of action. Freshman guard Mike Taylor (Los Angeles, Calif.) added eight points and a career-high five rebounds in 23 minutes.
A back-and-forth first 7:17 of the contest produced seven lead changes and one tie. The Red Foxes grabbed the lead for good on a basket by red-shirt junior guard Javon Parris (Brooklyn, N.Y.), which put the Red Foxes up 10-9 with 12:43 left in the first half. Parris' bucket also began a 22-5 Marist run, which enabled the Red Foxes to take a game-high lead of 18 with 3:46 left in the first half.
However, the Red Foxes went a stretch of 10:44, covering the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half, without converting a field goal. Saint Peter's cut the Marist lead to four, but a basket by Taylor with 14:47 to play ended the drought and started the Red Foxes on a 10-2 run as they ran their lead back to 12. The Peacocks never cut the lead under seven until there were 12 seconds remaining, when Nick Leon converted a three-point play. The Red Foxes then ran out the clock to earn the six-point triumph.
Wesley Jenkins led Saint Peter's (4-9 overall, 1-2 MAAC) with 16 points, including four three-pointers. The Peacocks' Ryan Bacon grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
Marist, now 6-9 overall, has won three of its last four. The Red Foxes return to action with conference clash on Sunday at Rider at 3 p.m.
