Jan. 25, 2008

Final Stats

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - Marist made 12 three pointers and sustained a lead of more than 30 points for the majority of the second half as they defeated the Siena women's basketball team 78-48 tonight in Poughkeepsie. The Red Foxes were aided by a raucous crowd of 3,200 marking the first sellout of the McCann Center in women's basketball history.

The teams battled to a seesaw battle in the opening minutes as Marist (18-2, 8-0) held a slim 8-6 lead at the 15:42 mark following a Heather Stec lay up. Stec scored Siena's first six points of the game.

This would mark the closest the Saints (7-11, 3-5) would get as the Red Foxes ran off to 19-2 run over the next seven minutes to put the game out of reach.

Marist held a 20 point lead entering intermission at 42-22. The Red Foxes held the Saints leading scorers Laura Menty and Melissa Manzer scoreless in the first half. Marist went 8-11 from three in the opening stanza, while the Saints converted on just nine total field goals.

In the second half, Marist continued to build on their momentum opening as much as a 33 point edge with 6:34 remaining. Siena went on a 9-0 run over the next three minutes to close the gap to 24 but could get no closer.

Menty led Siena with 11 points, while Stec chipped in with nine points and six rebounds. Marist was led by Julianne Viani's 18 points including four of six from beyond the arc. The win marked the Red Foxes eighth in a row overall and 29th straight MAAC home win.

The Saints will return to action on Sunday afternoon when they host Rider at the Alumni Recreation Center in their first on campus game in more than a month. Tip off is slated for 2 p.m.