The Marist Dribble-Drive

Off-season happenings

2010-04-19T13:33:00.003-04:00

Marist receives letters of intent from big men Adam Kemp and Pieter Prinsloo. It's painfully obvious that the Red Foxes need some guys underneath to help out the skilled guards already in place.
Here is a brief evaluation of Kemp. He also garnered interest from Cornell, which is a good sign for Marist.
Marist also has a verbal agreement with swingman Jay Bowie out of Tampa, Fl. While the Red Foxes are loaded in the front court, this may or may not be an indication about Sam Prescott's eligibility. Hopefully Prescott is able to come back strong.
Bowie on choosing Marist:
“I liked that the university was good in academics and it seemed like the right fit for me," Bowie said. "I also have the chance to do something special there.”
Along the coaching front, Chuck Martin turns into one of the MAAC veterans after Fran McCaffery and Kevin Willard left their respective schools. Iona named Tim Cluess, formerly of C.W. Post, to the head coaching helm while long-time assistant Mitch Buonaguro takes over at Siena. Ironically, two Siena recruits bailed on the Saints and followed McCaffery to Iowa.
Speaking of Siena, Ronald Moore was pulled over for drunken driving earlier today near Siena's campus. The school hasn't commented, but these are obviously very serious charges.

Willard to Seton Hall

2010-03-28T16:06:00.002-04:00

According to The New York Daily News, Kevin Willard will take over as the head coach at Seton Hall.
The former Iona head coach spent three years with the Gaels and guided them to a 21-win season in 2009-10. Iona won two games the year before Willard became coach.
This marks the second coaching change in the MAAC today. Fran McCaffery left Siena to take over at Iowa.
Two of this past season's better teams will now be looking for a new head coach.
Willard was named MAAC Coach of the Year this past season.

McCaffery bolts Siena for Iowa

2010-03-28T15:42:00.002-04:00

Marist rival Siena will soon find out what it's like to replace a head coach on short notice.
Fran McCaffery, after signing a long-term extension last year, predictably left the Siena Saints program to join Iowa.
McCaffery, 50, will replace Todd Lickliter after Iowa suffered another mediocre season in the Big Ten.
McCaffery likely had a small window to move on to greener pastures. Siena will not be nearly as successful next season after losing Edwin Ubiles, Alex Franklin, and Ronald Moore. The Saints' bench was also a weak spot this past season.
Several Big East schools were reportedly interested in McCaffery's services. Seton Hall and St. John's had coaching vacancies after the firings of Bobby Gonzalez and Norm Roberts, respectively.
It will be interesting to see what direction Siena takes while looking for a new coach.

Marist makes a quick exit in Albany, falls 72-54

2010-03-06T13:51:00.004-05:00

Marist exited the MAAC Tournament in familiar fashion, losing its third game of the season to Canisius. The Golden Griffs ended the Red Foxes misery as Marist closed the season with a historically low 1-29 record.
Marist held a brief 18-17 lead with 6:30 left in the first half, but Canisius kicked it into gear, embarking on a 12-0 run. Canisius cruised the rest of the way home and won, 72-54.
For Canisius, it was too much size, too much speed, and too much to fall to Marist. High-flying forward Elton Frazier led the Golden Griffs with 17 points while big man Greg Logins chipped in 11.
Despite holding Frank Turner to seven points on 2-of-7 shooting, Marist's own guards struggled. Dejuan Goodwin shot 1-of-7 from the field and Candon Rusin attempted only four shots in just 23 minutes of action. Daye Kaba also missed the game due to illness.
The scoring, like it has most of the season, came from Devin Price. Price had one of his finer all-around game, scoring 17 points, grabbing five rebounds, and dishing out two assists. The one silver lining for Marist going forward is that Price and Rusin look like the makings of a very solid backcourt going forward. The only challenge is finding some big men up front.
Menelik Watson, a 21-year old power forward, will become eligible after redshirting this season. Korey Bauer also grew up after being tossed to the wolves this year. Against Canisius, Bauer scored 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting.

Season ends in fitting fashion

2010-02-26T21:20:00.002-05:00

Marist played its final home game of the season Friday night, and the loss to Saint Peter's was symbolic of the way the past 27 games have gone.
Saint Peter's exploded out of the gate, burying Marist early and often. The Peacocks cruised to a 62-39 victory.
The Red Foxes' offense could not muster much against a usually stingy Peacocks' defense. Marist shot 30.2 percent from the field and scored its second-lowest amount of points on the season. Only the drubbing from 75-38 was more offensively inept.
Saint Peter's jumped out to a 20-3 lead and that was the ball game. Nick Leon scored 15 while Jeron Belin added 13 points.
Devin Price was the only Red Fox to score in double figures. The point guard scored 12 points but had six turnovers to just two assists.
Daye Kaba and Javon Parris tallied seven points apiece on Senior Day. Kaba will graduate and forgo his final season of eligibility in hopes of playing internationally.
The move makes sense for Kaba since he is set academically and the Red Foxes will not challenge for the MAAC crown. After Naofall Folahan withdrew his committal, the writing was on the wall for Kaba.
Marist plays its final game of the season at the Times Union Center on Sunday at 4 p.m. Siena has its Senior Day on Sunday. This should mark an emotional game for Alex Franklin, Edwin Ubiles, and Ronald Moore. They do play the MAAC Tournament in the same venue, however, so it is not their final home game.

Folahan out at Marist

2010-02-24T13:47:00.002-05:00

This dreadful season has finally hit Marist where it hurts: in recruiting. The great hope for the future, Naofall "Ming" Folahan, has rescinded his commitment from the Red Foxes.
After losing Casiem Drummond to academic ineligibility, Folahan represented the force that would free up guards Devin Price and Candon Rusin. That responsibility now lies entirely on Menelik Watson's shoulders.
Chuck Martin, suffering through a 1-and-forever season, loses a 6-foot-11, 230-pound pure center. Folahan, who apparently had better options, chose to explore those options after seeing Marist struggle to win one game this season.
Despite the circumstances, this is a hard pill to swallow for a team in dire need of good news.

Irvine edges Marist in BracketBusters

2010-02-20T23:12:00.002-05:00

Marist came close but could not execute down the stretch in California.
UC-Irvine took a 64-62 lead after Zack Atkinson made a jump shot with 15 seconds left and held on to win, 66-65.
With Marist's ensuing possession, Dejuan Goodwin was charged with a turnover with only six seconds remaining. After a pair of free-throws, Daye Kaba converted a three-pointer as time expired that left Marist one point short.
Despite falling behind by 12 early in the second half, Marist used an extended 18-6 run to tie the game, 52-52. Devin Price scored 11 of his 18 points during that stretch.
The Red Foxes took a brief lead with 5:08 left to play when Goodwin buried a three-pointer to put Marist up, 57-56. Goodwin scored 10 points in 38 minutes of action.
Irvine went on a 6-0 from that point and closed out the game.
Forward Eric Wise scored a game-high 20 points for the 12-16 Anteaters. Marist dropped to 1-26.
Of Marist's 21 field goals, 13 were three-pointers. The Red Foxes shot 54.2 percent from behind the arc but were outrebounded, 45-26.
Four Red Foxes played over 30 minutes, with three of them scoring in double figures. In addition to Price and Goodwin, Candon Rusin scored 10 points in 31 minutes.
Daye Kaba added 13 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in 26 minutes off the bench.

