Marist Basketball

Just four months removed from the biggest game of his life, Chavaughn Lewis is working harder than ever trying to improve his game in preparation for playing Division I college basketball.

On March 12, Lewis’s high school team, the St. Mary’s Gaels, took on the Mt. St. Michael Academy Mountaineers in the NY State CHSAA Class A Championship. It was the second consecutive game in which Lewis dropped 30 points, but that alone, does not give you the full story.

St. Mary’s trailed 51-43 and then by 10 with six minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Gaels, led by Lewis, then made a charge. Lewis scored 11 of the team's final 18 points, sending the game into overtime tied at 63. Lewis said, “When you’re a past first kind of guy you try and get your team the ball. You need your team, but at the end of the game when your team needs you, then that’s when you got to be 'Alright, my team needs me'…that’s when you get aggressive.”

St. Mary’s went on to win 78-70 in overtime. “I just think [my performance] came from the eager to win, and the word losing not even being in my vocabulary,” adds Lewis.

Lewis received a scholarship to play D-I basketball at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, after also receiving offers from Long Island, Loyola (MD), and Siena. “The deciding factor was the coaching staff,” said Lewis. “Coach Chuck Martin made it feel more like a family. I just feel comfortable with everyone. My mom liked them and that was a big factor.”

Another perk to Marist is that Lewis’s longtime friend TJ Curry will be on the team as well. Lewis and Curry began playing together at age nine and have been reunited after parting ways in high school.

The two friends, as well as incoming freshmen Manny Thomas and Isaiah Morton, are already on campus and working out with one another. “Each player has a different strength,” said Lewis. “TJ is strong, Isaiah is quick, Manny is long so, like, that helps my defensive side. We all have different strengths and [playing against] each helps me improve my game.”

Coach Martin made a big push for the summer workout program to help get all the players acclimated with one another; however, this year only the freshmen are on campus because of the construction to the McCann Center.

“We have seen what it can do at the other schools we have been at,” said assistant coach Paul Lee. “Them showing up, not only getting a head start on their credits, but getting a feel for how this place works, where the buildings are, being exposed to the strength and conditioning coach…and getting to know each other, benefits these kids come September.”

Lewis is taking a technology class, a writing class and working to improve his flaws such as shooting, stamina and becoming stronger. “College is a lot different. Way, way different. It’s a lot more physical,” said Lewis. I think that’s the major transition that I’m going to have to face.”

Lewis’s few weaknesses are outweighed by his many strengths. “I’m a good scorer. I’m good at getting to the basket and setting up teammates. I’m good at defense,” said Lewis. In addition, “For my height [I have good] speed and my [basketball] IQ and my instinct to do certain things.”

With all the great attributes that Lewis possesses it may come as a surprise that basketball was not his first sport; it was tennis. “I was good at tennis and my father figured I would be a good tennis player,” he adds. Lewis enjoyed playing chess, checkers, bass guitar and drums in addition to tennis.

“Then my brothers started playing basketball and tennis at the same time while I’m playing tennis. Then it got to the point where my father was not too into me starting basketball and dropping tennis…but he understood that I liked playing basketball more. Finally, he was supportive of it, and he supported me until he passed away.”

Lewis’s father died during his sophomore year of high school. But he always carries with him the lessons that his father has taught him, both metaphorically and with the image of his father with angel wings inked on his right arm. “Off the court, what he taught me has helped me become a young man, and helped me understand the ways of life. He used to come to all of my games, and he’s not there physically [which] pushes me to just wanting to make him happy."

Another big influence on Lewis was high school assistant, Ira Hunt, who he originally met through AAU ball when he was nine. “He pushed me and always was like family and believed in nothing but success. In high school, he helped me become a better person.”

The one thing that stands out to Hunt is the energy that Lewis always brought to the court. “He is a silent leader whenever he’s on the court [and] his teammates normally feed off of that. They know he has the energy.” Hunt adds, “It’s very hard and difficult for him to have a bad game and for us to win because of his energy.” Hunt also helped Lewis by contacting the Marist coaches while he was in the recruiting process.

Lewis’s mom Pansy and brother Romaine have also been a major support system in his life. “She was a big influence when I lost my dad. I saw how strong she was, and she's just a big role model and big key factor in my life. [Romaine] pushed me since I was little and always made me believe I could do whatever I wanted to.”

The 6’5", 185-pound Lewis plays both forward and shooting guard. “I could see myself playing both positions, because I’m tall, but I also am a wing player. Slashing is like my main forte and I operate on the wing…[setting] up plays for my teammates out there [is] where I fit in.”

Coach Martin is confident in Lewis’s capabilities. “He has the potential to be a prolific scorer,” said Coach Martin in a press release. “He’s the highest rated player from New York State I have ever recruited at Marist.”

Lewis is also confident with his game but recognizes that there is at a learning curve. “In high school you get away with a lot of things, and their begins room for you to make up for it, but I think in college you have to be specific with the moves you make and the decisions you make because everyone is just as smart and just as talented as you.”

