Dec. 29, 2009
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist women's basketball team shot 60.6% in the first half and used a 16-3 run to go ahead by 20 points at halftime, hanging on for an 85-70 win over Harvard at the McCann Center on Tuesday night. Junior guard Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) led four Red Foxes' in double-figure scoring with 20 points and added seven rebounds.
Allenspach, named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's Player of the Week earlier in the day, was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field in the second half and ended the game 10-of-13 at the free throw line. Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) had 19 points and a team-high nine rebounds. She now has 2,083 career points, passing Steve Smith as Marist College's all-time scorer in basketball. Smith scored 2,077 points during his career from 1979-83. Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) had 10 points off the bench.
Harvard (6-4) took an early 5-4 lead 2:01 into the game on a Christine Matera three-pointer and Emma Markley layup. This would be the only lead the Crimson would have in the game. A Fitz jumper sparked a 6-2 run that gave Marist a 12-7 lead at the 16:27 mark. The Crimson closed to within two with 13:16 to go, as Matera made a basket to put the score at 16-14. Fitz would start another run for the Red Foxes, this time a 7-0 run capped off by an Elise Caron (Quebec, Canada) three-pointer to put Marist ahead 23-14 at the 11:19 mark.
Marist (8-4) grew the lead to 10 with 8:14 to go on a Yarde three-pointer. Harvard got within seven, 34-27, at the 6:39 mark on a Jackie Alemany layup. A Yarde jumper in the lane put the Red Foxes back up by nine with 6:17 to go. With the score 39-30 after a Markley basket, Marist ended the half on an 11-0 run. Johnson scored seven of the 11 points, with Fitz chipping in the other four as Marist took a 50-30 lead at halftime.
The Red Foxes took their largest lead of the game 1:10 into the second half, as a Fitz three-point play gave Marist a 23-point lead, 53-30. Harvard, however, would make a game of it in the second half. After a Brandy Gang (Hartville, Ohio) layup gave Marist a 64-49 lead with 11:17 to go, a Brogan Berry three-pointer started a 10-0 run for the Crimson that got the visitors within nine with 9:20 to go. Allenspach then scored eight of Marist's next 10 points to put the Red Foxes back up by 12, 74-62, with 6:21 to go. Harvard would get as close as nine points the rest of the way, as Marist made 11-of-16 free throws in the final 3:30 to get the 85-70 win.
Marist shot 44.6% from the field in the game, holding Harvard to a 38.2% mark. The Red Foxes also shot 42.9% from beyond the arc and outrebounded the Crimson 41-38. Marist assisted on 17 of its 29 baskets and committed only 10 turnovers. Matera led Harvard with 19 points, as Markley and Berry each had 16. Markley also had a game-high 13 rebounds for a double-double.
Marist opens its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schedule at the McCann Center on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. against Canisius. The Red Foxes defeated the Golden Griffins 78-63 to win last season's MAAC Tournament in Albany. For ticket information, contact the Marist Ticket Office at 845-575-3553.