Marist drops a pair on Buffalo trip

2010-02-14T16:00:00.002-05:00

Marist got blown out in a pair of MAAC contests over the weekend to drop to 1-25 on the long season.
In their annual Buffalo trip, Marist trailed Canisius by as many as 25 before falling, 71-56. The Red Foxes followed up with a clunker against the Niagara Purple Eagles.
Marist competed in the first half against Niagara before going stagnant on offense and dropping the game, 70-51.
Candon Rusin's three-pointer with 3:50 left in the first half cut Niagara's lead to 30-23, but that's the closest Marist would get. Niagara put the game away in the second half with a 12-0 run that turned a 51-40 game into a 63-40 blowout.
Devin Price finished with a team-high 15 points and Rusin added 11 points against Niagara. In the loss to Canisius, Rusin had an impressive outing, scoring 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Price scored 12 against the Golden Griffs.
While rebounding doomed Marist in the Canisius loss, turnovers plagued the Red Foxes on Sunday. Marist turned the ball over 16 times to Niagara's eight.
The argument could be made that this team is hitting the wall. Rob Johnson has struggled mightily, tallying only three points in the two combined games.
Javon Parris has assumed a portion of Johnson's minutes, but he has only shot 3-of-12 during the trip.
Dejuan Good win started against Niagara while Daya Kaba came off the bench.
Observations:
- It's not a good sign when a former major conference recruit, Daye Kaba from Boston College, is coming off the bench for a 1-25 team. While Kaba is certainly just a missing piece to Marist's puzzle this season, he needed to have larger contributions similar to the ones he had against Siena.
- Rob Johnson should probably sit the next game or two. Playing out of position in a long season has finally caught up with him. Dorvell Carter should start in his place in an attempt to showcase his skills before Anell Alexis, Menelik Watson, and Adam Kemp become eligible next season. Johnson will remain ahead of him at that position next year.
- This season can't end soon enough for Marist. With what will likely be one win in a 29-game season, next season should be a welcome relief.

Iona staves off Marist upset bid

2010-02-07T16:03:00.002-05:00

Marist gave the No. 2 team in the MAAC a run for its money, but ultimately, Iona prevailed.
Iona feasted off of Marist's turnovers and converted its free-throws en route to a 56-51 win in the McCann Center on Sunday afternoon.
After Candon Rusin split a pair of free-throws to cut the Gaels' lead to 50-48, Iona went 6-of-6 from the charity stripe in the final 1:41 to close out the game.
The Red Foxes never led in the game, although Daye Kaba's jumper with 3:21 left in the first half tied the game, 28-28. Iona led by as many as eight points in the second half, but Rusin and Dorvell Carter buried three-pointers to keep Marist close.
Rusin and Iona's Scott Machado tallied a game-high 17 points. Daye Kaba added 10 points while Carter scored eight points off the bench. Korey Bauer grabbed 10 rebounds inside.
Marist's other two freshmen continued to struggle. Devin Price and Rob Johnson combined to shoot 3-of-14 from the field, good for eight points.
Like good teams do, Iona capitalized on Marist's mistakes. The Gaels scored 22 points off the Red Foxes 18 turnovers. Iona also converted 15 of their 19 free-throws as compared to Marist's 9-of-16.
Marist does not play again until Friday, Feb. 12, at Canisius. The Golden Griffs are 6-8 in the MAAC and coming off a 73-72 overtime loss to Saint Peter's.
Marist dropped to 1-24 on the season and 1-14 in conference play.

Gavin leaving VCU

2010-02-06T16:04:00.003-05:00

Former MAAC rookie of the year Jay Gavin transferred from Marist following Matt Brady's departure. He's now departing another school himself.
Jay Gavin announced that he will be leaving VCU after his playing time decreased dramatically. He had a marquee coming-out performance against national powerhouse Oklahoma in which he poured in 20 points.
This will be Gavin's second transfer since coming to Marist as a freshman. He was apparently at odds with his new coach at VCU, Shaka Smart, over playing time.
Smart apparently said that he does not determine playing time, the players do.
Smart took over for current Alabama coach Anthony Grant.

Jaspers blitz Red Foxes

2010-02-05T23:30:00.002-05:00

Candon Rusin's three-pointer to close the first half looked to give Marist some much needed momentum Friday night. It didn't turn out that way, though.
Marist cut Manhattan's lead to 29-22 at the half, but the Jaspers exploded offensively in the second half to win, 72-47.
Marist's only win of the season came against Manhattan, and chances are, that will be the lone win. Manhattan opened the second half with a 12-0 run and the game never got back in hand. Manhattan led by as many as 27 points and won by 25.
Darryl Crawford led Manhattan with 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Rico Pickett and George Beamon added 13 points apiece and the rest of the Manhattan team spread the scoring wealth in the lopsided win.
Marist placed three players in double-digit scoring. Candon Rusin scored a team-high 12 points. Daye Kaba and Korey Bauer scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The only other Red Fox to score significant points was Devin Price (8 points). He shot 2-of-12, however. Walk-on Pat McDerby finished with two points, only one fewer than the next highest scorer after Price (Hall with three).
Rob Johnson and Dejuan Goodwin went scoreless on the night.
Marist shot 31.3 percent from the field while Manhattan shot 48.3 percent. Manhattan also hammered Marist on the boards, outrebounding the Red Foxes, 38-23. The Jaspers also grabbed 11 offensive rebounds.
Marist will return to action on Super Bowl Sunday for a 2 p.m. tilt against Iona.

Siena asserts second-half dominance in win

2010-01-30T17:45:00.004-05:00

Marist gave Siena everything it wanted and had the game close in the second half, but the Saints proved why they are ranked No. 34 in the RPI poll.
A Candon Rusin steal and layup pulled Marist within four points at 41-37 with 17 minutes left to play. Siena then embarked on a 10-0 run and pulled away en route to a 79-60 win.
Edwin Ubiles, the NBA Draft hopeful, came off the bench to score 15 points, including a buzzer-beating fadeaway to close out the first half. Siena led, 39-30, after the first half.
Marist could not contain Siena's interior presence. The Saints pounded the Red Foxes on the glass and used their inside advantage to open up the three-point shot.
Alex Franklin scored 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Although Franklin stands at only 6-foot-5, his frame is hard to move and he's always in position. Ryan Rossiter complemented Franklin with 16 points.
Siena has the nation's longest-active winning streak: 13 games. Marist fell to 1-21 with the loss and 1-11 in the MAAC.
Korey Bauer and Daye Kaba, Marist's two veteran pieces, stepped up and contributed big performances. Bauer was Marist's biggest offensive weapon early, finishing with 18 points. Kaba scored a career-high 17 points and grabbed five rebounds. He finally delivered an outing the Poughkeepsie Faithful were waiting for.
Ironically, Bauer, a Brady recruit, is having arguably the best season of any Red Fox.
Observations:
- Hard to expect a better performance from Marist than this. With only Korey Bauer in the middle and a perimeter-oriented team, the Red Foxes hung tough with a big Siena squad.
- Prediction: Fran McCaffery leaves Siena for greener pastures in the next two seasons. The Saints' bench is completely bare. Hard to imagine them not plummeting back to earth after Ubiles, Moore, and Franklin graduate.
- Devin Price did a good job against the press. In the early minutes, Siena stifled Marist with its pressure. Price recovered nicely, and Marist was able to break for points.
- An unusual game with Marist's three freshmen not playing as big a role as usual. Playing against a power-team like Siena, they were definitely affected. Rusin had trouble finding his stroke and Price didn't really look to score until late in the game.
- This performance from Kaba is surprising because he's clearly capable of scoring a lot of points. He sports a high-arching jumper which is not likely to get blocked and he plays physical.