The Red Foxes open the season at Kentucky, a school stacked with NBA talent. The Wildcats are coached by John Calipari, who was the head coach at Memphis when Coach Martin was an assistant there. “Kentucky is going to come into this game like we going to smack these dudes. If we come in with confidence, they’re going to have something coming for them,” said Lewis.

“Our goal this year is to get out of the first round in the MAAC tournament. This is the best recruiting class we have had since I have come to Marist, so hopefully it will also attract recruits who will come to the school next year,” said Coach Lee

The top-seeded Marist College women's basketball team won its fourth straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament Sunday, beating No. 2 Canisius 78-63.

Despite the comfortable victory, things were anything but comfortable for the Red Foxes heading into the contest. The flu bug hit the team before the weekend began, as inside presence Brandy Gang (MAAC All-Rookie team) had to sit out Friday's quarterfinal matchup against Loyola, MD (won 81-27—the points allowed were the lowest in MAAC tournament history).

Then on Saturday, freshman forward Emily Stallings, who scored 10 points the day before, had to sit out with a similar illness. Gang was able to play, but clearly under the weather (Marist beat Iona 76-69—wasn't as close as the score indicates).

Late Saturday night, head coach Brian Giorgis received word that three of his players had taken ill—Gang was sick again, as were starting point guard Elise Caron and former MAAC Sixth Player of the Year Lynzee Johnson.

Johnson had been huge for the Red Foxes in the first two games, scoring 11 points and pulling down six boards in the quarterfinal, then going off for 16 points and eight rebounds in the semis.

Gang and Caron were able to play, but only combined for five points, four rebounds, and four assists in 32 total minutes. Johnson sat out completely, resting at the end of the bench in street clothes.

Johnson had emerged as the third scorer that is crucial to Marist's success. In her absence, someone would need to step up in order for the Red Foxes to escape with a victory. Erica Allenspach rose to the occasion.

Allenspach torched the nets for a career-high 22 points, sinking 4-of-7 threes, a couple of which were from NBA range. She also had six rebounds, a steal, an assist, a block, and no turnovers.

Over the three games, Allenspach had 35 points, 15 assists, and only three turnovers.

She was named to the All-Tournament Team alongside MAAC Player of the Year Rachele Fitz and Tournament MVP Julianne Viani.

Fitz had 15 points and four rebounds in the quarterfinals, a monstrous 29 points and 18 boards in the semis, and 18 points and 14 rebounds in the finals.

Viani scored 53 points throughout the tournament (8-for-21 from deep), dishing out 13 assists, and grabbing 10 rebounds.

The key coming into the game for the Red Foxes (29-3) was holding the Golden Griffins at bay from long range. In two meetings this season, Canisius' success relied completely on the deep ball.

They shot 6-for-17 from three-point land and lost at home, 70-52, but then went 11-for-20 at Marist, winning 68-60.

Canisius came out cold and stayed cold, only hitting six of its 23 three-point attempts (26 percent). They tried several different things, including dishing the ball inside, but Marist kept its composure under the basket, not committing too many fouls or giving the Griffins free points.

Another deep run in the NCAA tournament for Marist relies heavily on the selection committee. With a very complete team last season, Marist was given a No. 7 seed in Baton Rouge, where the Red Foxes ran into No. 2 seed LSU on their home court in the second round.

With a record of 29-3, RPI around 35, and strength of schedule in the 140s, Marist is looking at as high as a No. 9 or 10 seed and as low as a 12.

Put on your Marist gear, do the Red Fox Rumble, and as my first ever B/R article concluded, getcha Cinderella slippers ready!

The Marist College Red Foxes women's basketball team clinched its sixth Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season championship Sunday with a 78-49 trouncing of Siena in front of almost 3,000 fans.

Coming off a hard-fought 78-73 overtime victory at Hartford last Sunday, ending the Lady Hawks' 34-game home winning streak, the Red Foxes won a tough road game at Manhattan on Thursday, 91-82.

Marist (25-3, 15-2 MAAC) started the game a little slow, playing to a 12-12 tie before really laying it on the Saints.

Sophomore Elise Caron was instrumental to the Red Foxes' success to begin the game, scoring eight points and taking a hard charge before getting her first breather. She finished with nine points, three assists, two steals, and no turnovers.

Any words or stat sheets don't do justice to Caron's defensive presence on the court. She's as tough as they get.

Rachele Fitz was held in check early, as Siena sophomore Serena Moore had the height and wingspan to control the paint on the defensive end.

Even with a sub-par game from Julianne Viani and Fitz being suppressed, Marist's supporting cast stepped up in a big and balanced way.

For the fourth time this season, every available Red Fox converted a field goal as Brian Giorgis' squad shot 47 percent from the floor and 50 percent from downtown.

The biggest scare came towards the end of the first half when Viani fell to the floor grabbing her upper quad. She sat out the rest of the half and was visibly affected by it in the second half.

