POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Marist welcomed back its all-time leading men's basketball scorer, Steve Smith, back to campus on Friday night.
Smith graduated in 1983, and helped lead the program into the Division I ranks. He finished his career with 2,077 points, and scored his 2,000th career point 32 years and one day ago from Friday.
Smith was presented with a plaque at the under-16 timeout of the first half. His family met the family of Marist senior Chavaughn Lewis, the program's second 2,000-point scorer, on Friday as well.
For more on Smith's return to Marist, the Red Fox Network will have a video feature running next week.
Lewis Watch
With 25 points on Friday, Chavaughn Lewis now has 2,054 points for his career.
Lewis now needs 23 points to tie Steve Smith for first place in program history, and 24 points to become Marist's all-time leading scorer.
In case you're wondering about the chances of Lewis accomplishing the feat on Sunday, he has scored at least 24 points in a game 24 times in 120 career games.
Mr. Friday Night
Red-shirt sophomore guard Khallid Hart's layup with 1.5 seconds to go marked the third time in the last five weeks that he had a game-winning basket with under 30 seconds to play. Hart also defeated Niagara with final-minute baskets on Friday, Jan. 30 and Friday, Feb. 6.
Hart's game-winner made ESPN's SportsCenter Top 10 at the #10 spot on Friday.
Seniors Spark Senior Day Spurt
Marist jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the first 2:58 on Friday, with all 11 points coming from the senior class. T.J. Curry, Chavaughn Lewis and Manny Thomas hit three-pointers on consecutive possessions, and Lewis converted a layup on the following possession.
In all, the Marist seniors combined for exactly two-thirds of the Red Foxes' points on Friday, as Lewis (25), Curry (13) and Thomas (eight) had 46 of Marist's 69 points.
Seeding
Marist can still be either the ninth, 10th or 11th seed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championships heading into its regular-season finale on Sunday at Rider.
If the Red Foxes win on Sunday, coupled with a Fairfield win over Niagara, they will earn the ninth seed. A Marist win on Sunday, coupled with a Niagara win over Fairfield, will result in the 10th seed. As the ninth or 10th seed, Marist will match up with either Saint Peter's or Siena.
If the Red Foxes lose on Sunday, they will be the 11th seed, and will face Quinnipiac at 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 5.