Marist's offense futile against Iona

2010-01-28T21:14:00.002-05:00

Marist's loss to Iona had shades of the first-round game in last March's MAAC tournament. Unfortunately for the Red Foxes, the Iona Gaels scored 21 more points.
After playing a low-scoring 43-40 game in last year's conference tournament, Iona showed that it's offense has come a long way as the Gaels pounded the Red Foxes, 61-42.
Iona jumped out to a 12-0 lead and extended the run to 17-2. Marist got as close as eight points when a pair of Daye Kaba free-throws cut the deficit to 34-26 with 17:14 left in regulation.
Marist only got consistent offense from three sources and all are freshmen. Candon Rusin scored a team-high 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting. He buried two three pointers. Rob Johnson came alive offensively, scoring 11 points and grabbing five rebounds. Devin Price, inexplicably starting the game on the bench, added 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting as well as four rebounds. The three freshmen combined for 33 of Marist's 42 points.
Scott Machado paced Iona offensively and defensively. The star guard scored a game-high 14 points, dished out six assists, and had four steals. Iona shot 41 percent from the field and had only two players score in double figures. The other, Alejo Rodriguez, notched a double-double, scoring 13 points and hauling in 11 rebounds.
Iona pounded Marist on the glass, outrebounding the Red Foxes, 37-28. The Gaels also grabbed 13 offensive rebounds to the Red Foxes' four.
Marist turned the ball over 22 times.
Observations:
- It's hard to win games with only three perimeter players scoring the bulk of the points.
- It's also hard to win when Daye Kaba, a major Div. I transfer, scores only two points. He went 0-of-2 from the field and sank a pair of free-throws. Marist needs more out of him to at least be competitive.
- Unfathomable how Chuck Martin starts the game with Devin Price on the bench in favor of R.J. Hall. Hall should get his minutes, but this is Price's show. Predictably, Price had the much better game. Here are the statlines:

Price
10 points
4-8 shooting
2-3 on 3-pointers
4 rebounds
1 assist
2 steals
4 turnovers
1 foul

Hall
0 points
0-4 shooting
0-1 on 3-pointers
4 rebounds
1 assist
5 turnovers
4 fouls

- A nice effort from Dorvell Carter on the defensive end, grabbing eight rebounds. He's overmatched on offense, but like Bauer, he's doing an admirable job.

From bad to worse

2010-01-21T12:45:00.002-05:00

Marist fans couldn't imagine the season being any worse, but when Sam Prescott was deemed academically ineligible for the spring semester, the Red Foxes lost even the smallest glimmer of hope at seeing some development this season.
The Red Foxes suffered their third academic casualty this season, with Casiem Drummond already leaving the school. R.J. Hall didn't meet Marist's 2.0 GPA requirement in the fall.
Prescott's situation is supposedly dire. Maybe Marist loosened its standards to help Martin recruit his "guys" after the Brady debacle.
The loss is devastating because of Prescott's progress. He recently poured in a career-high 21 points, the only Red Fox to break that barrier.
Marist will now look to veterans Dejuan Goodwin and Javon Parris to pick up the slack. Without a legitimate big man, it is really hard to expect much more out of this team this season.
On a side note, Daye Kaba and Javon Parris were both on the dean's list, so it's hard to point at one person for the academic failings this season. Martin cannot be fully responsible if he has players making the dean's list, in my opinion.
Menelik Watson, who wasn't eligible because of paperwork issues regarding his transfer from England, is also doing quite well academically.
Hall, prior to Marist, was an honor roll student in high school.
It's hard to pinpoint situations like these on any one factor, but this season, Marist has had more bad luck than in any season I can recall.
The Red Foxes return to action tonight against Fairfield. Marist played Fairfield tough in the last game, but this is a different team. The best Marist can do now is watch the growth of Devin Price, Candon Rusin, and Rob Johnson. Hopefully Dorvell Carter will continue to see an expanded role.

Marist suffers crushing blow at Loyola

2010-01-16T13:01:00.002-05:00

Sam Prescott and Dorvell Carter delivered career performances, but Loyola won a three-point contest, 68-61, in Maryland.
Marist missed a golden opportunity with Loyola stars Brett Harvey and Jamal Barney missing the game. Marist had its own injuries, however, with Korey Bauer and Rob Johnson getting injured. Bauer played just two minutes.
The loss is difficult to swallow though because Loyola big man Julius Brooks was ejected after a flagrant foul. With Loyola missing the bulk of its scoring, Marist could not capitalize.
The game was tied at 53 with 6:42 remaining, but Jimmy Patsos' team was able to pull away. J'Hared Hall and Robert Olson nailed three straight three-pointers for the Greyhounds, opening up a 66-58 lead.
Despite playing without Bauer (and Johnson but to a lesser extent), Marist needed to pull out a win against what amounted to Loyola's B squad. The now 1-16 Red Foxes will have trouble winning another game this season, granted the talent is there for the future.
Sam Prescott scored a career-high 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Dorvell Carter, also coming off the bench, scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the fill-in big man.
Devin Price was the only starters to score in double figures for Marist. He scored 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting.
Daye Kaba and Candon Rusin struggled to find their shot, combining to go 4-of-16 from the field.
Olson and Hall scored 20 and 16 points, respectively.
Observations:
- This may sound like a broken record, but Marist needs more out of Kaba, the Boston College transfer, in order to stay competitive. He shot just 2-of-10 last night.
- It's a tall order asking Marist to compete without Bauer, the team's only true interior presence, but Loyola had its own laundry list of players not in the game.
- Loyola converted on 13-of-26 three-pointers. Marist countered with 9-of-20, however.
- A great sign to see Prescott deliver this kind of performance. Price has already proven himself to be a budding star in this league based on his drastic improvement and consistency. Rusin has shown what he's capable of as well. Marist just needs a few big men in the fold.

