Nov. 27, 2009

Box Score

FREEPORT, BAHAMAS - Despite a career-high 28 points from sophomore guard Corielle Yarde (Leesport, Pa.), the Marist women's basketball team loss a heartbreaking 71-69 contest to Oklahoma State at the Junkanoo Jam in Freeport, Bahamas Friday afternoon. The Red Foxes trailed by 14, 46-32, with 11:49 to go and eventually tied the game 62-62 with 3:21 remaining.

Yarde was the leading scorer in the game, making 8-of-20 shots from the field including a career-high six three-pointers. She was also 6-for-6 at the free throw line and tied a career-high with eight rebounds. Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) was the only other Marist player in double-figures, scoring 10 points with a career-high 10 assists for her first career double-double. She also had a career-high six blocked shots. Freshman Kate Oliver (Sydney, Australia) scored a career-high eight points on 4-of-6 shots from the field.

Marist (2-2) was red hot from the field to start the game, making six of its first seven shots from the field including threes by Allenspach and Yarde to take a 15-4 lead 6:22 into the game. Oklahoma State rebounded from its slow start with an Andrea Riley jumper, which started a 19-0 run for the Cowgirls over the next 7:22 to take a 23-15 lead. Two Tegan Cunningham triples and a Precious Robinson basket capped the run for Oklahoma State, as Marist went 0-9 from the field with four turnovers.

Oliver put Marist back on the board with a basket at the 5:53 mark of the opening half to make the score 23-17. That basket started a 10-2 run for the Red Foxes, as a Yarde three-pointer tied the game at 25-25 with 3:55 left in the half. The Cowgirls went back up by five with a Toni Young basket and an Ally Clardy three, but Brandy Gang (Hartville, Ohio) made a pair of free-throws in the final minute to get Marist back within three, 30-27, at halftime.

For as good as Marist played to open the game, Oklahoma State (4-1) played just as well to start the second half. After a pair of Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) free throws made the score 32-29 with 18:20 remaining in the game, the Cowgirls went on a 14-3 run over 4:33 seconds to take their largest lead of the game, 46-32, with 11:49 to go. The only Marist basket during that stretch was a Yarde three-pointer. Marist began to chip away at Oklahoma State's lead at that point, making four straight free throws then got a three by Emily Stallings (Newburgh, N.Y.) to cut the deficit to seven, 46-39, with 10:42 to go.

The Cowgirls got their lead back to double-digits with 6:50 left in the game, as Megan Byford used a three-point play to make the score 58-48. Stalling then scored four straight Red Fox points to cut Oklahoma State's lead to six, 58-52. After a Cunningham triple put the Cowgirls back up eight, 60-52, with 5:33 to go, Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) made back-to-back threes to put Marist within two, 60-58, with 4:34 to go. The Cowgirls led 62-58 with 4:18 to go when Allenspach and Yarde each made a pair of free throws to tie the game at 62-62 with 3:21 to go.

Riley put Oklahoma State back on top with a three at the 2:50 mark to make the score 65-62. Yarde answered with a three-pointer of her own to tie the game at 65-65 with 2:38 to go. Lindsay Keller knocked down a baseline jumper on the Cowgirls' next possession to take a 67-65 lead, but Yarde answered that with a jumper over Riley to tie the game 67-67 with 1:57 remaining. Young then put Oklahoma State ahead 69-67 with 1:22 to go with a putback layup. Marist had a chance to tie the game with less than 30 seconds to go, but turned the ball over. Forced to save time on the clock, Marist fouled Riley with 22 seconds left. The All-American made both of her free-throws to make the score 71-67 and put the game out of reach.

Marist shot 37.7% from the field, including 34.4% from the three-point line. The Red Foxes were a perfect 18-of-18 at the free throw line. The Cowgirls shot 38% from the field and outrebounded Marist 45-34. Riled led Oklahoma State with 17 points, despite making only 5-of-27 shots from the field. Cunningham added 15 points, while Young had 10 points and a game-high 16 rebounds.

The Red Foxes will take on George Washington on Saturday at 5:45 p.m. in the consolation game of the Lucaya Division of the Junkanoo Jam. The Colonials lost to #25/25 Michigan State 78-47 on Friday.