The injury appeared cramping in her leg, as she was able to return and run the floor, but the discomfort she showed was enough reason to give her a rest.

Viani finished with only six points, but still managed to dish out five assists. She has 14 dimes and only one turnover in her last two games.

Patience was a virtue as Fitz eventually found her swagger, pouring in 16 points and pulling down six rebounds. She was the only Marist player in double-digits.

Defending MAAC Sixth Player of the Year Lynzee Johnson has caught fire this past week, beginning with her 12 points off the bench at Hartford, which included several clutch baskets and free throws at the end of regulation and in overtime.

She continued her hot streak with a career-high 17 points at Manhattan, going 4-for-4 from three-point land for the second time this season.

Johnson scored nine points Sunday on 4-for-7 shooting, making her only three-point attempt. At 5'10", she poses a threat both inside and outside, creating havoc for whoever is trying to guard her. She rebounds, handles the ball, and plays solid defense.

Contributions like hers will be very important in March, as Marist continues to have a super-sized target on its back when playing conference games. Having won three NCAA Tournament games the last two years, the Red Foxes won't be catching any teams by surprise if they make the Dance this year.

If Johnson and freshmen Brandy Gang and Corielle Yarde continue to be effective off the bench, giving the team multiple options when the normal game plan isn't working, it will make the Red Foxes even more dangerous than they already are.

Marist finishes up the regular season Saturday at home against Rider and gets a few days off before the MAAC Tournament, being held in Albany from March 5-8. As the No. 1 seed, Marist gets a first-round bye and faces the winner of the No. 8/9 seed opening round game.

Despite only having three losses on the season, Marist's strength of schedule (161) and RPI (42) might not be enough to lock up an at-large bid (though reputation may help), so winning the conference tournament to get the automatic berth is crucial.

Marist has a plethora of talent and a great mix of youth and experience to earn a fourth straight MAAC Tournament trophy.

Don't make fun of my glitter-glue ineptitude.

Two of the top mid-major programs in women's college basketball over the past several years square off Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN2 as the Marist College Red Foxes (22-3, 13-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) visit the Hartford Hawks (14-8, 9-1 American East).

The game is part of the "Pink Zone" initiative to raise awareness about and raise funds for the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.

Don't be misled by the Hawks' eight losses. They're probably the best eight-loss team in the game—by far. Hartford beat Duke on a neutral court in November, 53-51, and it was no fluke.

The high of beating a national powerhouse got the best of the Hawks, as they dropped their next two games to DePaul and THE Ohio State, both NCAA Tournament teams last season.

The Hawks then suffered road losses to George Washington and Quinnipiac, games they probably should have won. Their next three losses came at Louisville (22-3), at Bowling Green (21-2), and at UConn (24-0).

Their last loss game Jan. 21 at Boston University, which is 10-0 in American East conference play. Hartford has won six straight and sits in second place in the conference.

If you'll notice, none of these losses came at home, where Hartford boasts an impressive 34-game home winning streak, one of the longest in the nation.

In addition to it being a Pink Zone game, Hartford will try to "pack the house," another women's college ball initiative to achieve better attendance. Chase Arena in West Hartford holds almost 4,000 spectators, and is already sold out. It's just up to the students to fill their section now.

As for Marist, the Red Foxes started the season 17-1 and reached No. 20 in the Associated Press polls before being knocked off at home by Fairfield in overtime on Jan. 23. It was their first conference loss since Feb. 16, 2007.

Marist rebounded nicely by winning three straight, but then was again beaten at home by conference foe Canisius Feb. 6.

The rude awakening has helped the Red Foxes regain focus as they trounced Loyola (MD) by 33 on Sunday, then avenged the loss to Fairfield by beating the Stags in their house by a dozen last night to regain sole possession of first place in the MAAC.

The matchup Sunday will be a rematch of last season's December meeting where Hartford beat Marist in Poughkeepsie, 49-32.

It was not a pretty game.

Only Rachele Fitz of Marist (12 points) and Danielle Hood of Hartford (10 points) reached double-digits in the scoring column. Hood has since graduated and was drafted by the expansion Atlanta Dream of the WNBA, but failed to make the team.

Marist and Hartford have only a pair of mutual opponents this season, neither of which is very telling—Albany and Boston University. Albany lost at Marist by 18, the first game of the season, and lost at Hartford by 26 two weeks ago.

As for Boston University, the Terriers lost at Marist by 11, but beat the visiting Hawks by the same margin. If Marist had played at BU or if the Terriers had played at Hartford, it would be easier to analyze the games, but that isn't the case.

BU is a very physically gifted, athletic team. The rematch at Hartford will be interesting on Feb. 24. Something tells me the Hawks aren't looking ahead.

Diana Delva is the Hawks' top player this year (12.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG), and tallied nine points in last season's meeting while grabbing an impressive 16 rebounds. Brandy Gang and Maria Laterza will have their hands full with Delva on the inside.