Rider makes McCann its own Monday night

2010-01-11T23:03:00.003-05:00

With students on winter break and a 1-14 Marist Red Foxes team enduring a historically bad season, Rider got out of its slump in a big way.
Rider exploded offensively, leading by 33 points before Tommy Dempsey pulled his starters. Rider cruised to an 84-62 win.
Rider never trailed and the closest Marist came was after Korey Bauer finished a fake-shot/pass from Devin Price to cut the Broncs' lead to 23-19. Rider embarked on a 17-0 run capped off by a Jhamar Youngblood three-pointer.
Youngblood, the Monmouth transfer, scored 17 points in filling in for the injured Novar Gadson. Ryan Thompson returned to top-form by scoring a game-high 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Patrick Mansell and Mike Ringgold notched 11 points apiece.
The positives for Marist were few and far between. The team has regressed since an upset win over MAAC foe Manhattan. Devin Price, Candon Rusin, and Rob Johnson scored 11 points each. Price did add nine assists, however.
Rider shot 54.2 percent and would have scored over 100 points had Dempsey not pulled his starters.
The frustration started to boil over in the first half. Mike Taylor, right off the bench for Chuck Martin, picked up a technical foul after he was whistled for a personal foul. This followed Rider's 14-0 run ended by Bauer.
Bauer, the lone big man, scored nine points and hauled in six rebounds.
Observations:
- A surprising loss considering Martin seemed enthused about his team's recent practices. Rider was also at a season low. The Broncs lost by 20 points to Iona in their last outing...at home. Novar Gadson, arguably Rider's second-best player, also did not play with an injured ankle.
- Out of a possible 349 Div. I teams, Marist is ranked No. 345 in the RPI poll.
- At this point, coaches and fans need to be looking for positives going forward. Although the team is in a precarious position due to paperwork issues with David Devezin and Menelik Watson, and Casiem Drummond's ineligibility, there needs to be more fight than what was shown tonight. This game was never close and Rider was on a first-half pace for 100 points.
- Again, hard to find any positives, but Devin Price will be a great MAAC point guard. He's improved drastically after a rough opening to the season. Nine assists tonight is pretty impressive since the team only converted 24 baskets. Since he went 4-of-9 from the field, he accounted for 13-of-24 Marist baskets. Glad to see Martin gave him 34 minutes tonight.
- Daye Kaba managed only five points tonight on 2-of-5 shooting. Considering he played at Boston College and is one of the more senior players on this squad, his season thus far has been disappointing.
- Finally, Marist is obviously missing strong veteran players. Ryan Schneider's value to this team last year grows by leaps and bounds. He was a true team-player and played great fundamental basketball. His leadership is sorely missed. The same could be said of Kaylen Gregory. While he didn't play much of a factor in his time at Marist, he shined in the opportunity Martin gave him. The Red Foxes, in addition to being young, don't have players like Schneider, Devezin, and Gregory to look up to. Whether by action or words, they showed the younger guys how to play the right way. That lacking presence is a big reason why Marist is struggling. There are older players on the roster, but they don't have the leadership qualities those three had.

Canisius overpowers Marist in McCann

2010-01-09T23:20:00.002-05:00

Canisius proved that Marist does not have the weapons to be successful this year.
Canisius rode its big men to a 72-57 win in the McCann Center on Saturday night. Forwards Elton Frazier and Greg Logins dominated Marist, scoring 25 and 13 points, respectively.
Canisius pulled out to a big lead and led, 40-23, at the half. Marist put up an inspired effort in the second half, as they often do, but it was too little too late.
Canisius all-conference guard Frank Turner also went off for 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting.
The Golden Griffs pounded the boards, outrebounding the Red Foxes, 35-21. Hard to win games giving opponents that many opportunities.
Marist received strong offensive performances from freshmen Devin Price and Candon Rusin. These two could be the second coming of Jordan and Whittington...in their own way. Price scored 15 points in 22 minutes while Rusin notched 11 in 38 minutes. Daye Kaba added 11 points for Marist.
Observations:
- Hard to see where Marist is winning games. The Red Foxes physically just can't compete with many Div. I teams. Korey Bauer is the only true "big man" on the team. Losing Drummond to eligibility and transfer and Watson to NCAA paperwork for this season crippled any chances to make a run.
- Devin Price needs more minutes. He's playing too well to send to the bench and barely play over half a game. He's one of the few bright spots on this season, let's see more of him.
- Credit to Korey Bauer for basically being thrown to the wolves this season. A tough task for anybody.
- A horrid outing from the free-throw line after really looking like the team had turned it around. Shooting 6-of-15 is unacceptable, although it would not have affected the final score.
- Marist is facing a very down and disappointing Rider team on Monday. The Broncs have underachieved woefully and this might be a nice time to pick off a team.

Marist routed at home

2010-01-06T22:39:00.002-05:00

Princeton came into the McCann Center and received a career-performance from sophomore Patrick Saunders in its 77-58 win.
Saunders went a perfect 8-of-8 from the field and scored 21 points. He averages 6.0 ppg for the now 8-5 Tigers.
Princeton shot 57.4 percent as a team and poured in 40 points in the first half. Although Marist shot a respectable 48.8 percent, the Red Foxes turned the ball over 14 times to Princeton's seven.
Candon Rusin paced Marist's offense with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting. He did turn the ball over five times, however. Rusin's offensive effort matched his season high that he set in a loss to Vermont on Dec. 28.
Marist's leading scorer, Daye Kaba, scored eight points on seven shot attempts. He added six rebounds. As one of the more veteran players on the team, Kaba should have a larger offensive presence for Marist.
Maris't scoring is falling largely to the freshmen. Devin Price scored in double figures again, but he shot 4-of-12 from the field. With no interior scoring threat, it's hard to imagine Marist having many high-scoring outings. Price tallied 13 points and dished out five assists. Korey Bauer added nine points while hauling in five rebounds.
The 1-13 Red Foxes return to action Saturday for a home tilt against Canisius. The Golden Griffs are 2-2 in MAAC play and are coming off an impressive win over Iona.
Frank Turner has historically given Marist fits. He's averaging 16.7 ppg, and 5.1 rebounds and assists per game. Julius Coles and Greg Logins are also averaging double-digit scoring.

Saint Peter's buries Marist in second half

2010-01-04T20:39:00.003-05:00

In a tightly played first half, Marist hung with Saint Peter's. The second half was another story.
Saint Peter's opened the second half on a 17-6 run and cruised past Marist, 61-49.
Nick Leon and Ryan Bacon buoyed the Peacocks' offense by scoring 16 and 12 points apiece. Saint Peter's other star guard Wesley Jenkins struggled in his return from a mild concussion. Marist limited him to seven points on 3-of-14 shooting.
Saint Peter's led, 27-21, at the half and that margin grew to as many as 17 midway through the second half.
Although Korey Bauer is Marist's only true big man, the rebounding margin remained close. Saint Peter's outrebounded Marist, 31-20. Bauer hauled in eight rebounds but shot only 2-of-8 from the field.
Marist received strong offensive performances from freshmen Devin Price and Sam Prescott. Prescott notched a team-high 14 points (5-9 shooting), while Price continues to thrive as the starting point guard. He tallied 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting. He knocked down two of his three three-point attempts.
In addition to Price's and Prescott's performances, Marist as a team shot 14-of-14 from the free-throw line. Saint Peter's shot just 2-of-5 from the charity stripe.
Other Observations and MAAC notes:
- Phenomenal effort from the free-throw line tonight. Credit to Martin & Co. for righting the ship in that area. While he can't control the youth and some of the struggles the Red Foxes have encountered with eligibility, it's nice to see they've improved on the fundamentals.
- I personally don't love the shot distribution. Rob Johnson and Korey Bauer shot a combined 4-of-16. Bauer should not be shooting eight shots, including a three-pointer. Kaba, meanwhile, attempted just two shots (1-2, six points). Javon Parris should not take the same amount of attempts (0-2) as Kaba. Price also had just five attempts. He made the most of them, however.
- Only 35.7 percent shooting from the field. That won't win many games. Only 10 buckets midway through the second half.
Elsewhere in the MAAC
- Rider continues to struggle mightily this season, but the Broncs made a strong comeback to overtake Manhattan, 65-64 in Draddy.
- Siena dominated Loyola and won by 20, 76-56. The final box-score is not indicative of how one-sided the game was.
- Niagara and Canisius both hold late second-half leads against Fairfield and Iona, respectively.

