BOSTON, Massachusetts - Senior captain Rebekah Hand poured in 27 points, redshirt senior captain Alana Gilmer added 20, and Marist Women's Basketball scored 55 points in the second half to take an 89-75 victory over Boston University in the 2019-20 season opener at Case Gymnasium on Friday evening.

The win was also the 400th of Head Coach Brian Giorgis' career at Marist. He is believed to be the first head coach in NCAA Division I history to have 400 wins at both the collegiate and high school level.

Redshirt senior captain Grace Vander Weide piled up the statistics with 18 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Redshirt junior forward Molly Smith added 12 points and a career-high nine rebounds. As a team, Marist shot 50 percent (29-58) from the field.

Sydney Johnson paced the Terriers with 21 points, while Katie Nelson chipped in 14.

Major Milestone Alert ?? 400 career wins at @Marist for Head Coach Brian Giorgis!!! He is believed to become the first coach in @ncaawbb Division I history to have 400 collegiate and high school victories! #GoRedFoxes #ncaaW pic.twitter.com/m8ZeFBnQcK

— Marist WBB (@MaristWBB) November 9, 2019

SUMMARY

• Just 3:05 into the game, Gilmer blocked a three-point attempt from Riley Childs, picked up the loose ball, and drove for the layup for the second Marist bucket of the game.
• Less than a minute later, Vander Weide dribbled behind her back and sunk the ensuing layup.
• Marist ended the first quarter on a 7-0 run, later extending it to a 16-2 burst via a Gilmer jumper with 7:08 left in the second quarter.
• After halftime, the Red Foxes exploded for seven-straight points, five from Rebekah Hand, forcing a BU timeout just 1:16 into the third.
• Freshman guard Trinasia Kennedy nailed her first-career triple, then Vander Weide buried a three from the top of the key at the 1:20 mark in the third to give Marist its largest lead of the night at 60-43.
• The Terriers stayed in it in the fourth quarter, as Annabelle Larnard trimmed the Red Fox lead to seven with a three-pointer at 6:27.
• With 3:30 to play, junior guard Allie Best sank a top-of-the-key triple, extending the Red Fox advantage to 73-59.

 

NOTES

• Hand reached the 20-point plateau for the 25th time in her career. The 27 points are the most for her since she scored 28 against Northeastern on December 18, 2018.
• Gilmer collects 20 points for the 23rd time in a Marist uniform.
• Dating back to last year's MAAC Championships, the Red Foxes have had four players reach double figures for the third time in four games.
• The Red Foxes scored 28 points in the fourth quarter, last accomplishing that on March 2 vs. Niagara.
• That was also the last time Marist show 50 percent or better in a game.

 

GIORGIS ON THE GAME

• "I thought we did a lot of good things offensively. We shot the ball well on the perimeter and inside, and especially from the free throw line. Boston is a very good team, and they're going to be a force in the Patriot League. It was great to put up 89 points on the road in the first game of the season. We just have to clean up some things defensively." – Head Coach Brian Giorgis

 

UP NEXT

• Marist welcomes Albany to McCann Arena for the 2019-20 home opener on Wednesday, November 13 at 7 p.m.
• Tickets are on sale now at MaristTickets.com.