Marist Holds Off UAlbany, 75-71, in Women's Basketball Action at SEFCU Arena

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. -- Rachele Fitz matched a career-high with 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Marist held off UAlbany, 75-71, on Saturday, Dec. 22 at SEFCU Arena. The Red Foxes, who were coming off a 10-day layoff, have won 11 of their last 12 games.

Marist (11-2) led 45-43 early in the second half, but then ran off 13 of the game’s next 16 points. Fitz, who made 9-of-15 from the field and 10-of-10 from the line, connected on a three-point play when she was fouled on a reverse layup to begin that outburst. She added a pair of baskets in that span after collecting offensive rebounds. Sarah Smrdel was later fouled as she drilled a three-point field goal from the top of the arc. Her four-point play handed the Red Foxes a 58-46 lead with 11:07 remaining.

UAlbany (1-11) responded with an 11-2 run to get back into the contest. Gia Sanders, who had 10 points and four rebounds, scored on a left-baseline cut, before Britney McGee canned a 3-pointer following a steal that sliced the deficit to 60-57 with 9:14 left. McGee, a sophomore guard, finished with 17 points, six rebounds and three steals.

The Great Danes, who have dropped nine straight, including three of their last four outings by four points or less, trimmed the lead to 68-67 with 1:11 to play when McGee split a pair of free throws. Marist’s Nikki Flores sank a 16-foot jumper in the circle to beat the shot clock on her team’s next possession. After Meg Dahlman’s tipped a Sanders’ pass, Flores recovered the loose ball and made two foul shots that sealed the outcome. Flores was one of three Marist players in double figures with 16 points.

"We played well against another talented team,” said UAlbany coach Trina Patterson, whose squad shot a season-high 49.2 percent from the floor. “It's tough when you look at our overall record, but we need to erase the past and stay positive. We just have to put it all together and we will be fine in the second semester."

The Red Foxes jumped out to a 20-13 lead over the opening seven-plus minutes. Fitz, a 6-foot sophomore, converted a three-point play when she was fouled on a baseline turnaround and then made two free throws to give her team its biggest lead of the period. UAlbany took its first lead at 24-22 when Joy Sterling scored in the lane.

Freshman Janea Aiken extended the Great Danes’ advantage to 34-29 when she made a bank shot in transition. But the Red Foxes, who reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen last year, rallied with seven unanswered. Julianne Viani, who netted a season-best 21 points, made one of her three 3-pointers, before Fitz hit two free throws to put her team ahead.

"I was happy that we came out aggressive, especially on offense,” explained Mikus, who had a season-high 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench against the team favored to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title. “We shot ourselves in the foot with the way we rebounded. We played the whole game and never gave up."