Marist men’s basketball cruised to their third straight win on Saturday, beating Rider 77-62 behind efficient shooting and a dominant defensive effort.
Marist’s (13-9, 8-5 MAAC) priority on defense was to contain senior forward and MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Mervin James, who entered Saturday’s game leading the MAAC with 19 points per game.
In their previous matchup in January, Marist became the first team all season to hold James to under 10 points scored. Tonight, they shut him down for the second time, limiting the focal point of the Rider (8-16, 5-8 MAAC) offense to just nine points.
“I think we’re a pretty good defensive team. We play really hard to try to take him away from his game, but I think sometimes really good players just don’t play up to their potential. I don’t think it’s anything earth-shattering as far as game planning,” said Marist head coach John Dunne.
The last time these teams faced off, the Red Foxes were without junior forward Jackson Price. Tonight, Price was back on the floor and made his impact felt.
Price led the game in scoring with 17 points, including a nine-point run early in the second half for the Red Foxes. Price’s efficiency on offense was matched on the defensive end with two fierce blocks and three defensive rebounds.
Sophomore center Max Allen II was also a key contributor for the Red Foxes, adding 16 points of his own. He was unstoppable in the paint, drawing several fouls and converting all six of his free throw attempts.
“It all starts with Max, our best offensive player. He does not think about just his points. He makes the right play when he’s crowded, he shares it and everybody else benefits from it. So with your best offensive player sharing, it’s easy for everybody else to fall in line,” said Dunne.
The Broncs played aggressively on defense, attacking the Red Foxes with a full-court press and contesting every shot attempt. The physical approach led to plenty of fouls called, and the Red Foxes took advantage of these scoring opportunities, going 16-17 from the free throw line.
“[Rider] pressures the ball with their full-court press. If you break the pressure effectively, you’re gonna get opportunities to drive it and get into the paint and we’re just a much better team offensively when the ball gets inside the paint,” said Dunne. “Today, we ended up getting fouled more and it’s a big deal when you’re making free throws,” said Dunne.
Over their last two games, Marist has converted 30 out of 32 free throw attempts, and their efficiency from the line has been crucial to their current winning streak.
Marist was also sharp from the 3-point line, making 45% of their attempts (9-20), compared to Rider’s dismal 23% (3-13) conversion rate from beyond the arc.
The Red Foxes’ depth played a key role in this game, as the bench contributed 35 points, compared to just 4 points scored by the Rider bench.
This was a signature team effort for the Red Foxes on offense. Four players reached at least ten points and all ten players who entered the game filled the stat sheet with points. Marist now improves to 7-0 on the season when four players score double-digit points.
“Right now, we have a good unselfish mindset going on. So hopefully, we bottle that up and keep that mentality going forward,” said Dunne.
With tonight’s win, the Red Foxes completed a regular season sweep of Rider for the first time since the 2006-2007 season. Marist returns home to face Canisius on Friday, February 16th, looking to extend their win streak to four games. Tipoff at McCann Arena is set for 7 p.m.
Edited by: Aidan Lavin
Photo Credit: Jaylen Rizzo
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