Another matchup to watch is Fitz (20.2, 9.2) against Erica Beverly (10.7, 7.2). Things are going to be physical in the paint, so free throws could be crucial to the outcome.

Delva (63 percent) and Beverly (71 percent) aren't locks to drain their foul shots, nor do they get to the line much, whereas Fitz (82 percent) and Julianne Viani (89 percent) make a living at the charity stripe.

Lisa Etienne, Ilicia Mathis, and MaryLynne Schaefer are an interesting trio of guards for Hartford. Etienne and Schaefer are experienced seniors, while Mathis is a star freshman.

The Hawks have a miserable assist/turnover ratio this season, as they are considerably in the red at 0.8 a/t. Marist is much more comfortable at 1.08. Look for Marist to pressure the ball and force turnovers. Viani (43 steals), Elise Caron (32), and Erica Allenspach (40) are all superb on defense.

The key for Hartford is to neutralize Fitz, Gang, and Laterza inside while still keeping pressure on the 3-point line so Viani and company don't start making it rain inside Chase Arena.

Fitz and Viani will be the main focus of the Hartford defense, so bench play for Marist (Gang, Corielle Yarde, Lynzee Johnson) will be important. Emily Stallings has been great off the bench since coming back from an oblique injury, so her to knock down mid-range jumpers could be huge.

The Hawks don't shoot particularly well from long range, so it will be important for them to get the ball inside and get Marist in foul trouble. If Marist's guards keep pressure on the ball and force turnovers, it will be a long day for the Hartford faithful.

My biased, glitter-glued mind predicts Marist in a tight, 64-56 game.

The James J. McCann Recreation Center in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. is regarded as the toughest venue in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference for teams to play at.

Most recently, Loyola (MD) head coach Jimmy Pastos and Manhattan head coach Barry Rohrssen have used their postgame press conferences to praise Marist's home court while stressing how fortunate it was to escape with wins, even considering the Red Foxes' rebuilding year.

After a brief history lesson, Pastos revealed where he was going with his opening statement.

"To come out of this building which is, I think, the toughest place in the league to play...the loudness, the packed—the people, the fans and the students and the band, combined with everything else, I think this is the hardest place to play," he said on Jan. 25.

Rohrssen issued the same sentiment in fewer words Feb. 2 when the Jaspers came to town.

The Red Foxes are currently in a freefall to the tune of a six-game losing streak, stemming from a monumental collapse when arch-rival Siena visited Jan. 15, coming back from a 15-point second half deficit to force overtime and eventually win, but for the team picked to finish last in the MAAC to even have such a lead was unthinkable.

The game prior, they defeated current second place Niagara handily by 20 points. It was the Purple Eagles' first conference loss.

McCann's capacity is 3,200, with the most recent expansion coming in January 2006. Bleachers were installed behind each basket, and the seating behind the south basket (pictured in front above) serves as the student section where the band, cheerleaders, and dance team all sit as well.

Coming into the 2008-2009 season, Marist's in-conference record the last three years was better than any other team in the MAAC. At 31-7, the next most successful team was Siena, which was 30-11 in-conference at home.

The Marist women have only lost three times at home in the last four seasons.

The following are memorable moments the McCann Center has witnessed over the years:

• A near upset of eventual champion Villanova in 1984. The Red Foxes led for most of the game, but ultimately lost 57-51.
• A 64-55 win over Farleigh Dickinson to win the ECAC Metro Conference on March 7, 1987, sending Marist to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.
• Rik Smits' final game, March 3, 1988, where he scored a then-school record 45 points, matching his uniform number.
• February 27, 2000, Sean Kennedy hit a half-court buzzer beater to give Marist a 70-67 win over Siena on the final day of the regular season.
• A 98-88 overtime win against Siena on Feb. 24, 2007. The game was televised on ESPN2 and Marist's sellout crowd participated in a "whiteout." The win clinched the Red Foxes' first outright MAAC regular-season championship.

The local supporters always come out to support the basketball teams, but the student section is crucial to the Red Foxes' success. The drunken supporters stop at nothing to help their team to victory.

The devoted students always do their "homework," with my personal favorite coming a few seasons back. Two Niagara players were arrested and charged with assault and battery several months before the seasons, but were allowed to stay on the team. When they visited McCann, any foul committed prompted a "That's A-SSAULT!" chant.

Current crowd "favorites" include Canisius' Frank Turner, Fairfield's Jon Han, and Poughkeepsie native/Siena star Edwin Ubiles, not to mention the always lovable Jimmy Pastos.

Win or lose (and valid or not), the demoralizing "SAFETY SCHOOL" chant can be heard at every conference game, with the obligatory "Na na na na, na na na na, hey, hey, hey, goodbye" alongside "Start the buses!" as time expires in Marist victories.

Quite possibly the most outrageous aspect of attending a Marist game is band director Art Himmelberger. Among adjectives to describe him, "insane" pretty much sums it up quite nice.

