Dec. 4, 2009
Box Score | Press Conference | Highlights
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist women's basketball team earned its fourth win of the 2009-10 season Friday night, posting a 69-52 win over Tulsa at the McCann Center. Senior forward Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) scored a game-high 28 points with eight rebounds. Prior to Friday night's game, the team received its NCAA Tournament rings from last season's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship and raised the banners for last season's title and tournament appearance.
Sophomore guard Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) had her first career double-double against the Golden Hurricane, scoring 12 points with a career and game-high 12 rebounds. She also tied a career-high with four made three-pointers.
Marist's (4-2) defense held Tulsa in check over the first 11:06, as the Golden Hurricane made only two field goals in that stretch. The Red Foxes took a 9-4 lead at the 14:59 mark as a Fitz three-point play. Tulsa got back in the game with free throws by Larrissa Williams and Kara Vaughn, cutting the lead to two at 9-7 with 13:02 remaining in the half. Marist put the lead back at five, 12-7, at the 9:29 mark on a Kate Oliver (Sydney, Australia) three-pointer. The lead then grew to seven with 6:33 to go in the half, as a Johnson triple made the score 20-13. The Golden Hurricane closed to within five, 22-17, on a Williams layup with 3:21 to go in the first. The Red Foxes then got a Fitz three-point play and a Best three-pointer to go ahead by 11, 28-17, with 1:47 to go. Marist went on to lead by 10, 31-21, at halftime.
For only shooting 27.3% from the field in the first half, the Red Foxes started the second-half making four of its first five shots from the field. Starting with a Fitz three-point play and ending with back-to-back threes by Johnson, Marist started the half on an 11-4 run to take a 42-25 lead with 16:46 to go. The Red Foxes then got four free throws from Fitz and Corielle Yarde (Leesport, Pa.) to extend the lead to 21, 46-25, with 13:30 to go. Marist took its largest lead of the game at the 9:25 mark, as Best knocked down a jumper in transition to put the Red Foxes up by 22, 57-35. Tulsa only got as close as 15 points the rest of the way, as Marist held on for the 69-52 win.
Marist shot 36.1% from the field in the game, making 46.4% of its shots in the second half. The Red Foxes also made 5-of-7 three-pointers in the second half. Tulsa (3-3) shot 31.7% from the field, and was 0-9 from the three-point line. Marist outrebounded an opponent for the first time this season, pulling down 47 rebounds to the Golden Hurricane's 43. Williams led Tulsa with 20 points and 11 rebounds as Jermaine Kenas added nine points.
The Red Foxes will next travel to Olean, N.Y. to take on St. Bonaventure Sunday at 1 p.m.
