Marist University Athletics

(11-7, 7-2 MAAC)

1st 2nd F Marist 19 36 55  Quinnipiac  45   28  73   Box Score | Video | Photo Gallery

(17-3, 9-0 MAAC)

	Stat Comparison Marist Quinnipiac  FG Made-Attempted 22-59 26-75  FG Percentage  .373  .347  3P Made/Attempted 4-14 7-29  3P Percentage .286 .241  FT Made-Attempted 7-14 14-17  FT Percentage  .500  .824  Rebounds 45  49  Assists 18  23  Turnovers 21  9
	Individual Leaders  Stat Marist Quinnipiac  Points Jarosz, 16 Ostergaard, 14  Rebounds Jarosz, 14 Fay, 10  Assists Coffey, 5 Two with 5  Steals Blais, Jarosz, 2 Driscoll, 5  Blocks Jarosz, 5 Driscoll, 3
	Up Next Who: Saint Peter's When: Sat Jan. 24, 7 p.m. Where: Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Tickets | Video | Audio | Full Schedule

HAMDEN, CONN. – Despite another double-double effort from senior center Tori Jarosz (Cortland Manor, N.Y.) the Marist women's basketball team (11-7, 7-2 MAAC) fell to the Quinnipiac Bobcats (17-3, 9-0 MAAC), 73-55, Thursday night at the TD Bank Sports Center.

The Red Foxes found themselves in a 45-19 hole at halftime and a much stronger and even second half wouldn't be enough to overcome the large deficit. A tenacious Bobcat defense held the Red Foxes to 7-22 (.269) shooting from the field and 2-7 (.286) shooting from the three point line in the first half.

In a disastrous half the team also shot an uncharacteristic 3-8 from the free throw line and had 13 turnovers leading to 18 Quinnipiac points. The Bobcats also outscored the Red Foxes 24-2 in the paint.

"I told our players in the locker room, if I was going to lose this game this is exactly the way I wanted to lose it," head coach Brian Giorgis said. "We played tentative."

In a much different second half the Red Foxes shot 15-33 (.455) from the field and outscored the Bobcats 36-28 holding them to 8-35 (.229) from the field and 3-17 (.176) from behind the arc. Jarosz also did all of her scoring damage in the second half after being held scoreless in the first. Jarosz finished the game with 16 points, 14 rebounds, 5 blocks, two assists and two steals on 7-13 shooting.

"In the second half we competed," said Giorgis "That second half team showed we can play with anybody."

The Red Foxes would finish the game with 18 assists and a season high 11 blocks, but their 21 turnovers was the most the team has had all year since the fourth game against Stetson when they recorded 19.

Junior forward Madeline Blais (Exeter, N.H.) was the only other Red Fox to score in double digits, finishing the game with 14 points, nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Junior guard Sydney Coffey (Hopkins, Minn.) scored eight points, grabbed 5 rebounds and dished out 5 assists.

Freshmen forward Payton Birchmeier (Corunna, Mich.) and guard Allie Clement (Falmouth, Maine) each scored six points, Birchmeier also pulled down seven rebounds.

"We came in to the second half with a different outlook on the game," said Blais. "We were more passionate and we took our defense more seriously, it was the way we should always play."

Quinnipiac was paced by strong games from forward Nikoline Ostergaard who had 14 points and eight rebounds and center Val Driscoll who recorded 12 points and nine rebounds. A balanced effort overall from the Bobcats saw that ten out of eleven players who saw minutes found their way onto the scoring sheet.

"They are a great basketball team," Giorgis said of Quinnipiac. "They are a great offensive juggernaut and people forget what their defense can do."

The Red Foxes have a quick turnaround as their next game is back at McCann Arena on Saturday, Jan. 24 as they take on Saint Peter's (1-16, 1-7 MAAC). Tip-off is set for 7 P.M. The Red Foxes hold a 26-15 all-time advantage over the Peacocks.