Nov. 29, 2009
Box Score
FREEPORT, BAHAMAS - The Marist women's basketball team routed George Washington Saturday night at the Junkanoo Jam in Freeport, Bahamas 80-58. The Red Foxes shot an even 50% from the field in the game, holding the Colonials to 34.9% from the field. Senior forward Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) led all players with 28 points and added a team-high nine rebounds.
Fitz set a new tournament field goal percentage record in the game, making 11-of-12 shots from the field in shooting 91.7% from the field. The previous record was held by Janel McCarville of Minnesota, who made nine of ten shots from the field against Southern California in the 2003 tournament. Fitz was also named to the All-Tournament Team. Two other Marist players scored in double-figures Saturday night. Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) scored 10 points off the bench, pulling down six rebounds.
George Washington (2-3) scored the first four points of the game on baskets by Tiana Myers and Sara Mostafa. An Kate Oliver (Sydney, Australia) followed up a Johnson three with a basket of her own to make the score 18-8. The Colonials closed to within seven at the 7:45 mark, as a Shi-Heria Shipp layup made the score 23-16. Marist then got baskets from Fitz and Gang to go ahead by 13, 29-16, with 6:46 left in the half. The Red Foxes took their largest lead of the half at the 1:48 mark, as a Fitz jumper capped off a 7-0 run for Marist and made the score 38-24. Fitz scored all seven points in that stretch. The lead would hold until the halftime horn.
Marist (3-2) grew the lead to 16 early in the second half on a Fitz basket, but George Washington answered with a 7-0 run to get within nine at 40-31. After Shipp finished a conventional three-point play to get the Colonials within nine, Marist went on a 7-0 run of its own sparked by a Fitz three-point play to go back up by 14, 47-33, with 15:22 left in the game. The Red Foxes grew its lead to 20 at the 8:59 mark as a Fitz layup and Yarde three-pointer capped off a 9-0 run for Marist and made the score 58-38. Marist took its largest lead of the game at the 3:15 mark, as Johnson made a pair of free throws to give the Red Foxes a 26-point lead, 74-48.
The Red Foxes made 26-of-52 shots from the field in Saturday's game. Marist also made 23-of-29 free throws, shooting 79.3%. George Washington made only four of 23 three-pointers, but did outrebound Marist 39-34. Shipp led the Colonials with 14 points, as Sara Mostafa had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Marist returns to Poughkeepsie for a non-conference game with Tulsa on Friday, Dec. 4 at the McCann Center. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.
