POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Marist men's basketball team opens the 2022-23 season on Wednesday night against American at McCann Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
The game will be shown on ESPN+, with Dean Darling (play-by-play) and Steve Eggink (analyst) on the call.
Here's a closer look at Wednesday's contest, and the upcoming season as a whole:
- Marist opens its 42nd season as a Division I program, and 62nd season overall on Wednesday.
- American finished 10-22 last season, with a 5-13 mark in Patriot League play. Colin Smalls (10.7 ppg) is American's returning leading scorer. The Eagles were picked to finish seventh in this year's Patriot League Preseason Poll. Head coach Mike Brennan is in his 10th season.This is the second straight year Marist has opened against American on Nov. 9.
- Marist is 2-2 against American all-time.
- This is American's second trip to Poughkeepsie. The first came on Dec. 7, 1999, which the Red Foxes won by a score of 72-63.
- In its Division I history, Marist is 16-25 in season openers, including a 2-2 record under head coach John Dunne. Marist dropped 10 straight season openers from 2009-18, but has won two of the last three.
- Marist is 21-20 in its Division I history in home openers, including a 3-1 mark under Coach Dunne.
- Marist had opened the season on the road 13 of the previous 17 years, including each of the four previous years. This is Marist's first season opener at home since the 2017-18 season.
- Marist has four returning scholarship players who saw action last season: senior forward Tyler Saint-Furcy, junior forward Javon Cooley, sophomore guard Noah Harris, and sophomore center Rollin Belton. The Red Foxes also have a returning walk-on in sophomore forward Thomas Botticelli.
- Marist returns 12 percent of its scoring from last season.
- On the coaching staff, head coach John Dunne and assistant coaches Dalip Bhatia and Dorian Long are all in their fifth season on staff. Drew Metz is in his second season on staff, and was promoted to assistant coach this past summer.
- Of the 14 players on Marist's roster this season, nine did not play for the Red Foxes last season.
- Four transfers joined the Red Foxes this year: Stephane Ingo (graduate, last four years at Maine); Anthony Cooper (graduate, last four years at Caldwell); Patrick Gardner (graduate, last two years at Saint Michael's, previous three years at Nassau Community College); and Kam Farris (junior, last two years at Robert Morris).
- Four scholarship freshmen joined the Red Foxes this year: Isaiah Brickner, Trace Salton, Jaden Daughtry, and Matt McCool. Walk-on freshman Mack Wall has joined the team as well.
- Brandon Hall joins the staff as director of men's basketball operations. Hall played for head coach John Dunne at Saint Peter's from 2008-12, and won a MAAC championship in 2011.
- Marist's win total (14) was its highest since winning 14 in the 2011-12 season.
- Marist's seven road were its most since 2006-07 season (nine). The Red Foxes' six-game winning streak last season was its longest since 2006-07.
- American is the first of four Patriot League teams Marist will face. The Red Foxes will also face Lehigh (road, Nov. 16, picked third), Bucknell (road, Nov. 26, picked eighth), and Boston University (home, Dec. 10, picked second).
- Marist will host two Ivy League teams: Princeton (Nov. 19, picked second) and Columbia (Nov. 28, picked eighth).
- Marist will face two America East teams: Binghamton (home, Nov. 12, picked fourth) and Maine (London, Dec. 5, picked ninth). The Maine game is part of the London Showcase and is the Red Foxes' first overseas contest since going to Belfast, Northern Ireland in November of 2018.
- Marist will go to Maryland-Eastern Shore (picked sixth, MEAC) on Nov. 22.
- Marist's five non-conference home games are its most since 2011-12 (five).
- Marist opens with back-to-back home games for the first time since 2015-16.
Marist plays its second straight game at home on Saturday, when the Red Foxes host Binghamton for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
