ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey – The fourth-seeded Marist men's basketball team (12-8 overall, 10-8 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) will open play in the 2021 Hercules Tires MAAC Men's Basketball Championship on Thursday evening, the Red Foxes take on fifth-seeded Niagara (8-10, 7-9). Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
 

How To Follow

• Watch: Thursday's quarterfinal game will be shown live on ESPN+. Friday's semifinals will be televised on ESPNEWS, and Saturday's championship game will be shown on ESPNU.
• Twitter: @MaristMBB

 

Last Time Out

• Marist closed the regular season with a home sweep of Quinnipiac on Sunday, Feb. 28 and Monday, March 1. The Red Foxes prevailed 76-67 in the first game and 65-52 in the second game.
• The two victories enabled Marist to close the regular season with three straight wins.

 

Marist - 10 Things To Know

• Marist's #4 seed is its best since 2006-07, and the Red Foxes clinched their first winning season since 2007-08.
• This is the first time in Marist's 24 years in the MAAC that the Red Foxes have two All-Rookie Team selections (Hakim Byrd, Ricardo Wright).
• Marist had the MAAC's best finish over preseason projection this season (picked ninth, got the #4 seed, +5).
• Marist held its last four regular-season opponents under 35 percent from the field.
• In its 12 wins, Marist is allowing 58.1 points per game while allowing the opposition to shoot .356 from the field and .269 from three-point range.
• In Marist's five games the last two seasons against Niagara, Jordan Jones is averaging 14.6 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting .744 (32-for-43) from the field.
• Ricardo Wright led Marist in scoring in both games against Niagara this regular season, and averaged 17.5 points per game. Wright shot .533 (8-for-15) from three-point range.
• This is the seventh time Marist has faced Niagara in the MAAC Championships, the most of any school in the conference. The Red Foxes are 2-4 all-time against the Purple Eagles in tournament play.
• Niagara leads the all-time series against Marist, 30-24.
• Marist is seeking its first berth in the MAAC semifinals in 2008, its first berth in a conference championship game since 1992, and its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1987.

 

Niagara - Five Facts

• The Purple Eagles had a pair of Second Team All-MAAC selections in Kobi Nwandu and Marcus Hammond.
• Nwandu leads Niagara in scoring at 14.5 points per game, which ranks fourth in the MAAC.
• Hammond is second in scoring (13.2 ppg), and leads Niagara in rebounding (5.7 rpg) and assists (2.9 apg).
• Niagara averages just 9.9 turnovers per game, which is the best average in the conference.
• Niagara last played the weekend of Feb. 20-21, when the Purple Eagles split a home series against Siena.

 

The Bracket

• If the Red Foxes win Thursday, Friday's semifinal will be against #9 Iona at 6 p.m..
• If the Red Foxes advance to the championship game, #3 Saint Peter's, #7 Fairfield, and #11 Rider remain on the other side of the bracket. The championship game is set for Saturday at 4 p.m..