POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Marist men's basketball team (5-1 overall, 3-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) opens 2021 with a two-game home series against Niagara (3-3, 2-2). Tip-off on Friday and Saturday is set for 2 p.m. at McCann Arena.
 

How To Follow

• Watch: Dean Darling (play-by-play) and Steve Eggink (analyst) will have the call for both games. Friday's contest will air live on ESPN+, and you can watch Saturday's game on ESPN3.
• Twitter: @MaristMBB

 

Last Time Out

• Marist extended its winning streak to three with a sweep of a MAAC series at Manhattan.
• The Red Foxes earned a 61-39 triumph on Dec. 19 and a 72-67 overtime victory on Dec. 20.
• Hakim Byrd scored 20 and the Red Foxes held the Jaspers to .295 shooting from the field on Dec. 19.
• Victor Enoh set career highs with 11 points and 15 rebounds for his first career double-double on Dec. 20.

 

About Niagara

• Niagara has won three straight. The Purple Eagles most recently defeated UAlbany by a score of 70-65 on Dec. 22.
• Marcus Hammond leads the Purple Eagles in points (13.7) and rebounds (6.2) per game.
• Niagara was picked sixth in the MAAC Preseason Poll, with Hammond named First Team Preseason All-MAAC and Raheem Solomon selected to the Third Team.
• Greg Paulus is in his second season as head coach.

 

Five Facts

• Marist has won seven of the last 10 meetings against Niagara at McCann Arena, and the home team has won 18 of the last 25 in the regular season.
• In the final two minutes of regulation plus the full length of its two overtime games, Marist is 29-for-32 (.906) from the free-throw line.
• Marist has held three straight opponents under 36 percent from the field.
• MAAC Student-Athlete of the Week Matt Herasme has an individual plus-minus rating of +46 in his last three games.
• Hakim Byrd is shooting .571 from the field, .500 from three-point range, and averaging 13.5 points in his last four games.

 

Up Next

• The Red Foxes are scheduled to travel to Monmouth for a two-game series on Saturday, Jan. 9 and Sunday, Jan. 10.
• Tip-off for both days is set for 2 p.m.