Feb. 12, 2009
Box Score
FAIRFIELD, CONN. - Senior guard Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) led all scorers with 20 points as the Marist (22-3, 13-2 MAAC) women's basketball team defeated Fairfield 64-52 at Alumni Hall Thursday night. The win gives the Red Foxes sole possession of first place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and snaps Fairfield's eight-game winning streak. Viani was 7-of-11 from the field and made 5-of-6 free throws.
Junor forward Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) added 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) had eight points, seven rebounds, and a career-high six steals. Élise Caron (Quebec, Canada) added five points and a game-high five assists.
Fairfield (16-9, 11-3 MAAC) was hot out of the gates, going ahead 6-0 in the first 1:26 of the game. The Stags kept the lead early as a Megan Caskin driving layup put Fairfield ahead 12-8 with 15:46 left in the first half. Marist took its first lead of the game at the 14:41 mark on a Fitz basket, going ahead 12-10. After Lauren Groom gave Fairfield a 14-12 lead, Fitz struck again to tie the game at 14-14 with 14:03 to go. The Stags did not hit a field goal for 4:55, as baskets by Fitz, Corielle Yarde (Leesport, Pa.), and Kristine Best (Commack, N.Y.) extended the Red Foxes' lead to 19-15 with 9:40 to go in the first.
The Stags came back and tied the game at 19-19 at the 8:39 mark on layups by Taryn Johnson and Sarah Paulus. Marist took the lead right back as a Viani layup sparked a 15-1 run over 5:07. Viani scored nine points during the run as Fitz, Allenspach, and Emily Stallings (Newburgh, N.Y.) also scored during the run to put the Red Foxes ahead 34-20 with 3:32 to go in the half. Marist shot 51.6% in the first half and took a 38-26 lead into halftime.
Fairfield got within seven at the start of the second half, as a Baendu Lowenthal layup made the score 43-36 with 14:28 to go. Marist then went on a 10-3 run highlighted by four Viani points to take a 53-39 lead at the 10:44 mark. The Stags got back to within 10 points with 9:43 to go on a Caskin jumper. After that basket Allenspach scored six straight Marist points, including a three-pointer with 7:50 left in the game that put the Red Foxes ahead 59-43. The Red Foxes took their largest lead of the game with 2:35 to go when Viani hit a pair of free throws to make the score 64-47.
Marist shot 40.4% from the field on Thursday night, while Fairfield shot 36.4%. The Red Foxes made 15-of-20 free throws for 75%. The Stags made only 8-of-16 free throws. Fairfield held a slim 39-38 rebounding advantage, 20 of which were offensive rebounds. Marist only committed 11 turnovers in the game and forced 16 Stags turnovers. Lowenthal led Fairfield with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
The Red Foxes will go out of conference on Sunday afternoon as they travel to take on America East opponent Hartford. Tipoff is at 1 p.m. with the game being televised on ESPN2.