Marist notches first win of the season

2010-01-02T22:30:00.002-05:00

The Red Foxes' youth shined in a home win over MAAC foe Manhattan.
All four Marist freshmen scored in double figures and got their first taste of victory as NCAA players in a 72-66 win.
Devin Price and Sam Prescott had a team-high 13 points. Prescott shot 5-of-6 from the field and played 19 minutes. Candon Rusin drained three three-pointers and scored 11 points, while Rob Johnson and Daye Kaba each scored 10 points.
Marist led, 32-21, after the first half. Although the Red Foxes surrendered 45 second-half points, they made their free-throws down the stretch and closed out the game.
Manhattan's Rico Pickett had a game-high 26 points and Darryl Crawford poured in 17 points. Those two Jaspers accounted for the brunt of Manhattan's offense.
Marist's free-throw shooting (70.4 percent) and rebounding has improved drastically in recent games. Manhattan only grabbed three more rebounds than Marist, and Korey Bauer tied a game-high with eight points. He also added eight points.
The Red Foxes' win improves them to 1-2 in the conference. Marist has played its best basketball against conference opponents.
Marist's win capped off an interesting day in the MAAC:
- Rider fell to 1-2 in conference play with a 68-66 loss to Loyola.
- Iona used balanced scoring to upset MAAC power Niagara on the road.
- Siena struggled and needed overtime to beat 3-9 Mount Saint Mary's at home. Mount Saint Mary's squandered a 7-point lead with 1:11 to play in regulation. Ryan Rossiter had a career-game and scored 29 points while grabbing 13 rebounds.
- Fairfield outlasted Canisius, 58-52, earlier in the day.
- Marist is tied with six other teams at 1-2 in the MAAC.

Marist falls in overtime to Bucknell

2009-12-31T16:26:00.002-05:00

Maris beat Bucknell in almost every statistical category except the one that truly matters, the final score.
Marist lost a heartbreaker, 70-67, in overtime to the Bucknell Bison. Marist dropped to 0-11 on the season.
Freshman Rob Johnson led all Marist scorers with 17 points and added eight rebounds. Korey Bauer responded with a spirited effort, notching a double-double. Bauer scored 13 points and hauled in 11 rebounds. He shot a perfect 5-of-5 from the field.
Devin Price continued his growth, starting over R.J. Hall and chipping in 13 points as well. Sam Prescott scored nine points off the bench while Daye Kaba, starting in his place, shot 2-of-10 and scored eight points.
Marist trailed, 68-67, with the final possession in overtime. With four seconds remaining, Kaba missed a jumper that would have given Marist the lead.
Kaba previously gave Marist the lead with a lay-up with 30 seconds remaining. Bucknell responded, however, as Mike Muscala buried a three-pointer with 20 seconds left.
Marist made it to overtime by virtue of a Candon Rusin lay-up late in regulation. Darryl Shazier failed to convert a three-pointer that would have won the game for the Bison.
Marist shot 47.8 percent from the field compared to Bucknell's 39.2 percent. Bucknell took advantage at the free-throw line though. The Bison made 20-of-27 free-throws while the Red Foxes went 13-of-18.
Mike Muscala led all scorers with 18 points.
Marist turned over their rebounding effort in the loss, outrebounding Bucknell, 30-28.
Marist returns to action Jan. 2 for a home game against MAAC foe Manhattan. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
Manhattan is 6-6 on the season and 1-1 in the conference. The Jaspers handled the Canisius Golden Griffs, 71-57, on the road. Darryl Crawford leads Manhattan in both points scored and rebounding. He averages 15.2 ppg and 6.9 rpg.

Marist can't hold lead in loss to Vermont

2009-12-29T00:47:00.002-05:00

Marist held a 37-31 lead at halftime against Vermont, but a long cold-streak doomed the Red Foxes at McCann.
Marqus Blakely paced the Catamounts' offense with 23 points in 35 minutes of action in leading Vermont to a 72-62 win.
Vermont embarked on a 17-2 run in the second half as Marist struggled to find the basket. The Red Foxes scored seven points in 12 minutes after pouring in 37 in the first half.
Marist got as close as four points with 2:30 remaining in the game, but the Red Foxes could not cut the lead any further.
Freshman Candon Rusin led the Red Foxes with 16 points while Daye Kaba added 11 points. Rusin has proved to be a reliable scoring option for Marist despite the team's struggles.
Marist shot 37 percent from the field and went 8-of-24 from behind the three-point arc. Marist also got outrebounded, 44-18. Without Casiem Drummond and Menelik Watson, the rebounding problem will probably remain throughout the season.
Observations:
- Marist may want to consider going really small and simply outrunning teams. Putting Johnson at the No. 5 and playing an uptempo, Golden State Warriors-style offense may be the best solution. The rebounding can't get any more lopsided, can it?
- Dramatic shift in the free-throw shooting tonight. Going 14-of-18 from the line is pretty impressive given the early-season struggles.
- Candon Rusin could have a Will Whittington-type impact on this team. Remember that Jordan and Whittington had an abysmal freshmen year and wound up being Marist legends. Rusin is on the right path anyway.
- Rusin needs more than 22 minutes. He's the best shooter the team has, and with no inside presence, he needs more opportunities to shoot.
- Korey Bauer led the team with 32 minutes. Too big of a role for his type of game. He did go 6-of-6 from the line, however.

Marist unable to complete comeback

2009-12-22T21:44:00.002-05:00

Marist put together an inspired second half against Lehigh tonight, but a low-scoring first half led to a hole that was too deep to come out of.
Lehigh led, 43-21, early in the second half, and although Marist chipped away, the Red Foxes fell, 66-55. Marist remains winless on the season.
The Red Foxes cut the lead to 54-50 but were unable to get any closer.
Nine Red Foxes scored but only Daye Kaba finished in double-digit scoring. Kaba scored 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting. He added four rebounds and two assists.
Marist outscored Lehigh, 36-33, in the second half but only managed 19 points in the first 20 minutes.
R.J. Hall tallied nine points and four assists in his second game back.
The team continues to struggle from the field. With no interior presence, most of Marist's shots are contested from the perimeter. As a team, the Red Foxes shot 35.7 percent. The four freshmen combined to shoot 9-of-28.
Almost half of Marist's field-goal attempts, 27-of-54, came from behind the three-point line. The team converted on nine of them.
Marist's next game will come after the holidays. Vermont will travel to the McCann Center for a 7:30 p.m. tilt.
Vermont is 7-5 and boasts a win over Rutgers. The Catamounts did, however, lose by 13 to Loyola.
Elsewhere in the MAAC
- Loyola jumped all over Indiana in the first half and handed the Hoosiers a 72-67 loss at home.
Brett Harvey led Loyola with 25 points and five assists, while Jamal Barney added 13 points.
- Rutgers blew out Saint Peter's, 66-42, as Mike Rosario scored a season-high 28 points. Hamady N'Diaye added 15 points and 10 blocks.
- Niagara notched a 77-71 win over Saint Bonaventure while Canisius edged Southern Mississippi, 59-56. Demetrius Williamson scored 22 points for Niagara and Canisius' Frank Turner poured in 30.

