LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Kristina Danella (Manalapan, N.J.) scored a game-high 19 points and Corielle Yarde (Reading, Pa.) had her second straight 18-point performance as the Marist women's basketball team had their highest scoring output of the season in a 82-56 victory over Rider in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) game at Rider's Alumni Gym.
Yarde also tied for team-high honors with seven rebounds with Emma O'Connor (Lynbrook, N.Y) who had eight points and a career-high four assists. Casey Dulin (Milford, Conn.) had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists and Brandy Gang (Hartville, Ohio) added 10 points. The Red Foxes shot 45% (27-60) for the game and was 8-18 from behind the three-point line. The team also had 20 made free throws, led by Danella who was 6-6 from the charity stripe.
Marist (8-6, 3-0 MAAC) started out quick, using three-pointers by Yarde and Leanne Ockenden (Syracuse, N.Y) sandwiched around a Gang layup to jump to a 8-0 lead and force a Rider (9-5, 1-2 MAAC) timeout less than two minutes into the game.
The timeout worked as the Broncs went on an 18-2 run over the next six and a half minutes to take a 18-12 lead with 11:40 left in the first half.
The teams would go back and forth, with Rider maintaining a slight edge at 31-25 with 2:41 left in the opening period. That is when the Red Foxes' offense got hot, going on a 15-1 run to head into the locker room leading 40-32. Danella began and ended the run by hitting a three-pointer, including one at the buzzer. O'Connor also added a trey and Yarde had a layup and hit two free throws.
The hot shooting continued into the second half as Marist hit seven of their first eight shots, including three-pointers by Danella, Ockenden and Yarde and a three-point play by Dulin. A made layup by Danella finished a 33-7 run over a seven minute span and extended the Red Foxes' lead to 20 at 58-38 with 15:30 remaining.
From there on, Marist maintained a lead of at least 16 points. With 2:56 left, head coach Brian Giorgis emptied his bench, giving senior Caroline Feeley (Rye, N.Y.) and freshman Maggie Gallagher (Stormville, N.Y) their first game action of the season. Gallagher pulled down her first career rebound as the Marist defense held Rider scoreless over the final four minutes of the game.
The Red Foxes next play at home Monday night when they host Manhattan for a 7 p.m. contest. The team then goes to Fairfield for a midweek game on Thursday before playing four consecutive games at McCann Arena.
Notes - Freshman Briana Holmes (Columbus, Ohio) made her first career basket when she hit a driving layup with 5:47 left to play that made the score 76-54 with 5:47 left in the game... Marist has now won 17 straight games against Rider... Giorgis is now 18-1 in his career against the Broncs.
