POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Marist women's basketball team used a strong first half to beat Fairfield 71-63. The Red Foxes improve to 8-9 and 4-1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Stags fall to 6-10 and 3-2 in conference.
 
SUMMARY
The Red Foxes played stout defense to start the game, limiting Fairfield to two points while adding 17 of their own in the first quarter. Their scoring run was highlighted by back-to-back threes from Rebekah Hand and Grace Vander Weide. Fairfield started to find an offensive rhythm in the second quarter but struggled to slow down the hot handed Red Foxes. Marist ended the half up 42-19 scoring 51.9 percent from the field.
 
Fairfield came out of the half strong, going on an 8-1 scoring run and cutting Marist's lead to 16 with 3:18 left in the quarter. Macey Hollenshead scored back to back layups, bringing the score to 52-40 and forcing Marist to call a timeout. The Stags were able to come within seven points of Marist with 35 seconds left in the game. Rebekah Hand scored both her shots from the line, sending the game too far out of reach for Fairfield.
 
KEY STATS

• Alana Gilmer led the Red Foxes with 20 points. This is her sixth game with 20 or more points.
• Vander Weide notched her first career double-double finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
• Maura Fitzpatrick, Rebekah Hand and Willow Duffell each added 10 points. Marist is 3-0 when five players score double digits.
• Fairfield's two points in the first quarter is the lowest Marist has held an opponent since the implementation of quarters.
• Marist held Fairfield scoreless for eight minutes in the first quarter.

 
UP NEXT
The Red Foxes will get a few days of break from games before traveling to take on Siena on Thursday, January 18th. The game will be held at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York as the front end of a men's-women's doubleheader. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.