As the fight song plays just before the game starts, he sings along quite emphatically as he parades around the court, doing everything he can to get people in the crowd to rise to their feet. He even shakes the hand of the opposing head coach (when they welcome it), and of all three referees (their reactions are priceless).

Himmelberger eats up the attention, so when games are televised, he brings his A-plus game. Most recently against Manhattan (on MSG-plus), he stole the announcer's microphone to sing the fight song at center court.

His most notorious (alleged) infraction came at the 2007 Sweet 16 when media members supposedly filed official complaints to Marist because he was so rambunctious. Not too hard to believe.

Several notable players have roamed the McCann court for the Red Foxes over past years. The list includes:

• Rik Smits - 7'4" center, 1984-1988. Jersey No. 45 is retired. Second all-time leading scorer (1,945 points), second in career scoring average (18.2 ppg), first in career FG percentage (60.9), blocked shots (345), and field goals (756). He holds the school single-game record in free throws made (22), and single-season record in field goal percentage (62.3).
• Drafton Davis - 6'0" guard, 1984-1988. Jersey No. 3 is retired. Holds single-season (88) and career (301) record for steals. Held every school assist record until Jared Jordan hit the scene. Recorded three consecutive 200-assist seasons and finished with 804 for his career.
• Steve Smith - 6'5" guard, 1979-1983. Jersey No. 12 is retired. Holds school scoring record with 2,077 points and is first in career scoring average (20.7 ppg).
• Jared Jordan - 6'2" guard, 2003-2007. Holds single-season (286) and career (813) records for assists, and games played (tied with 117). Led NCAA in assists two years in a row.
• Rachele Fitz - 6'0" forward, 2006-present. Reigning MAAC Player of the Year, 2006 MAAC Rookie of the Year and MAAC Tournament MVP, 2007 First Team All-Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. Just broke women's school scoring record as a junior, eclipsing 1,600 career points. Holds single-season records in points scored (649), field goals made (224), free throws made (201), and free throw percentage (86.6). Holds career records for scoring (16.7 ppg), field goal percentage (56.2), free throw percentage (84.6), and free throws made (434), and probably about 30 other things, but I think you get the point. Again, she's only a junior.

Ladies and gentlemen, Marist's home court advantage: James J. McCann Recreation Center.

(Photo courtesy of Sean T. McMann, not to be confused with James J. McCann.)

Never in my life has such an exciting game been so hard to watch.

The Marist/Siena men's basketball rivalry is one of the premier ones the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference has to offer. These two schools hate each other.

Ryan Schneider pitted against Edwin Ubiles is the most legitimate matchup between forwards the conference has to offer.

Siena (13-5, 7-0 MAAC) won 91-85 in overtime. It was the third straight time the two teams have gone to overtime when playing in Poughkeepsie.

Holy crap, though. Make a free throw (I'll keep you waiting).

Tied at 32 apiece going into the locker room, neither team had momentum. It was just a back and forth dogfight the entire first half.

Neither team was at its best, featuring poor shot selection and a few dumb turnovers. The officiating was solid, though the refs were having no tolerance for lazy dribbling. They called four carries in the first half. I believe two were called on each team.

Siena fans traveled ridiculously well for this game. Though there were only two chunks of them, they made a ton of noise, which was important down the stretch.

At the start of the second half, Marist (7-12, 3-4) came out on fire. The team went 6-for-6 from long range in the first five minutes to the tune of a 19-4 run. Ryan Schneider was responsible for half of them, finishing with 19 points and 13 boards.

Marist led 51-36. Siena had yet to hit a field goal, and was surviving on free throws (ironic).

With eight minutes and change left in the game, Dejuan Goodwin led the Red Foxes in transition. He drove into the lane and floated up a pass for Kaylen Gregory, who slammed down the alley-oop.

Rather than taking a timeout, the Saints panicked, ran down the court, and missed a three-pointer. For all intents and purposes, the game was over.

Marist fans started leaving, Siena fans started leaving. The obligatory "start the buses" chants began.

Siena began poking away at the lead, but it stayed above double digits until less than four minutes remained left in the game. Even then it was around eight or nine.

This is where I lecture you on why foul shots are so important.

The final two minutes of the game. Make your free throws.

Marist went 8-for-17 from the stripe in the last two minutes of regulation. As much as Siena "won" this game, Marist lost it, three-fold.

The Red Foxes shot 16-for-30 (53.3 percent) for the game, and the Saints didn't do much better, shooting 27-for-48 (56.3 percent). Ridiculous.

Before giving complete credit to Marist for losing this game, Siena did have to earn the win. Kyle Downey gave it to them.

His only shot in the first half was a three-pointer to tie it at 32 going into the intermission. He hit two clutch triples down the stretch to bring his team within striking distance. He also came up with an offensive rebound/putback and a huge block of a Marist three-point attempt down the stretch.

He finished with 15 points (career high) in 18 minutes. He averaged 4.5 points and 9.6 minutes per game before last night. He was 2-for-6 from the line, but he's the only one who gets a pass.