Drummond ruled ineligible

2009-12-21T19:38:00.002-05:00

I predicted that Casiem Drummond would win MAAC player of the year next year, but a prerequisite for that award is getting on the floor.
The NCAA ruled that Drummond is not academically eligible to compete, The Poughkeepsie Journal reports.
The 6-foot-10 transfer from Villanova was supposed to change Marist's fortunes when he regained his eligibility. He served his year in residency but apparently did not keep up his grades.
This is a tough blow for a struggling Marist team that is already without freshman Menelik Watson, who is red-shirting this season after coming from England.
The Red Foxes will rely on Korey Bauer as their lone big man. At 6-foot-9, Bauer is the biggest player on Marist's roster.
This loss really hurts the freshmen on Chuck Martin's roster. Drummond would have drawn considerable attention away from the perimeter.
R.J. Hall returned after his ineligibility, but he has another perimeter player. Drummond would have shifted this team's dimensions and likely fortunes.

Binghamton embarrasses Marist

2009-12-20T20:52:00.003-05:00

Marist suffered an inexcusable loss today to the lowly Binghamton Bearcats.
Greer Wright led the way with 22 points in 36 minutes as Binghamton won, 70-52.
The much-anticipated debut of Casiem Drummond also never happened. Issues still linger about his eligibility.
If Drummond isn't able to suit up in a Marist uniform, this season is a lost cause. The only positive so far is that the Red Foxes two conference losses have been respectable.
The offense has struggled mightily and they shot just 29.4 percent today. The Bearcats shot 57.4 percent, however.
It's hard to find where Marist will win games. Binghamton is a team that was in complete disarray in the offseason. Players were kicked off the team (six), the coach resigned, and they managed to scrap together a team. This group managed to dominate Chuck Martin's prized recruits in their own gym.
A few observations from today's loss:
- Nice to have R.J. Hall back, unfortunately he isn't a difference maker in terms of wins and losses.
- Sam Prescott and Devin Price combined to shoot 5-of-20, a stark contrast from the days of Jordan and Whittington. Give them time, sadly that doesn't provide relief in the short term.
- Something Chris Douglas-Roberts has said in several post-game interviews, the Nets suffer from a lack of defined roles. The same could be said of Marist. The team does not seem organized and there is no clear pattern to Martin's moves on and off the bench. Daye Kaba (11 points) seemed like he would be a leader in Marist Madness, yet he's coming off the bench. There is something to be said for rewarding rookies, but I don't think there is any leadership on this team.

Foxes fall in home opener

2009-12-12T17:35:00.002-05:00

Marist has established a pattern in non-conference play. Go down big at the half and compete in the second half to no avail.
Boston University had its way with Marist on offense to the tune of an 88-72 win. The Red Foxes fall to 0-7.
Corey Lowe and John Holland posted 27 and 21 points, respectively. The Terriers scored 49 points in the first half, a number that will win a team any game.
Two good things came out of today's loss for Marist. 1) Three freshmen scored in double figures and shot well from the field, and 2) Casiem Drummond and R.J. Hall have not played yet. Drummond should have a profound impact on this team, completely changing how the Red Foxes compete. I truly believe he's a player that will win the MAAC player of the year award next season as a senior. Hall may not be a spectacular point guard, but he is consistent and has experience in the system. As a sophomore, he's already one of the veterans.
Back to the freshmen, Devin Price had an impressive showing with 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting in 26 minutes. He's the future at the point-guard position, so it's a step in the right direction to finally have a solid offensive performance. Candon Rusin bounced back with a team-high 15 points and Rob Johnson poured in 13 points, albeit on 5-of-12 shooting.
Other observations:
- Surprised that Daye Kaba has not played a bigger role on this team to date. Coming in from the ACC, he should be leading this team in almost every way. He totaled seven points in 17 minutes. Interesting to see how his play changes when Drummond and Hall return.
- Another abysmal showing from the free-throw line. The only positive is that Boston actually shot worse. The two teams combined to shoot 23-46 from the line, while Marist shot 14-of-26. Games (see Siena last season) are won and lost by free-throw shooting, whether Martin shares Calipari's view on this aspect of the game or not.
- A team-high 26 minutes for Devin Price. The future of this team is dependent on his development as an elite point gaurd in the MAAC. A step in the right direction today.
- Eight days until Marist's next game with Drummond and Hall... Should be markedly different than the winless Foxes look now.

Red Foxes take Broncs to brink

2009-12-06T19:42:00.002-05:00

Marist gave Rider everything it could handle in Lawrenceville, N.J. today.
Daye Kaba's missed jumper with four seconds remaining in regulation secured a 55-51 Rider victory. Kaba's jumper would have tied the game at 53.
Sam Prescott re-emerged on offense and Daye Kaba returned from illness to keep Marist in the game against one of the MAAC's elite.
Prescott had a team-high 14 points while Kaba scored 13.
Defensively, Marist held MAAC preseason player of the year Ryan Thompson to one point on 0-of-8 shooting. Although Marist remains winless, there is plenty to be thrilled about from this game. To basically take a team of rookies into Rider's gym and have a chance to win in the final minutes is enough to believe this team will be in good shape in both the short and long terms.
Marist's defense limited Rider to 31.1 percent from the field.
Marist managed just 15 points in the first half but responded in the second half with 36 points. The second half has been kind to Marist this season.
Although Prescott put in a positive offensive performance, the rest of the freshmen disappeared. To stay in the game with three impact freshmen scoring a combined five points is a good sign. Candon Rusin had an off night (1 point) and Rob Johnson went scoreless. Devin Price shot 1-of-7 from the field.
Chuck Martin may not believe in moral victories, but this was a hueg step in the right direction today. To compete without Casiem Drummond and R.J. Hall is a great sign and valuable experience that the young guys will need later in the conference schedule.

