March 1, 2009
Box Score
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - Despite 21 points and eight rebounds from red-shirt senior forward Ryan Schneider (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), the Marist men's basketball team suffered an 80-72 loss at Niagara in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game on Sunday. The contest was the last in the regular season for the Red Foxes, who will begin the MAAC Tournament with a first-round game against Iona at 9:30 p.m. on Friday.
The Red Foxes also received 12 points and four rebounds off the bench from red-shirt junior guard Javon Parris (Brooklyn, N.Y.), and 11 points and seven assists off the bench from freshman guard R.J. Hall (Bloomfield, N.J.).
After falling behind 6-1 in the opening minutes, the Red Foxes went on a 14-1 run to take an eight-point lead midway through the first half. However, after a basket by Parris with 6:44 remaining in the half gave Marist a 24-18 lead, Niagara went on a 15-0 run in the next 4:40. The Purple Eagles took a 36-27 halftime lead.
Marist's biggest deficit in the game was 19 points, as the Red Foxes trailed 58-39 with 14:12 left to play. The Red Foxes climbed back into the game on the strength of a 15-5 run over the next 5:10. However, Marist never cut the deficit to less than seven in the second half.
Marist shot .441 (26-for-59) from the field, while Niagara shot .449 (22-for-49). The Red Foxes hit 10 three-pointers in the contest, while the Purple Eagles drained nine. Niagara shot 27-for-37 from the free-throw line, and Marist was 10-for-15.
Schneider, who has now scored 499 points this season, currently has 976 in his career.
The Red Foxes will be the 10th seed in next weekend's MAAC Tournament. The winner of the game between Marist and seventh-seeded Iona will face second-seeded Niagara in the quarterfinals on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Marist finishes the regular season at 9-22 overall and 4-14 in conference play; Niagara concludes it at 24-7 overall and 14-4 in the MAAC.
Notes: Schneider grabbed his 250th rebound of the season today. He has scored 499 points this season. ... Both meetings between Marist and Iona this season were decided by one point. The Red Foxes won 51-50 in the conference opener in Poughkeepsie on Dec. 5, while the Gaels earned a 66-65 overtime victory at home on Feb. 7. ... This will be the fifth MAAC Tournament meeting between Marist and Iona. The Gaels, who have been the better seed all five times, are 3-1 in the four previous meetings.
