NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – All week, Marist head men's basketball coach Mike Maker was in search of answers. In addition to the customary game preparations, he took particular interest in the Red Foxes' history in western New York, and wanted to know the answer to two questions.
-- When was the last time Marist had won a game in western New York?
-- How many days had it been since that victory?
Entering Friday night, the answer to the first question was Dec. 5, 2007, when Marist defeated Canisius 63-53. The answer to the second question was 2,613 days.
Rather than avoid these facts, Maker embraced them. The number 2,613 made it to the white board in the Marist locker room prior to Friday night's game.
With the Red Foxes' 65-61 triumph, Marist ended those two streaks, and also snapped a streak of seven straight losses at Niagara.
Two Round Numbers
Maker coached his 200th games as a head men's basketball coach on Friday, and earned his 150th career victory.
Lewis' Points
Senior guard/forward Chavaughn Lewis (Queens, N.Y.) led the Red Foxes in scoring for the 11th consecutive game on Friday. With 22 points, he scored at least 20 for the 38th time in his career, 11th time this season, and seventh time in his last 10 games.
Lewis now has 1,881 career points.
Hart's Free Throws
Red-shirt sophomore guard Khallid Hart (Newark, Del.) is 20-for-21 from the free-throw line in his last two games.
Sealing it at the Line
In Marist's three wins this season, the Red Foxes are 31-for-36 (.861) from the line in the final five minutes.
Another Chance to Face History
Marist will head to Canisius on Sunday for a 2 p.m. tip-off. In their 17 previous years in the MAAC, the Red Foxes have never won at both Niagara and Canisius in the same season. Marist has split the two games six times, and has been swept 11 times.
