In a fast-paced, aggression-filled matchup, freshman forward Justine Henry continued her strong start to her collegiate basketball career.
Henry documented her first collegiate double-double in the Red Foxes’ 66-56 loss to the Bryant Bulldogs in McCann Arena on Tuesday night.
Recording the first six points for Marist in the team’s matchup against Drexel, Henry got things started again for the Red Foxes with the first five points in the team’s loss. Henry finished the game with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
After struggling offensively in her first two games as a Red Fox, junior forward Karly Fischer seemed right at home in McCann Arena on Tuesday night, hitting and taking her first collegiate career 3-pointer in over 31 games.
Heading into the matchup against the Bulldogs, Fischer shot 5-for-24 from the field with zero attempts from beyond the arc. In the first half alone, Fischer headed to the locker room with her first and second career 3-pointers, shooting 66.7%.
“Fischer is going to have to hit perimeter shots. She has been working on it all summer and fall, but we can’t rely on that every night,” said head coach Erin Doughty. “But when we only make four 3-pointers and two of them are from Fischer, you know we did not really have a great shooting night.”
Fischer finished with 20 points, perfect from the foul line, missing only one three and 7-for-11 from the field.
Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, with the Red Foxes shooting 20% while the Bulldogs shot just 18.2%.
Bryant started the game with a fast-paced transition, moving the ball quickly on offense and with Marist struggling to build an offensive structure, the Bulldogs took an 8-7 lead.
Senior guard Lexie Tarul heated up early for Marist after recording double-digit points against the Drexel Dragons last week. Tarul knocked in 14 points all within the last ten minutes of play.
Junior guard Malea Egan found Tarul in just the seventh minute of play this time around. The next offensive possession went back to Tarul from sophomore guard Danielle Williamsen, which started an eight-point run for the Red Foxes. Tarul’s basket placed Marist ahead of Bryant by seven heading into the second quarter.
Marist opened the second quarter with a full-court press defense, which saw success in the team’s previous matchups and continued to be a turnover factor for the Red Foxes.
Marist successfully shut down junior guard Mia Mancini in the first half. Before the Tuesday night matchup, Mancini shot 52.4% from deep. The guard ended the first half 2-for-12 from the field and 0-for-5 from beyond the arc.
“We held them right around 60, which is our goal defensively, but we have to be able to put more than 56 on the board when we get 20 from both Fischer and Henry,” said Doughty.
The Red Foxes’ largest lead came at the six-minute mark in the second with a score of 27-14.
Bryant went on a run to end the half and continued their offensive success to start the third. Marist’s first basket since the four-minute mark in the second would not come until the mid-third. This drought allowed Bryant to cut Marist’s lead, tying the game 32-32 after going on a 14-point run.
“We got off to a pretty good start and then the scoreless drought to end the second quarter and into the third really got us,” said Doughty.
With both Tarul and Fischer in foul trouble and height already limited for the Red Foxes, Marist seemed to lose momentum in the second half.
“With our lack of size right now, our post defense, let up 40 points in back-to-back games now,” said Doughty. “Those are easier shots, the paint is your home, we say, and you can’t just let people into your home untouched. We need to be a little physical in there and limit those easy baskets.”
Mancini hit a driving layup, pushing Bryant in front for the first time since the second minute of play, with a score of 34-32.
Henry and the Red Foxes would not allow Bryant to pull away that easily, with junior guard Julia Corsentino tracking down a fast-breaking Henry for two. Henry and Corsentino continued the Marist run, reclaiming the lead and ending the quarter back on top at 39-38.
Off the bench, junior guard Abbey Lindsey helped lead the Bulldogs, shooting 71% from the field, recording one of the two team’s 3-pointers, ending the game with 16 points.
The Bulldogs went up one with six minutes remaining in play after a jumper from Lindsey and never turned back.
As the clock wound down, Bryant ended play with a 24-13 run, handing Marist their third loss of the season.
The Red Foxes continue non-conference play on Sunday, November 16 at McCann Arena against Holy Cross.. Tip off is set for 1 p.m.looking to get into the win column on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m.
Edited by Mike Schiavone
Graphic by Cara Lacey
Photo by Cassidy Connors
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