POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – With a 69-51 victory over Saint Peter’s Saturday night, the Red Foxes broke a five-game losing streak.
They kept another streak going as well sending seniors Obi Momah and Connor McClenaghan home happy with a little help from junior guard Ryan Funk to notch a seventh consecutive senior game win. Funk scored a career-high 24 points and made 6 of 9 from beyond the 3-point line.
Photo by Matt Rzodkiewicz.
“I’m really happy for my guys, because any time you can win on senior night it’s just good for the locker room and the spirit of the team,” said head coach Mike Maker.
The sudden snow storm must have left the Red Foxes sleepy in the first half, as they didn’t gain a lead for the first 24 minutes. Sophomore forward Aleksandar Dozic played a sloppy game in the first half, struggling with dropped passes and missed rebounds.
The Red Foxes rallied after the half—an abnormality for a team that has struggled in the second half all year.
“I thought we played as well in the second half tonight as we’ve played all year,” said Maker.
After drawing a foul and converting an and-one, junior guard Brian Parker solidified the rally. With just over 11 minutes left, the Red Foxes took the lead.
With a 10-point lead late in the second half and Parker being pulled with an apparent injury, Maker and the team saw the ugly ghosts of second halves past. However, the team persevered without their guard and kept their lead.
“I thought our defense gave us life, and we were playing free in offense,” said Maker, grasping the shoulders of Funk and sophomore center Tobias Sjoberg. “We have a lot of spirit, a lot of comradery; we play as a team, and I thought we represented Marist really well today.”
The Red Foxes will wrap up the regular season with a trip to Buffalo next weekend with games against Niagara (18-10) and Canisius (19-9).