March 8, 2009
Box Score |
Photo Gallery 
ALBANY, N.Y. - The Marist women's basketball team got 22 points from both Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) and Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) and held Canisius to 26.1% from the three-point line to win its fourth-straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Tournament Championship at the Times Union Center Sunday afternoon. The win gives the Red Foxes the MAAC's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
Allenspach's 22 points are a new career-high. She was 6-for-11 from the field, including four three-pointers, and made all six of her free throws. She also had six rebounds. Viani was 7-of-15 from the field and had a game-high six assists. Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) had a double-double of 18 points and 14 rebounds. Viani was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player as Fitz and Allenspach were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Marist (29-3) controlled the game early, taking a 9-2 lead with 15:57 to go in the first half on baskets from Fitz, Viani, and an Elise Caron (Quebec, Canada) three. Canisius bounced back with a Brittane Russell three to spark a 10-4 run that put the Golden Griffins within one, 13-12, with 12:01 to go in the half. Maria Laterza (Brooklyn, N.Y.) then hit a layup to put the Red Foxes back up three, 15-12, with 11:18 to go in the first. Viani and Allenspach then hit back-to-back threes to put Marist ahead nine, 21-12, with 9:12 to go in the half.
Canisius (24-8) went 8:07 without a field goal during the first half as Marist extended its run from nine straight points to 15 with two more threes from Viani and Allenspach, going ahead 28-13. The Golden Griffins went on a 7-2 run to get within 10 as Russell hit another three-pointer to spark the run. Marist went back up 11, 32-21, with 1:10 left in the first half as Fitz grabbed an offensive rebound for a putback layup. Canisius got within eight at halftime as Brianna Lucas hit a triple with 11.5 seconds left in the half to make the score 32-24. Marist held the Golden Griffins to 29.6% from the field in the first half and 25% from the three-point line.
The Red Foxes got the lead up to 12 early in the second half as Fitz and Kristine Best (Commack, N.Y.) combined for Marist's first seven points, going ahead 39-27 with 18:17 to go. Canisius cut the lead to six, 46-40, with a 13-1 run over the next 4:48. Micayla Drysdale started the run with a three-pointer as the Golden Griffins also got buckets from Marie Warner, Stephanie MacDonald, and Ellie Radke. Marist got the lead back up to nine at the 11:28 mark as Allenspach and Viani once again connected on back-to-back threes to make the score 52-43. The tandem combined for the Red Foxes' next nine points as a Viani four-point play put Marist ahead 61-47 with 9:33 to go in the game. Marist reached its largest lead with 1:58 left as Allenspach made two free throws to give her a new career-high in points.
Marist shot 43.3% from the field, holding Canisius to 32.3%. The Red Foxes also shot 34.5% from the three-point line. Marist had 18 assists to only nine turnovers. Canisius outrebounded Marist 42-37, but only scored nine points off of 14 offensive rebounds. Marie Warner led the Golden Griffins with 17 points and 10 rebounds as Russell added 14 points, 12 rebounds, and four steals.
The Red Foxes now will wait until Monday, March 16 to find out where and whom they will play in the NCAA Tournament.
