Marist University Athletics

(7-24)

1st 2nd F Marist 41  39  80  Quinnipiac 27  47  74   Box Score | Postgame Video | Photo Gallery | Infographic

(15-15)

ALBANY, N.Y. - The 11th-seeded Marist men's basketball team (7-24) defeated #6 Quinnipiac (15-15), 80-74, in the first round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships on Thursday night. 

Senior guard/forward Chavaughn Lewis (Queens, N.Y.) broke the Marist all-time scoring record finishing with a team-high 26 points in the victory. Lewis had a team-high 11 rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks. Sophomore guard Khallid Hart (Newark, Del.) added 18 points for the Red Foxes on a perfect 7-for-7 from the field.

Junior forward Phillip Lawrence (Baltimore, Md.) scored 12 points, was 4-for-7 from the field and 3-for-5 from the three point line. Senior T.J. Curry (Brooklyn, N.Y.) contributed 11 points, was 3-for-4 from the three point arc and had two steals.

Ousmane Drame scored 27 points and collected 23 rebounds for Quinnipiac. Zaid Hearst added 16 points, while Justin Harris scored 15. 

A 12-0 Bobcats' run spanning from the 17 minute mark until the 11:59 minute mark in the second half would cut the Red Foxes lead to just five. A strong hoop and a harm from Hart would extend the lead back to seven. The teams then traded free throws until back-to-back Quinnipiac three pointers cut the Marist lead to just one.

The Red Foxes responded with back-to-back threes of their own by Manny Thomas (Brooklyn, N.Y) and T.J. Curry to push the lead back to seven. From there the two teams traded free throws and baskets until a four point play from the Bobcats' Zaid Hearst at 3:42 remaining brought Quinnipiac to within three.

Two minutes later a Curry three gave the Red Foxes their cushion back and 73-65 lead. A few stops and some free throws later and the Red Foxes left the Times Union Center with their first MAAC tournament victory since 2012 when they defeated Saint Peter's 64-57.

The Red Foxes headed to the locker room with a 41-27 lead. It was the sixth time in a row the team has led at halftime and their second largest lead of the season.

In the first half the Red Foxes came out on fire, led by Phillip Lawrence, who scored 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting, 3-for-5 from behind the arc, in the first half. Along with Lawrence, Hart chipped in with 10 points of his own on a perfect 4-for-4 from the field, including two three pointers.

The Red Foxes as a team shot 9-for-12 (.750) from behind the arc and 16-for26 (.615) from the field including a 17-2 run from just over the 10 minute mark until 6 minutes to go in the first half. The Red Foxes forced 10 Quinnipiac turnovers and scored nine points off the forced mishaps. To go along with the sharpshooting from behind the arc, the Red Foxes also were strong in transition, notching 12 fast break points.

The Marist men's basketball team will square off with #3 Manhattan in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Quarterfinals on Saturday night. Game time is set for 8 p.m. and Marist will offer bus transportation and tickets to the game. It will also be broadcast on ESPN3.