POUGHKEEPSIE, New York - Behind 20 points from sophomore guardÂ
Trinasia Kennedy and a 32-12 run over the final 11:18 of the game, the Red Foxes pulled off the series sweep over the Rider Broncs with a 70-57 victory on Monday evening at McCann Arena.
Marist became the first team in the MAAC to reach double digit wins for conference play, and are now 10-2 in the MAACÂ and 12-2 overall. Rider falls to 4-12 in conference and 5-16 overall, with only two games remaining on their schedule as of publication before the MAACÂ Tournament.
Marist went on a 17-3 run in the fourth quarter during a six-and-a-half-minute span. Kennedy led the charge for Marist with nine points in the burst en route to the second-highest point total in her career, chipping in three assists, and three rebounds. Senior captainsÂ
Allie Best and
Willow Duffell as well as junior guard
Sarah Barcello also scored in double figures with 14, 13, and 12 points, respectively.
All three filled the stat sheet; Best had five rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Duffell grabbed eight rebounds, three of which were on the offensive glass, and dished out two assists on top of it. Barcello also dished out three assists and pulled down two rebounds.
The Broncs shot the ball at 44 percent, only the second time this season that Marist has allowed a team to shoot above 40 percent. Marist outrebounded the Broncs 34-29, but the Red Foxes were grabbed 13 offensive rebounds compared to Rider's six. Rider's leading scorer was Makayla Firebaugh, who had 15 points.
- Best and Kennedy started the evening with consecutive three-pointers in a 38-second span.
- Rider then ignited a 10-2 run capped by a nostalgic three-point play from Maya Hyacienth for a 10-8 lead.
- Junior guard Kendall Krick converted two passes from Best into layups that made the score 15-14 Broncs after the first quarter, the same score at halftime in the opening game of the series.
- With the score 18-14 Rider just 12 seconds into the second, the Red Foxes began an extended 12-2 run over four minutes, which included a conventional three-point play on an underhanded layup from Barcello and a three-pointer from Duffell.
- The Broncs rattled off their own 9-0 burst with points from Firebaugh and Victoria Toomey, taking a 29-26 advantage into halftime.
- A two-point Rider lead blossomed into a 39-32 advantage midway through the third. Daija Moses and Toomey bookended the run with layups underneath.
- Moses extended Rider's lead to 45-38 with 2:04 until the fourth, but Best's conventional three-point play off a steal and Kennedy's foul shots trimmed the Marist deficit to 45-43 after 30 minutes.
- Kennedy unleashed two consecutive three-pointers to put the Red Foxes ahead 49-47 just 1:36 into the fourth quarter, starting the 17-3 run.
- Marist's last field goal came with 3:35 to play when sophomore guard Julianna Bonilla nailed a left-wing triple, putting the Red Foxes up 58-50.
- The Red Foxes made 12 free throws in the final 2:44, six of them coming from Best, and three each from Duffell and Barcello.
- Marist shot 40 percent in the game, and 33 percent from downtown. Kennedy paced the team with seven baskets on 13 attempts.
- Four different Red Foxes had at least three assists, as Marist had 16 assists on 22 field goals.
- Marist went 20-for-28 from the foul line, making 20 free throws for the first time since February 11th, 2020 at Rider.
- Rider committed 17 turnovers, which resulted in 25 Red Fox points.
- Each team had 11 fastbreak points. Marist had the 30-28 lead in points in the paint, while the Broncs had 14 bench points compared to Marist's nine.
- Kennedy is the first Red Fox this season with multiple 20-point games. She has improved her scoring average by 7.8 points per game from her freshman campaign.
- Duffell leads the Red Foxes with nine games with 10-plus points this year. She has 29 in her career.
- Marist is now outscoring opponents 243-199 in the fourth quarter this season. The 20.25 points per fourth quarter is the highest for the Red Foxes in 2020-21.
- The Red Foxes have now won seven of their last eight games. In that stretch, they've allowed 49.6 points per game.
- Based on the current remaining games on Marist's schedule, the Red Foxes are guaranteed to finish at least .500 in MAAC play for the 18th straight season.
- Marist has extended its home win streak to 14 games, dating back to last season.
- The all-time series now favors Marist 48-18 over Rider.
- Continuing its celebration of Black excellence during Black History Month, the program spotlight politicians Stacey Abrams and John Lewis, as well as Twisted Soul Food Concepts on Raymond Ave.
- Kennedy and Head Coach Brian Giorgis met with the media following Monday's win.
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- The Red Foxes trek up I-87 for two games at Siena on Friday, February 12th and Saturday, February 13th at 7 p.m.