Ryan Rossiter (16 points) hit all four of his free throws, and Alex Franklin was 10-for-15. Nobody else on Siena was better than 50 percent.

For Marist, Schneider was 3-for-4 but didn't get to the stripe down the stretch when he needed to. He's by far the Red Foxes' best free throw shooter at over 85 percent.

The Red Foxes put the ball in R.J. Hall's (21 points) hands the most during the waning minutes. He went 6-for-10, but being at the game, the four misses seemed more like 40.

Goodwin was 1-for-5 from the line, Devezin (15 points) 3-for-5, and so on and so forth. It wasn't pretty.

Siena started overtime on a 9-1 run and didn't look back. Marist was crippled by the collapse.

For the Saints, Ubiles only finished with eight points. Rossiter had 16, Franklin scored 19 to go with 10 boards, Kenny Hasbrouck scored 13, and Ronald Moore had 11 points and six assists. Siena shot 41 percent from the floor and 50 percent from long range.

Marist had similar numbers, with a 46 percent field goal percentage and 42 percent from three-point land. Decent, but the free throws negated everything.

Conference teams could have breathed a sigh of relief if Marist finished off the upset last night, but instead, Siena carries on its merry way at 7-0 in the MAAC.

Though the Saints aren't the best five-loss team in the country (Tennessee, Boston College, and I'm purposely leaving Wisconsin off this list), they certainly have the potential to make some noise in March. The five losses are to Kansas, the aforementioned Tennessee, Wichita St., Oklahoma St., and Pittsburgh. Not bad.

Keep an eye on this team. Siena needs improve its free throw shooting (64 percent), ball distribution (only 13 assists on 29 field goals last night), and roster depth (four of five starters average over 30 minutes per game) before we really start talking, but they can certainly hang with the big boys.

Up to No. 21 in Monday's Associated Press rankings, the Marist College women's basketball team is in a groove and playing its best basketball of the season.

The ranking ties the school's highest in history (last season in ESPN/USA Today Poll). It is the third straight year the Red Foxes have earned a national ranking.

Despite a significant discrepancy between the two polls (No. 21 AP, No. 29 ESPN/USA Today), the Red Foxes are playing much more like the former than the latter.

Depth was a huge concern for the first third of the season, but recent games have laid those worries to bed for good.

Averaging about 68 points per game in their first 13 games, the Red Foxes have exploded for 81, 98, and 86 respectively in their last three with an average margin of victory of 37.3 points.

Granted, these are against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponents (Marist has won 33 straight in-conference), but those aren't the important numbers.

Marist's freshmen have stepped up in the biggest way, taking a huge load off the shoulders of Julianne Viani and All-American candidate Rachele Fitz.

Brandy Gang is leading the way, with double-digit scoring in four straight games. Though she had scored in all but one game before this stretch, she had not reached double-digits.

She has found her swagger inside, and plays like she's been in college longer than Gerry McNamara (he's still in school, right?).

Corielle Yarde is averaging 13.5 in her last two games (15, 12), and has jumped up the depth chart.

A pure shooter and No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 scoring option in high school, the transition to coming off the bench hasn't been easy for her. Head coach Brian Giorgis groomed her quick, and the sharpshooter has added a dangerous element to the Red Foxes. Oh, and she also has 11 assists and only one turnover her last two games.

Kristine Best finally looked to be breaking out of her shell as she dropped 10 points against Niagara on Jan. 9, but then found out she had mononucleosis and may be out until March.

Mono is nothing new to the Red Foxes, as Julianne Viani missed considerable time down the stretch last season with the illness, but came back in time for postseason play. This loss isn't as severe (no offense to Best), but will still be felt, as Marist will only be dressing 10 players until she comes back.

Rounding out the Diaper Dandies, Emily Stallings proved against Niagara she can come through when given playing time, too, as she dropped 10 points. In the 98-51 win, all four freshmen reached double-digits, setting career-highs.

All available players hit field goals for Marist (15-1, 6-0 MAAC), the second time this season 10 or more Red Foxes reached the scoring column.

In the most recent win, an 86-44 beating of Loyola (MD) on the road, all 10 available players registered double-digit minutes.

Junk time or not, the importance of being able to trust everyone on the bench to produce solid minutes was the biggest uncertainty when the season started.

The Red Foxes swept the MAAC awards this week, with Fitz winning Player of the Week and Gang winning Rookie of the Week. Both should be favorites to win the end of year awards as long as they continue playing as they have.

Marist hosts St. Peter's Friday and heads up to Albany to face Siena on Sunday.

Elsewhere around women's college hoops, Duke (No. 4 AP/No. 10 ESPN/USA Today)showed their resilience against Maryland (No. 12/16) Monday night, fending off a second half comeback to take out the Terrapins at Cameron Indoor.

The Blue Devils (14-1, 2-0 ACC) shot poorly from the floor (34.2%), which has been an Achilles heel this season. Duke shot 26.6 percent in its only loss of the season, a 53-51 upset courtesy of Hartford.

