ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Marist women’s basketball and the Mountaineers faced off twice in the regular season. The Red Foxes took the first matchup 61-50 in December and Mount St. Mary coincidentally matched that exact score with a 61-50 win in the teams’ final regular-season game.
The two squads are an even match, presenting a much-needed rubber match in Atlantic City.
Previous Games
Photo via Cassidy Connors
The Red Foxes won in overtime the first time around behind 22 points from freshman guard Danielle Williamsen. Junior center Morgan Lee and redshirt junior Lexie Tarul each logged 16 points themselves while combining for 10 points in overtime.
Mount St. Mary’s has switched up its defensive regime since that initial contest, applying a 2-3 defense and often a 2-2-1 press to lead them to their victory in Poughkeepsie. The Mountaineers went scoreless for over six minutes but pieced together a 32-4 run from the 5:51 mark of the second quarter to the 5:37 mark of the third.
X’s and O’s
Photo via Kira Crutcher
If Marist wins this game, it will be because of their defensive ability. They hold the third-best scoring defense in the MAAC at 58.7 points allowed per game. Lee protects the paint as well as anyone with a MAAC-leading 2.4 blocks per game. Junior forward Ciara Croker and junior guard Jackie Piddock highlight a strong group of defenders after Lee, with Piddock leading the team in steals with 33.
The Red Foxes are in the middle of the pack on the offensive end in the MAAC. Lee and Tarul lead Marist in scoring, averaging 12.8 and 11.7 points per game, respectively. Williamsen provides sparks for the Red Foxes, averaging 9.0 points per game in her freshman season. Marist has shown the ability to catch fire from long-range, averaging 30.1% from that category, which is good for fifth in the MAAC.
Mount St. Mary’s is a team built around the 3-pointer on the offensive end. They take the third-most 3-pointers in the MAAC and have averaged 26.3 attempts per game over its last six contests.
The Mountaineers went 10-for-33 from beyond the arc against Marist in the final game of the regular season. Graduate student guard Anna LeMaster, senior guard Jo Raflo and redshirt freshman guard Gabrielle Kennerly all rank inside the top 10 in the MAAC in 3-point percentage. Kennerly posts a 35.5%, Raflo is 37.0% and LeMaster drains a MAAC-leading 40.4% 3-pointers.
Mount St. Mary’s 2-2-1 press and extended 2-3 defense forced 13 first-half turnovers against Marist in their 61-50 victory. They held the Red Foxes to a 10-for-36 effort from the field in the final three quarters (27.8%).
What To Look For
Photo via Kira Crutcher
On Marist’s end, finding a balance between mitigating turnovers and scoring on the offensive end is key. The Red Foxes delivered 20 points in the first quarter against the Mountaineers but had seven turnovers. Producing that offense with those turnovers is not a sustainable game plan throughout the entire game.
When Marist limited their turnovers in the second half to just five, they struggled to knock down shots with a 7-for-25 performance from the field in the third and fourth quarters. Responding to Mount St. Mary’s 3-point shooting is going to be critical, otherwise, the Mountaineers could put together another strong run.
The Mountaineers faced a 2-3 zone against Marist in the first half and broke it down through dribble penetration, forcing multiple Marist players to surround them on the interior before kicking it out to open shooters beyond the arc. Marist switched to a man defense later on, which helped limit 3-pointers, but Mount St. Mary’s found success in the paint initially.
The Red Foxes’ decision on how to cover Mount St. Mary’s will be interesting to watch, along with their ability to play efficient offensive basketball.
With the combined regular season score tied at 111-111, the tiebreaker is lined up for Thursday, March 13, when the teams face off at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall at noon.
Edited by Ben Leeds
Graphic Cara Lacey; Photos from Marist Athletics
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