Jan. 5, 2010
Box Score | Highlights - Courtesy Cable 6
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist women's basketball team won its sixth straight game Tuesday night, defeating the Niagara Purple Eagles 73-56 at the McCann Center. At the 8:48 mark of the first half, senior forward Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) pulled down her 889th career rebound to pass Stacey Dengler as Marist's all-time leading rebounder. Sophomore guard Corielle Yarde (Leesport, Pa.) led the Red Foxes with 23 points and eight rebounds.
Yarde was 7-for-13 from the field and 7-for-8 at the free throw line. Freshman forward Kate Oliver (Sydney, Australia) scored a career-high 11 points with five rebounds. Fitz ended the game with 10 points, six rebounds, and tied a career-high with six assists. The game was the Marist women's basketball program's first "Friends of Jaclyn Foundation" Night. The night promoted awareness of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, which works hard to improve the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors and their families. Jaclyn Murphy, the inspiration for Friends of Jaclyn, was Marist's honorary guest coach Tuesday night.
Marist (10-4, 2-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) broke a 5-5 tie two minutes in with a 7-2 run. A three by Yarde and back-to-back Oliver layups gave the Red Foxes a 12-7 lead with 16:39 left in the first half. Niagara responded with a 17-1 run over the next 5:30 to take a 24-13 lead. Liz Flooks scored the first 13 points of the run and 15 of the 17. The Purple Eagles had the lead 26-18 with 7:21 to go in the half when a Kristine Best (Commack, N.Y.) jumpshot sparked a 9-1 run, which gave Marist a 28-27 lead with 4:04 to go in the first. Flooks made a pair of free throws to give Niagara a 29-28 lead, but Yarde and Emily Stallings (Newburgh, N.Y.) scored the last six points of the half to put the Red Foxes ahead 34-29 at halftime.
The Red Foxes scored the first six points of the second half on a Yarde three-pointer and an Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) three-point play to take an 11-point lead, 40-29, with 18:17 to go in the game. After Ali Morris got Niagara within 10, 43-33, with 15:44 to go, Marist went on an 8-2 run capped off by a Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) three-pointer to take a 16-point lead, 51-35, with 12:01 to go in the game. Marist took its largest lead of the game at the 8:56 mark on an Oliver put-back layup, which made the score 59-37. That advantage would be equaled twice, as the Purple Eagles would only get as close as 14 points the rest of the way.
Marist shot 43.9% from the field in the game and 44.4% from beyond the arc. Niagara (3-10, 0-2 MAAC) shot 39% in the game, but only 21.1% from the three-point line. The Red Foxes outrebounded the Purple Eagles 39-35 and also forced 15 Niagara turnovers. Flooks led the Purple Eagles wth 24 points, 17 of which were scored in the first half. Meghan Waterman and Rachele Folino each scored nine points.
Marist closes out its six-game homestand Friday night with a 7:30 p.m. game against the Fairfield Stags. The first 1,000 fans to enter the McCann Center will receive a 2006 MAAC Championship Replica Banner. The Marist Athletics Department will also host CYO night for this game. For ticket information, contact the Marist Ticket Office at 845-575-3553.