Courtney Paris notched her 106th (yes, 106) straight double-double last week, scoring 18 points and grabbing 20 boards in a 21-point win over Nebraska. Oklahoma has a tough week, albeit at home, facing undefeated Kansas State and top 10 foe Texas A&M.

Notre Dame (No. 10/4) lost tonight at Marquette. The Golden Eagles forced the issue, keeping the Irish in constant foul trouble. Notre Dame shot poorly from the charity stripe (8-14), while Marquette was 17-for-22.

Barring a UConn slip up at home against Syracuse or a North Carolina loss to Virginia, next Monday will be a special day as the two top teams in the country, both undefeated, meet at Chapel Hill.

It should be a great game. UConn hasn't played a ranked opponent on the road yet this season (the Huskies have actually only played five road games so far). Both teams beat their top mutual opponent, Oklahoma.

The Huskies blew out the Paris girls and company in Storrs by 28, while the Tar Heels had the tougher test, traveling to Norman, surviving by a single point. I think UConn takes advantage of matchups and prevails, but not by much.

Photo courtesy of daylife.com

It's been awhile since Marist defeated Manhattan in Riverdale. Last year, the Jaspers were 21-point victors, Darryl Crawford sank a floater with six ticks left to beat Jared Jordan's Marist squad in 2007, and Bobby Gonzalez's Manhattan team ran away with a double-digit victory in the 2005-'06 season. 

The game started off sloppy, but both teams found their touch about five minutes in. However, Manhattan was able to maintain the hot hand throughout the rest of the first half and led 43-33 at the break. 

The Red Foxes caught the Jaspers on a cold streak in the beginning of the second half and kept Manhattan close throughout the rest of the game. Marist's most talented freshman, R.J. Hall, nailed a trey with under two minutes left to tie the game at 67, but Devon Austin responded with a layup in the lane and Antoine Pearson followed with four consecutive foul shots to finish off Marist, 73-67.

Both teams played well on the offensive end tonight. Both teams shot 45 percent from the floor. Marist connected on six more three pointers than the Jaspers did, but Manhattan shot 13 more free throws.

The difference that won the game for Manhattan was rebounding. The Jaspers out-rebounded the Red Foxes, 38-19. On multiple occasions in the game, Marist seemed like they were asleep and didn't go after the ball like Manhattan did. Well, the stats show.

Despite being out-rebounded, out-hustled, and out-shot at the charity stripe, Marist was able to stay close off of the three-point shot. They were shooting 37.8 percent from deep coming into the game, but Manhattan allowed them open look after open look and the Red Foxes were able to connect on 12 of their 26 attempts from deep for a percentage of 46.2 percent.

Offensive production has been inconsistent for Manhattan. Overall hustle and foul shooting has been a problem. The one thing that has been consistent, for the worse, is Manhattan's three-point defense.

They can't allow teams to get so many open looks from the perimeter—especially in crucial situations. Dejuan Goodwin air-balled an open-corner trey that would have kept Marist's hopes alive, but, nonetheless, he was wide open.

Manhattan will need to make sure that they shut down the perimeter against Siena on Sunday. If they allow any of their shooters to get open looks, they will be in for a long afternoon. 

The offense looked a little bit better tonight—there were some picks, most of them were ineffective, but it's a start. However, there was still a lot of idleness. There was a little too much NBA-style of play. Too much of "give me the ball, I'll try to beat my guy, if that doesn't work, too bad."

Chris Smith was the primary culprit, but it all goes back to Barry Rohrssen allowing his players to run an offense in that style. For some reason, Rohrssen continues to refuse to set an offense with picks and backdoor cuts.

If Manhattan wants to defeat Siena, they will need to play Siena's style of play—the style that Manhattan should play—and get out and run. 

The officiating crew tonight was not the best. They let a lot of calls slide, allowing the game to be extremely physical. This led to two fights.

First, Herve Banogle fouled a Red Fox on a layup towards the end of the first half. It was hard to see, but there was a lot of pushing and shouting occurring underneath Marist's basket. In the end, Jamel Ferguson and Javon Parris were hit with technical fouls.

In the second half, Brandon Adams and Ryan Schneider dove to the floor for a loose ball. There was a lot of contact and it looked Schneider may have pushed Adams, but then Adams put Schneider in a head lock and would not let go.

The refs called a jump-ball, but Schneider wriggled out of the mess and had to be retained by half of his team. Adams walked away from the scuffle, but Schneider was livid. 

Antoine Pearson scored 20 points on 5-8 from the field, 8-9 from the line, and 2-3 from deep. He also added four assists and four rebounds. It was relief to finally see Pearson shoot like he did as a freshman from the charity stripe. 

Devon Austin had 13 points on 4-12 shooting. He hit one three on six attempts. It seems like the senior has a penchant for settling for the outside shot, but he is very skilled at putting the ball on the floor and getting close for a high-percentage shot. He got into the paint a few times tonight and was successful from close.

