POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Leanne Ockenden (Syracuse, N.Y.) set a career-high with 14 points and Corielle Yarde (Reading, Pa.) had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Marist women's basketball team defeated Canisius College 69-57 Wednesday night in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) game at McCann Arena.
Brandy Gang (Hartville, Ohio) joined Yarde and Ockenden in double figures with 12 points. Kelsey Beynnon (Burlington, Vt.) had nine points and five rebounds and Kristina Danella (Manalapan, N.J) and Casey Dulin (Milford, Conn.) each had eight points. Ockenden also doubled her career-high with four steals as the Marist defense forced Canisius into 21 turnovers while only committing 11 on the offensive side of the ball. The Red Foxes shot 45% (24-53) from the floor for the game and 44% (10-23) from three-point range.
Marist (7-6, 2-0 MAAC) began to open the game up early in the first half. Leading 10-7 with 14:55 left on the clock, the Red Foxes went on a 14-4 run over a five and a half minute span to open a 24-11 lead with 9:12 left in the half. Dulin started the run with a layup, Ockenden followed with a three-pointer on a assist by Gang following an offensive rebound and Danella converted a breakaway layup after a Yarde defensive board and outlet pass. Ockenden hit a driving layup to finish nine straight points scored by Marist. After a couple of Canisius (6-6, 0-1 MAAC) points, Beynnon made a layup and Danella hit another three-pointer to extend the Red Foxes' lead to 13.
The Golden Griffins cut the Marist lead down to five at 28-23 with 3:30 left in the half, Yarde connected on back-to-back three-pointers, on assists from Dulin and Beynnon, to bring the lead back up to double digits at 34-23 with 2:14 left.
The lead was 37-27 at halftime with Marist shooting 52% (15-29) from the floor and 6-14 from three-point range. Ockenden and Yarde each connecting on two from behind the arc and led the Red Foxes with 8 points apiece. Beynnon had seven points and Danella and Gang each had five.
Canisius came out hot in the second frame, scoring on six of their first eight possessions including three three-pointers, to bring the score to 44-42 just five minutes into the half.
Yarde and Dulin combined to give the Red Foxes some breathing room however, going on a 10-4 run between the two of them. Two free throws by Dulin brought the score to 54-46 with 7:56 left to play.
After a Canisius basket, Danella was fouled on a three-point shot and converted all three attempts from the charity stripe. Gang and Yarde went on a shooting spree from behind the arc in the game's final four minutes, hitting Marist's final three attempts, that brought the final 12-point margin.
The Red Foxes head back on the road as they head to Rider for a 2 p.m. game on Saturday afternoon. The team returns to McCann Arena on Monday, Jan. 9 for a 7 p.m. game against Manhattan.
Notes - Yarde's double-double effort was the first by a Marist player since Yarde accomplished the feat last season in the NCAA Tournament where she had 25 points and 12 rebounds against Duke... The Red Foxes have now won 26 straight MAAC games and 22 conference games at home... Wednesday made for seven straight victories by Marist over Canisius.