Marist loses late lead, game

2009-12-03T21:53:00.002-05:00

Marist put forth its best effort of the young season, but a late scoreless stretch resulted in the Red Foxes' fifth straight loss.
Fairfield, entering the game at 4-2, used a 13-1 run in the last eight minutes of the game to win, 70-61.
After playing themselves out of several games earlier in the year, the Red Foxes were in position to win.
Marist led, 45-44, with a little more than eight minutes left in the game. The Red Foxes failed to score in the next 4:19, however.
Playing without red-shirt junior Daye Kaba, Dejuan Goodwin poured in a game-high 18 points. Rob Johnson and Candon Rusin scored 13 and 11 points, respectively.
Marist gave its fans something to be excited about with this performance. The next time the two teams meet in the McCann Center, Marist will likely have three different starters. Casiem Drummond, R.J. Hall, and Kaba should all start.
Chuck Martin sentenced Kaba to sixth man off the bench, but he's likely to get that spot back. Freshman Sam Prescott has struggled in his last two games, scoring two points and shooting 0-of-8 combined.
Rusin has thrived in the starting lineup though. He's scored in double figures in four straight games and poses a legitimate three-point threat.
The road doesn't get any easier for Marist. The Red Foxes travel to Rider for a 2 p.m. tilt on Sunday. Rider opened the season with a win over then-nationally ranked Mississippi State.

Marist shows promise in loss to Holy Cross

2009-11-30T22:40:00.002-05:00

Yes, the Red Foxes lost to an 0-6 team on the road, but a much-needed morale booster in the second half gives them something going into the MAAC opener at Fairfield.
Marist got it going offensively in the second half. Unfortunately, it was too little too late as Holy Cross won, 68-56.
Marist had another miserable opening 20 minutes, scoring just 18 points and trailing by that same number.
While Marist is not likely to knock off a Fairfield team playing incredibly well (three 20+ point scorers tonight in a loss to Hofstra), there were a few good signs.
Candon Rusin continues his exceptional play. For a freshman to come in under the radar and play the most minutes on the team says something about his character and make-up. He scored 12 points in 34 minutes of action. His game will get a huge boost when Drummond returns and draws defenders in the paint.
Daye Kaba came off the bench and produced solid offensive numbers. He shot 5-of-9 from the field and also scored 12 points.
Devin Price had his first good outing of the season. Dejuan Goodwin struggled early and shot 2-of-7 from the field. He dished out three assists, but committed three turnovers and fouled out.
Several observations/concerns from the game:
- The 38-point second half could give some of the younger guys some confidence. The last two games were absolute confidence-crushers.
- Sam Prescott and Rob Johnson struggled mightily tonight, combining for three points on 1-of-12 shooting. No surprise there are some growing pains, but when the older guys aren't clicking on all cylinders, problems are magnified.
- Many have complained about the lack of defense on the team, but that really stems from offensive ineptitude. When Marist is clanking shots off the rim, turning the ball over, and not getting second chance opportunites, opposing teams can run on them. The team will be completely different once Drummond returns. Unfortunately, it won't be different enough to cure all the Red Foxes' woes.
- Nice to see Dorvell Carter ge some minutes tonight and score a few buckets. Marist needs him to produce.
- Walk-on Mike Taylor played 20 minutes tonight and scored nine points. Javon Parris played three minutes...
- Finally, it looks like Chuck Martin brought Memphis' free-throw shooting with him. Going 7-of-15 from the charity stripe is unacceptable. We saw the problems last year (Siena...), but there has to be some improvement.

Marist offense continues to struggle in latest loss

2009-11-28T15:46:00.002-05:00

Although Marist struggled last season, two of its wins came against teams that have recently dealt the Red Foxes double-digit losses.
Hartford dismantled Marist 11 days ago, and New Hampshire cruised to a 72-58 win. Marist's best effort came against arguably its toughest opponent on opening day versus Rutgers.
The Red Foxes managed just 36.2 percent shooting from the field. Candon Rusin has put in the best effort so far this season, notching 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Rusin has not been the three-point threat I anticipated he would be, but he has been efficient. After three games, he's the biggest surprise for this team.
Defensively, Marist was abused by Wildcats' center Dane Diliegro. He scored 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting. He also grabbed eight rebounds.
Marist's smaller lineup clearly had no answer for either big man. Radar Onguetou chipped in 11 points. Guard Alvin Abreu poured in 15 points as well.
For Marist, Dec. 19 cannot come soon enough. The Red Foxes will continue to struggle without Casiem Drummond and R.J. Hall. Without those two players, it's hard to imagine Marist winning any games. Once they are back, however, Marist will be much more competitive as Drummond will take defenders away from the guards and should open up some lanes in the middle.
In the loss, Dejuan Goodwin also scored a team-high 11 points.
Daye Kaba, the Boston College transfer, continues to struggle offensively. His first three games have been somewhat disappointing after coming over from an ACC school. He has all the physical tools to dominate, but he has endured shooting woes from the field. He managed just four points today.
Even when Hall and Drummond return, Kaba needs to emerge as a scoring threat for Marist to make any noise in the MAAC.

Gavin leads VCU over No. 17 Oklahoma

2009-11-21T21:39:00.002-05:00

Former Marist rookie of the year Jay Gavin led his new team to a win over nationally-ranked Oklahoma.
Gavin sparked VCU's offense with 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting. VCU beat Oklahoma, 82-69.
Gavin has emerged as a Rams' starter, playing alongside renowned forward Larry Sanders.
Gavin chose to transfer when Matt Brady left the program for James Madison. VCU had initially recruited Gavin before he chose to attend Marist.
VCU is a CAA power and many think the team is destined for the NCAA Tournament. The Rams are now 2-1, having lost their last game to Western Michigan.
It will be interesting to see how Gavin continues to develop in his young career.

Marist embarrassed by Hartford

2009-11-18T20:44:00.002-05:00

It's hard to believe Marist beat this team last season by 22 points.
Hartford took Marist out back behind the woodshed and pummeled the Red Foxes to the tune of 75-38.
The 41 points Hartford scored in the first half would have been enough to win against Marist's two-half total.
There are bound to be growing pains, but it is hard to find a silver lining in a game where the deficit reaches 40 points. Marist has far too much talent and athleticism to produce this kind of result.
Luckily for Chuck Martin, Marist has 11 days to pick up the pieces and turn things around when the Red Foxes travel to New Hampshire.
Marist drops to 0-2. Hard to predict anything after a performance like this.