Darryl Crawford continued to showoff his improved play. The junior scored 12 points on 4-9 shooting. He also knocked down two treys and grabbed nine boards.

Seldom did the announcer say, "Count the basket for Chris Smith." However, Smith was able to contribute on the glass tonight with 10 rebounds. The sophomore added seven points on 3-9 shooting.

Andrew Gabriel was in foul trouble the entire game, but managed to score eight points in 16 minutes of action. The Jaspers were expecting more from Gabriel after it appeared that he broke out of his "slump" against Canisius with his first career double-double, but foul trouble prevented him from playing too physically. 

For Marist, Ryan Schneider was extremely impressive. He's a big man who can shoot with a sweet stroke from deep. He scored a game-high 21 points on 5-10 shooting from long range. 

R.J. Hall has a lot of potential for the Red Foxes. He only scored seven points and had a few key turnovers down the stretch, but he has a smooth touch from three and is an excellent lock-down defender. There were stretches when he was on Pearson and the Jaspers were unable to get the ball to their point guard because of Hall's defense.

I see Hall as a replacement for Jay Gavin, who transferred to VCU after Matt Brady left Marist. He is a reliable shooter, not as good as Gavin, but reliable nonetheless. And, he is one of the best defenders I've seen in the MAAC. 

Dejuan Goodwin and Kaylen Gregory each added their fair share of points, but they were mostly on open threes that were given to them by the Manhattan defense. 

Both teams have tough games coming up on Sunday. Marist hosts Niagara (13-3, 4-0) and the Jaspers host Siena (11-5, 5-0). 

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, beware. Picked to finish last this year, Marist (6-9, 2-1) is in a groove and has a new secret weapon: Mike Taylor.

Who is Mike Taylor? He's a youngin' who came all the way from California to the mean streets of Poughkeepsie, walked on this fall, and made the team. Like most walk-ons, he didn't get much playing time when the season started.

Taylor scored his first points at the end of Marist's blowout loss at Memphis, where he hit a three-pointer in the final minutes, catching the eye of his coaches.

Though he registered DNPs in the stat book when conference play started, his effort and play in practice began improving. On Dec. 28, with starting point guard David Devezin still out with a heel injury and Dejuan Goodwin worn out, Taylor was given his first chance to play double-digit minutes as the Red Foxes were tearing apart Bucknell at home.

In 16 minutes, Taylor hit three three-pointers on four attempts and grabbed three offensive rebounds.

He's listed at 6'2", 180lbs, but he looks about 12 years old, 6'3", 150lbs (no joke, he's a twig), and plays 6'5", 220lbs. It's remarkable what he can do on the court as a walk-on freshman who could get snapped in half at any second.

I didn't get a chance to see the infamous Mike Taylor until last night's victory against MAAC opponent St. Peter's. After just two games of getting significant playing time, Taylor has worked his way up the Red Foxes' depth chart.

Freshman R.J. Hall was out due to injury last night, and Devezin was making his first start since coming back from the heel injury, so Taylor saw a career-high 23 minutes last night. He had eight points and five rebounds. He was a lightning rod each time he came in, seemingly waking up his teammates when they appeared flat.

Up 34-19 at halftime, Marist fell victim to a 12-1 run to start the second, as St. Peter's cut the lead to four, but responded with a 10-1 run of its own when Taylor was put into the game.

Marist eventually won 60-54, but it wasn't as close as the score indicates.

In the postgame press conference, head coach Chuck Martin addressed several issues surrounding the team, including his point guards.

Devezin is the starting point guard, but while he was out, Hall ran things much smoother than Devezin had. The offense clicked, and the team's chemistry was much better.

Martin even said things were noticeably different with Devezin back at the helm. He didn't sound optimistic or enthused about Devezin's return despite eight assists and a win.

It will be interesting to see how things work out, because Devezin is the best basketball player on the team (he was supposed to be the next Acie Law when he was at Texas A&M), but chemistry is important, and the Red Foxes have it with Hall working the point, not with Devezin.

I still think Devezin will be running things, with Hall coming off the bench and still getting considerable minutes. Marist is a much deeper team than anyone thought, and will not finish last in the MAAC, or even close to it.

As for the Peacocks, Wesley Jenkins' sweet shooting led to 16 points, and Ryan Bacon had 10 rebounds. St. Peter's doesn't seem to have an identity yet. The team was in the bonus for 19 minutes, but only attempted 18 free throws, making 11.

St. Peter's did a great job of getting the Marist big men in foul trouble, but couldn't capitalize.

Here is my prediction for how the MAAC will pan out. Not much has changed, as there is a huge difference between the top five teams and the bottom five teams. Each team's preseason rank is in parentheses:

1) Siena (1)

2) Fairfield (2)

3) Niagara (4)

4) Rider (3)

5) Loyola (5)

6) Marist (10)

7) Manhattan (6)

8) Iona (7)

9) St. Peter's (9)

10) Canisius (8)