ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey – The Marist men's basketball team has advanced to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship game for the first time in program history. The 11^th-seeded Red Foxes defeated 10^th-seeded Saint Peter's 69-57 in the semifinal round on Friday night at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.
 

Summary

• Marist scored the game's first eight points, which included three buckets by Patrick Gardner, and held Saint Peter's scoreless for the first 5:54.
• A three-point play by Isiah Dasher cut Marist's lead to 17-12 at the 10:03 mark of the first half, but the Red Foxes countered with a 16-2 run to extend their lead to 33-14. Isaiah Brickner had five points in this run.
• Back-to-back three-pointer by Javon Cooley extended Marist's lead to 21.
• Marist led 41-20 at halftime.
• Saint Peter's scored the first seven points of the second half.
• The Peacocks cut their margin to single digits for the first time in the second half on a Jaylen Murray jumper with 7:28 remaining.
• A 7-0 run brought Saint Peter's to within three with 4:33 to go.
• Marist held Saint Peter's without a field goal for the final 3:49, and scored the game's final seven points.

 

Stats

• Gardner led four double-digit scorers with 18 points. Brickner, Cooley, and Noah Harris all added 10.
• Gardner had a game-high 11 rebounds, followed by Jaden Daughtry with 10.
• Marist held Saint Peter's to .279 (19-for-68) shooting from the field and .154 (4-for-26) shooting from three-point range.
• Jaylen Murray led Saint Peter's with 14 points.

 

Notes

• The last time Marist advanced to a conference championship game was 1992 in the NEC. The Red Foxes last reached the NCAA Tournament in 1987.
• This is the first time an 11^th seed has reached the MAAC championship game.
• Marist head coach John Dunne has become the second coach in MAAC history to take two teams to the championship game. The first was Jimmy Patsos (Loyola and Siena).
• Marist has not trailed in any of its three games in the championship.
• Marist's 41 points in the first half marked a season high.
• Gardner had his fourth double-double of the season, and second in three games in the championship.
• This is the third time this season Marist has had four double-digit scorers. All have occurred in the last six games.
• Daughtry tied his career high with 10 rebounds.
• Marist set season highs for free throws made (29) and attempted (42).

 

Up Next

• Marist will face top-seeded Iona in the championship game on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
• The game will be televised on ESPNU, with Steve Lenox and Tim Welsh on the call.
• Dean Darling and Steve Eggink will have the call on the Red Fox Network and Varsity Network app starting at 7:15.