Red Foxes look for first win

After losing the first two games of the Garden State Tip-Off Classic, Marist will attempt to secure its first win tomorrow night against Robert Morris.
The game is slated for a 6 p.m. start and according to GoRedFoxes.com, admission is free. All the games this weekend will be played at the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC) in Piscataway, N.J.
The game should provide a formidable test for the Red Foxes. Robert Morris opened up its season against A-10 opponent Saint Bonaventure, the team that dealt Marist a 77-54 loss in the Red Foxes' home opener. The Colonials fell to the Bonnies, 72-62. Robert Morris responded after surrendering the first 16 points of the game. The Colonials finally got on the board when Jeremy Chappell drained a jumper 5:14 into the first half.
Robert Morris sits at 1-1 in the young 2008-09 campaign. After dropping their opener to Saint Bonaventure, Robert Morris rebounded to take down the Delaware Blue Hens, 86-75. Marist has beaten Delaware two straight years and will face the Blue Hens on Sunday in the final game of the Garden State Classic.
The Red Foxes need to throw away the game-tape from Monday's whitewashing and respond with a defensive effort similar to the one against Rutgers on Friday, Nov. 14. The Red Foxes held the Scarlet Knights to just 63 points and were able to contain freshman sensation Mike Rosario for most of the night.
Since Marist has only averaged 57.5 points in its first two games in the new dribble-drive motion offense, it's reasonable to expect that the Red Foxes will continue to struggle offensively in the near future. Marist returns only one starter in David Devezin. Newcomers Javon Parris and R.J. Hall will contribute heavily and seniors Kaylen Gregory and Ryan Schneider will need to be factors on the offensive end.
With Marist struggling offensively, the effort needs to show on the defensive end. This facet of the Red Foxes' game-plan was obviously missing Monday against Saint Bonaventure.
"We haven't shot the ball well at the beginning of the year, but on nights when you can't shoot the ball well, you need to have other things to win games," senior forward Ryan Schneider said following the loss to Saint Bonaventure. "Defensively, we were terrible one through 12, so that's something we need to keep working on."

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Robert Morris Players to watch:

Jeremy Chapell, Sr., 6-foot-3
The senior shooting guard is the Colonials best scoring threat. The Cincinnati native has averaged 19.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in the first two games. He's shooting the ball at a 48 percent clip.

Jimmy Langhurst, Jr., 5-foot-11
Langhurst is a small point guard who has averaged 11.5 points through the first two games. He has turned the ball over eight times though, something the Red Foxes will no undoubtedly look to exploit.

Like Marist, Robert Morris features a smallish lineup built on speed. The Colonials' two biggest players measure in at 6-foot-8 but neither start. The two starters at forward measure in at 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-6. The size match-up is favorable for both Lawrence Williams and Ryan Schneider. This game could turn out to be a run-and-shoot game in the dribble-drive style Marist head coach Chuck Martin wants to play.