As Marist men’s basketball enters the back half of their schedule with an overall record of 9-7 and 4-3 in the MAAC conference, we gathered some writers to analyze where the team stands at the current moment.
Has the team met or exceeded your expectations coming into the season?
Marley Pope, Men’s Basketball Beat Writer: The Red Foxes have exceeded my expectations to this point in the season. With a roster littered with newcomers, the team came together quickly and immediately started winning games while assimilating to the identity of head coach John Dunne. The Red Foxes currently have the best scoring defense in the MAAC conference, allowing just under 63 points per game.
Emergent sophomore center Max Allen has led the offense with 12 points per game. His silky movement in the post creates issues for opposing defenses and opens up looks for others. Marist also features two freshman guards, Jadin Collins and Josh Pascarelli, who have contributed right away. Collins has taken control of the offense and is a point-of-attack defender, averaging 1.7 steals per game. Pascarelli has turned in three 20-point performances with lethal perimeter shooting (34% on 5.8 3PA per game) and strong drives in the paint. Marist is already four wins away from tying their win total last season just past the halfway mark (9-7 this season, 13 wins last season) and sits in the middle of the MAAC standings.
Danny Destler, Managing Editor: The Red Foxes have exceeded expectations this season thus far. In the Preseason Coaches Poll, the Red Foxes were ranked eighth, and as of right now, the team is fifth in the standings. Marist is led by a freshman guard tandem (Collins and Pascarell), as well as a big man (Allen II) whose nickname is “The Dancing Bear”. Coming into the season, I did not know what to expect from a young team. Losing star center Patrick Gardner to graduation was a big blow to this team, but they still have been able to get production from their big men in Allen II and junior forward Jackson Price. Production has come from the two freshman guards Jadin Collins and Josh Pascarelli.
William Rosen, Contributing Writer: The Red Foxes have met my expectations so far this season. In a great way, however, since unlike most of the other contributors in the entry roundtable, I said “This team will shock many people… I have Marist going 6-4 in MAAC play and 17-12 this season.” I said that Jadin Collins would come to the Hudson Valley and shock the Red Fox fanbase with his ability to drive to the rim and penetrate through traffic. There is a sense that Marist can compete with the best teams in the MAAC, with many of the conference’s top teams being more vulnerable now that former Iona head coach Rick Pitino is out of the picture. John Dunne does not have to worry about his offensive depth like he did last year when Patrick Gardner was off the floor. He has multiple players capable of carrying the load, including sophomore guard Isaiah Brickner, Allen II, and graduate student forward Javon Cooley. The depth has helped the squad and even with their current injuries, Marist still has a great shot to make a run in Atlantic City.
Hayden Shapiro, Contributing Writer: Marist basketball has absolutely exceeded the expectations I had coming into the season. Losing a standout in Gardner has not affected the Red Foxes as much as I originally thought. Oftentimes when collegiate teams lose a bonafide number one option, the offense becomes stagnant, and even sometimes non-existent. But this gritty, defensive-minded scheme that Dunne has put together negates the fact that they lost their best player. The freshmen backcourt tandem of Pascarelli and Collins has been an absolute joy to watch, as they play the game the right way and limit their turnovers, something young guns often struggle with. Collins plays with his head on a swivel, looking for an open teammate, which has occasionally been the sharpshooter Josh Pascarelli. The defense provided by sophomore forward Jaden Daughtry has been spectacular. He guards the opposing team’s best player night in and night out and demonstrates a sense of alertness during different in-game situations, such as when to foul and when to be more passive. Marist needs five more wins to match their total of last season, another reason they have blown away my expectations for them.
Which player has surprised you the most? Why?
Marley: For me, Allen II has been the most surprising player on the roster. Transferring from San Jose State, the 6 ‘9’’ center possesses incredibly quick footwork in the paint and sudden movement to put defenders off-balance. He has quickly become the focal point of the Red Fox offense and is the first name on the opposing teams’ scouting report. Allen displays soft touch with both hands and is fourth in the MAAC in field goal percentage.
Danny: I have to agree with Marley on this one. Allen II has been the focal point of the offense thus far. His footwork is second to none. Teams still know where the ball is most likely going to go and he still finds he way to finagle his way around the paint. He has such a soft touch which allows him to score at will at times. When Allen II missed some time with illness, the Red Foxes lacked production from the center position.
William: I have been incredibly surprised by the performance of Pascarelli. The first-year sharpshooter has been fantastic this season. Averaging 10.9 points per game and 34.4% from beyond the arch, he has secured himself a starting spot on Dunne’s squad. He brings great energy while playing beside Collins; whenever Allen II gets doubled down low, Pascarelli finds the open shot or drives off the ball for a great look. Pascarelli is second on the team in minutes-per-game with 24.9, and he has put on a show for the Poughkeepsie crowd.
Hayden: I believe Daughtry has been the most surprising Red Fox. His defensive prowess and ability to shake and bake on the offensive end have opened up the game for Marist. He consistently matches up against the opponent’s number one option, often holding them to a quiet performance. Daughtry adds length to the defense and almost plays like a defensive back. He can also jump out of the gym and attack in transition.
Which player has not lived up to expectations so far?
