Feb. 15, 2010
Box Score | Allenspach Half Court Shot Credit: ESPN First Take
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist women's basketball team used a 15-2 run over 8:05 in the second half to get a 55-44 win over the Manhattan Lady Jaspers at the McCann Center Monday night. The Red Foxes have now won at least 20 games in each of the last seven seasons. Junior guard Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) led Marist with 15 points and four assists, while Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) had 14 points and eight rebounds.
Allenspach was 4-for-8 from the field with three three-pointers. Fitz was 3-for-7 from the field and made all eight of her free throws. Her eight rebounds put her four away from becoming the first Marist women's basketball player to record 1,000 career rebounds. Fitz also tied Julianne Viani as the Red Foxes' all-time leader in games played with 129.
Manhattan (13-12, 8-6 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) controlled the early part of the first half. Lindsey Loutsenhizer scored five of the Lady Jaspers first nine points as Manhattan took a six-point lead 3:43 into the game. Marist (20-6, 12-2 MAAC) opened the game 1-for-9 from the field but hung with Manhattan, as free throws by Fitz and Allenspach got the home team within two, 9-7, with 11:50 to go in the half. The Lady Jaspers led 15-11 with 7:47 to go when a Corielle Yarde (Leesport, Pa.) layup and a pair of Fitz foul shots tied the game 15-15 at the 6:54 mark of the opening half.
The Red Foxes took their first lead of the game with 6:15 to go in the first as an Allenspach three-pointer gave Marist an 18-17 lead. Marist then got back-to-back layups by Yarde and another pair of Allenspach free throws to cap a 9-4 run at the 3:16 mark. The Red Foxes led 24-19 when Michelle Pacheco knocked down a three-pointer to make the score 24-22. Allenspach then made her second three-pointer of the game with 1:12 to go in the first, with a Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) layup with 35 seconds left giving Marist a 29-22 lead. The Red Foxes took a 29-24 lead into the half, despite shooting only 36% from the field.
Marist controlled the early portion of the first half, as a Kate Oliver (Sydney, Australia) to take a 44-40 lead with 6:49 to go.
The lead grew to seven with 4:00 remaining in the game on a Gang layup and free throw. After an Abby Wentworth jumper put Manhattan within five, 47-42, with 3:32 to go, Best made her third three-pointer of the game to give the Red Foxes a 50-42 lead. Marist took its largest lead of the game with 27 seconds left as Allenspach banked in a half-court three-pointer to beat the shot clock, giving the Red Foxes a 55-42 lead.
Marist shot 35.3% from the field for the game, with Manhattan shooting 37.5% for the game. The Red Foxes made 13-of-16 free throws to the Lady Jaspers 5-of-9. Marist also outrebounded Manhattan 35-30, 23-10 in the second half. Pacheco led Manhattan with 18 points, five rebounds, and five steals. Loutsenhizer added 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
The Red Foxes end the regular season with three of four games on the road, starting Friday night at Loyola. Tip-off at Reitz Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.
