Jan. 25, 2009
Box Score
JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The #20 Marist women's basketball team held Saint Peter's without a field goal for a stretch of 9:10 in the second half to pull away and defeat the Peahens 71-58 at the Yanitelli Center Sunday afternoon. Junior forward Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) led all scorers with 16 points, going 8-for-8 at the free throw line, and is now tied with Ursula Winter for Marist's all-time scoring record with 1,587 points.
Marist (18-2, 9-1 MAAC) had three players score in double-figures on Sunday. Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) scored 15 points and passed Diesa Seidel for fifth all-time on Marist's all-time scoring list. Freshman Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) had eight points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Saint Peter's (6-12, 3-6 MAAC) opened the game on a 6-2 run, getting baskets from Sakara House, Charlene Riddick, and Jynae Judson. The Red Foxes got their first basket of the game when Viani hit a three from the top of the key at the 16:18 mark to get within one, 6-5. Marist then took the lead, 9-7, on a Viani three-point play with 14:40 to go in the half.
With the game tied at 11-11, Courtney Kolesar (Concord, Ohio) extended Marist's lead to six, 28-22, with a three at the 3:31 mark. Saint Peter's cut the deficit to five at the end of the half as Riddick made a layup that beat the buzzer, making the score 31-26.
After not attempting a field goal in the first half, Fitz made her first two attempts in the second half to put Marist ahead 35-28 with 19:04 to go in the game. After a Viani layup put the Red Foxes ahead by five 37-32 with 16:19 to go Saint Peter's got a Judson jumper and a three from Tania Kennedy to get within one, 38-37, with 15:03 to go. The two squads then traded baskets with Marist taking a 44-41 lead on a Gang layup with 12:18 to go. The Peahens scored the next four points on perimeter jumpers from House and Natasha Morris to go ahead 45-44 with 11:18 left in the game. Morris' basket would be Saint Peter's' last for a stretch of 9:10. During this time, the Red Foxes went on a 23-10 run and made 13 of 14 free throws to go ahead 67-53 and put the Peahens away.
The Red Foxes made 20-of-40 shots from the field and held Saint Peter's to a 31% mark from the field. Marist was 27-of-34 at the free throw line to Saint Peter's 19-of-26. The Peahens forced 19 Marist turnovers and only committed 14. Riddick led the Peahens with 12 points as Judson scored 10 and had a game-high eight rebounds.
Marist returns to the McCann Center on Friday, Jan. 30 to host the Manhattan Lady Jaspers at 7:30 p.m. for the WBCA Pink Zone breast cancer awareness game. All proceeds from raffles and 50/50 during the game will benefit "Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation". The Red Foxes will wear special pink uniforms for the game, and the Marist Athletics Department will raffle off a pink Marist jersey that will be framed and autographed by the entire 2008-09 team.
The Athletics Department will also recognize breast cancer survivors during a special half-time ceremony. DRA Imaging will make a financial pledge for every breast cancer survivor that is recognized during this presentation. Breast cancer survivors can pre-register for the ceremony by emailing Assistant Athletics Director Frank Lombardy at frank.lombardy@marist.edu or register at the McCann Center on the day of the game.
