Feb. 26, 2010

Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Marist fell 62-39 to visiting Saint Peter's in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game on Friday, the Red Foxes' final home contest of the season. Freshman guard Devin Price (Inglewood, Calif.) led the Red Foxes with 12 points while the Peacocks' Nick Leon led all scorers with 15.

Prior to the game, the Marist Athletics Department honored the program's two seniors, Daye Kaba (Cergy, France) and Javon Parris (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Both players, who have been coming off the bench, were given starts and the pair combined to score Marist's first six points of the game. Each player finished with seven points.

The Peacocks jumped on the Red Foxes early, starting the game with 20-3 run over the first 9:30. They extended their lead to as many as 23 before taking a 36-14 advantage into halftime.

The 14 first-half points by the Red Foxes were the fewest they had scored in any half this season. Over the first 4:25, they had only recorded one point, which coming on a free throw from Kaba. At the 6:44 mark, Marist had only managed eight points and was trailing 29-8. The Red Foxes could not get their shots to fall in the half, going only 4-23 (.174) from the field, including 0-for-7 from 3-point range. To make matters worse, they turned the ball over 10 times in the half while recording only two assists.

Marist fared slightly better in the second half, recording 25 points on 9-for-20 (.450) shooting, including 3-for-8 (.375) from deep. Despite the improved shooting performance, the Peacocks' lead reached as many as 34.

For the game, Marist finished 13-for-43 (.302) from the field, including 3-for-15 (.200) from behind the arc, while Saint Peter's went 22-for-55 (.400) and 8-for-21 (.381) respectively.

Freshman Candon Rusin (Surf City, N.C.), the Red Foxes' leading scorer on the season, was held scoreless until the 8:28 mark in the second half and finished with seven points. Coming into the game, Rusin had scored in double digits in each of his last five games, averaging 13.4 points over that span.

Jeron Belin added 13 points for Saint Peter's, and Ryan Bacon pulled down a game-high nine rebounds to go along with six points. Brandon Hall added five points, six rebounds and six steals. The Peacocks outrebounded the Red Foxes 38-28. Junior forward Korey Bauer (Whitehall, Pa.) led Marist with seven boards.

The loss, Marist's 16th straight, dropped the team to 1-26 overall and 1-16 in the MAAC. With the win, Saint Peter's improved to 16-12 on the season, including 11-6 in the MAAC.

The Red Foxes will play their final regular season game this Sunday, Feb. 28 at Siena. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.