Marley: Sophomore guard Isaiah Brickner was named to the All-MAAC preseason second team because of his all-around ability to score, facilitate, defend and rebound. This season, his scoring production has dipped and he has started in only four of his 12 games played. The combo guard from San Diego has dealt with a back issue all season and has not gotten his offense game going. Hopefully, Brickner can get healthy toward the tail end of the season because his auxiliary scoring, defense and rebounding will be needed if Marist wants to make a deep run in the MAAC tournament.
Danny: The player who has fallen the most short of expectations is sophomore guard Isaiah Brickner. He has not been able to showcase his full talent because of injury and the emergence of the two freshman guards. When all three of the guards are on the floor together, production ensues. Marist needs a healthy Brickner to go on a run; he has shown that he can play under the big lights before, as Brickner was named to the All-MAAC Tournament Team last season.
William: Sophomore forward Trace Salton has seen his minutes go up, but his efficiency and splits have decreased since last year. Salton has been fantastic on the defensive end; however, he is shooting 35.6% from the field on almost 3 shots per game. I would like to see Salton either A: take fewer shots or B: create better looks for himself. Salton has proven to be a force outside on the perimeter when shot-contesting. If he can step up the offensive side of his game, I look forward to him being a productive role player on this team.
Hayden: Citadel transfer Jackson Price was sought out heavily in the transfer portal, coming in to be a stretch big, someone who can set a screen and fade or hang around the perimeter and shoot off the pass, but he has not lived up to the noise. Price has not struggled from three, shooting a dazzling 41%, but he just does not take many shots. He seems to lack confidence from there and is not physical enough under the basket. Another part of his game that needs to drastically improve is his efficiency at the charity stripe. Price is shooting an abysmal 59% from the line. If you are going to be playing down low, attempting close-range shots, you are bound to be knocked around. That leads to free throws; if you can’t hit those, the foul means nothing.
What does the team need to do to improve on offense, which is currently the fourth-worst in MAAC?
Marley: Too often, the offense is static and lacks ball movement. Dunne has cited this several times in losses this season and will need to improve to generate better offense. There needs to be more movement when Allen II has the ball to make the defense think about doubling him. Another area to improve is pace, where Marist ranks 323rd in adjusted tempo according to Kenpom. There is a balance between attacking in transition and ensuring a sound offensive possession occurs. With a player like Collins who can create in the open court, that is something Marist should utilize more to score easy points.
Danny: There needs to be production from beyond the three-point arc. As a team, the Red Foxes are shooting around 33% from three. Marist needs to step up from beyond the arc if they want to improve their offense.
William: When the team plays through Allen II, Collins, and Pascarelli, they look fluid. The bench, however, needs to step up. Senior guard Kam Farris, junior guard Noah Harris, and Bricker (when on bench duties) need to shoot better from beyond the arc. Especially when big man Jackson Price is shooting a team-high 41.4% from three, the rest of the shooters need to step it up to improve offensively.
Hayden: One thing I have noticed is how they run off ball screens in the same places, over and over again. If this is the case, teams will catch on. It is often a double-down screen, with Pascarelli or Harris coming around. This type of play works, but not if you run it twelve times a game. The offense needs more off-ball movement, as Marley mentioned, it looks static and needs more pace. The Foxes are better than average in transition, but the team slows down when they have opportunities to run. More creativity and off-ball movement will eventually generate more open looks. Backdoor cuts and baseline runs could be utilized heavily when Allen II gets the ball down low, as that is usually the plan for this Red Fox offense.
Predict the Red Foxes’ record the rest of the way and where they finish in Atlantic City.
Marley: I think Marist will go 7-6 over the final stretch of games, which would put them at 16-13 overall and 11-9 in the MAAC, allowing them to earn the fourth seed in the MAAC tournament. I think the Red Foxes win their first-round matchup but fall in the semi-final versus the top seed in the MAAC. After being picked to finish eighth in the coaches poll, this would be a great rebound after last season’s last-place finish and a great season to build upon for an extremely young team.
Danny: As Marley said, I believe the team will finish 7-6 on the year. Hopefully, the team can capture lightning in a bottle for a second time and they can make a big run to the MAAC championship game again. If Marist wants to return to the championship game, they need to shoot the ball better from three and be able to break full-court presses down the stretch. All in all, this outcome would exceed expectations after Marist clocked in at eighth in the preseason poll.
William: I believe the Red Foxes will perform well down the stretch, winning a lot of their remaining games. They have 13 games remaining, which I think they will go 9-4. I think they will finish 18-11 on the season, and 13-7 in MAAC play. The great spacing and improvements of Brickner will prove pivotal and Marist will find their way into the Championship game once more. If they get the right matchup, the Red Foxes will be marching once more!
Hayden: This team is young, very young. They start two freshman guards, and their leading scorer is just a sophomore. I think the Foxes will go 6-7 to round out the year, which would have them as the fifth seed in the MAAC tournament. They struggle against teams who close out well against the three-ball, which is not a recipe for success in playoff games. This would be a strong season to build off for Marist, given how young the roster is.
Edited by Luke Sassa and Marley Pope
Graphic by Jaylen Rizzo; Photos from Marist Athletics
For more coverage of Marist athletics, follow @cfmarist on Instagram, X and TikTok, and sign up to receive daily alerts here.