This just in: Siena not as good as advertised

2009-11-17T13:54:00.004-05:00

Siena 59 Northeastern 53
Despite beating a good-but-not-great Northeastern team, Siena has plenty of reasons for concern.
Any MAAC coaches watching ESPN this afternoon saw a lot of holes that are ready for exploitation. Maybe Tommy Dempsey was right... Early on, his team looks like the horse, or bronc, to beat.
Don't get me wrong, Siena is still a great team... but they're not so great that the season won't need to be played. There are a few teams that could give the Saints a run for their money.
Siena boasts the best player in the conference in Edwin Ubiles, closely followed by Ryan Thompson. What Siena does not boast, however, is any depth whatsoever. If Siena ever gets in foul trouble, it is ripe for the picking.
Clarence Jackson is no Kenny Hasbrouck. He is much more athletic and also wildly inconsistent, but Jackson does not bring the leadership that Hasbrouck did. Rossiter and Franklin are their usual efficient selves, but certainly not spectacular.
Siena's biggest hole is Fran McCaffery's lack of a bench. Kyle Downey is still riding the momentum of one good 10-minute stretch against Marist last season. With that game notwithstanding, he has been non-existent. Owen Wignot is not an impact player and O.D. Anosike is a freshman. McCaffery was furious with his bench's role in allowing Tennessee State to widdle away a large lead in his team's opening win.
Right now, Siena is a five-man team. Ronald Moore had a miserable outing (0-of-6), but everyone knows what he is capable of.
Against Northeastern, Siena leaned heavily on Ubiles. The rest of the team deferred to him and waited for him to make the plays.
Ryan Thompson vs. Edwin Ubiles should be a heavyweight match-up when the two teams meet.
Other Siena observations:
- Unlike last year, Siena has a very soft non-conference schedule. Georgia Tech and Temple are the biggest challenges. Much different from Kansas and Pittsburgh last year.
- Siena's free-throw shooting leaves a lot to be desired (17-of-27).
- Casiem Drummond should have a field day against Rossiter when the two meet Jan. 30 at the McCann Center.
- Unlike Siena, Rider has scheduled a very difficult out-of-conference schedule. The Broncs have already beaten No. 18/19 Mississippi State on the road, and Dempsey has Virginia and Kentucky on the slate. Maybe McCaffery does not want to expose his team to the heavyweights this season because of the potential outcome...
- Siena's defense looked ferocious something the team has to be thrilled about. On the other hand, this was Northeastern's first game. The team only averaged 62.5 ppg last season.
- An early MAAC Christmas present: Rider at Siena on Dec. 23.
In other news:
- The MAAC has started hot so far. Fairfield, Rider, and Siena are all 2-0. Niagara is 1-1 despite losing Tyrone Lewis. The loss came at Auburn.
- Marist returns to action at Hartford tomorrow night. While no game is a must-win at any point in the non-conference schedule, a win would really buoy Marist's spirits. Despite not having Drummond and Hall, the pieces are there to beat a team the Red Foxes rolled over last season in the BracketBuster game. Hartford is 0-2, but they lost, 71-69, to a good Baylor team. Hartford will be no pushover.
- I still maintain the long roadtrip is great for Marist's team chemistry. Since there has been so much turnover, a few long bus trips give the team a chance to get acclimated to one another.

Marist falls in season opener

2009-11-14T16:34:00.002-05:00

A sluggish start to the second half sent Marist packing with an opening loss at Rutgers.
Rutgers jumped out to a 16 point lead midway through the second half, but a persistent Marist team clawed back and ultimately fell, 74-67.
Although things looked bleak at times, Chuck Martin has to be thrilled with the performance of freshman Rob Johnson. He has great length and excellent athleticism. He translated those attributes into a game-high 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
Daye Kaba notched a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Korey Bauer pitched in and made a case for significant minutes even when Casiem Drummond returns. Bauer's contributions could keep him in the starting lineup when Drummond becomes available. Bauer gives Martin multiple lineup options depending on if he wants to play big or small.
Bauer scored 11 points and hauled in seven rebounds despite playing an oversized Big East frontcourt.
As far as the freshmen go, Sam Prescott scored 10 points and Candon Rusin chipped in nine. Prescott showed a nice ability to slash and get to the rim while Rusin obviously wants to play outside the arc.
Until Hall and Drummond enter the lineup, Marist will have its hands full in every game. The team isn't nearly as deep without those two and are forced to play Dejuan Goodwin at the point. Devin Price looked outmatched in his first game, which is to be expected. Goodwin's ability to play the point is a plus. Goodwin did a solid job running the point, but one question mark is his free-throw shooting. For a starting guard, 1-of-4 from the charity stripe won't cut it.
Other observations from the opener:
- Not having Menelik Watson will hurt for the first month. The decision to red-shirt him is an interesting one, but during Marist Madness, he seemed out of shape. He has great strength and is incredibly muscular, but he looked like he put on a lot of weight and wouldn't be able to handle the rigor of a full season. A bit surprising because he was so pumped to contribute to the team this season.
- Dorvell Carter only receiving four minutes of action is very surprising. He has good size at 6-foot-6 and can hit the outside shot. Since he's been with Martin a year, you'd think he'd make more of an impact early than a few of the freshmen. Regardless of his one three-point attempt, Marist will need him down the stretch.
- Javon Parris is really only a defensive stopper at this point. His offense remains what it was last season. He played seven minutes in the contest.
- Finally, Rob Johnson looked like an All-MAAC rookie player in the opener. The fact that he can successfully shoot the three and slash inside is a major plus. He can play the No. 3 or 4 spots, making him an asset for any opponent.

Marist opened the game with this lineup:
G Dejuan Goodwin
G Sam Prescott
G Daye Kaba
F Rob Johnson
F Korey Bauer

I'd expect that to remain constant, at least for the first few games. Marist returns to action Wednesday at Hartford. Hartford is a game Marist should win. The Red Foxes thoroughly outplayed Hartford last season in the BracketBuster game and Hartford lost its opener, 85-74, to Quinnipiac.

Rider shocks No. 19 Mississippi State

2009-11-13T23:05:00.002-05:00

With the MAAC opening its season tonight, there were a couple big results for the conference.
Rider went on the road and had its way with No. 19 Mississippi State. The Broncs went into Humphrey Coliseum and won, 88-74. Four players scored in double-digits, including 21 apiece from Mike Ringgold and Novar Gadson.
Many questioned the integrity of Rider coach Tommy Dempsey casting the lone first place vote for a team other than Siena, voting instead for his own team, but this victory has to validate that pick. This is one of Rider's biggest wins.
With Niagara notwithstanding (late result), the only MAAC team to lose was Saint Peter's. Seton Hall's Eugene Harvey nailed a three-pointer as time expired to propel the Pirates to a 53-51 win. The Peacocks' defense picked up right where it left off last season. They limited Jeremy Hazell, one of the Big East's best scorers to two points on 0-of-10 shooting. He averaged 22.7 ppg last season.
Marist looks like it will have its hands full this season. With Menelik Watson and Anell Alexis red-shirting, Casiem Drummond will have to play at an All-MAAC level when he becomes eligible against Binghamton. Devin Price and Rob Johnson will also have to grow up in a hurry.

The other scores from around the league:
Siena 85 Tennessee State 68
Iona 82 Boston University 73
Loyola 79 Vermont 66
Fairfield 67 Central Connecticut State 58

Official: Hall ineligible for first semester of season

2009-11-04T13:44:00.003-05:00

In one of the more bizarre developments of the 2009 preseason, starting point guard R.J. Hall has been ruled academically ineligible.
The story is interesting for two reasons. 1) Hall was a member of the National Honor Society at Bloomfield Tech in high school and an honor roll student. In my experiences at Marist, I always saw him with a portfolio to-and-from class. He's probably one of the last guys I would've expected this from. 2) Hall has been ruled academically ineligible by Marist, NOT the NCAA. Marist holds students to higher standards and proved that academics still have a place in athletics.
The situation is similar to Ben Farmer's during the first semester of the 2005-06 season.
Hall's absence will open up a tremendous window of opportunity for Devin Price. While he may not be polished, he certainly has the attitude and athleticism to play the position. Dejuan Goodwin will start at the point, but don't be surprised to see some roster shuffling in the backcourt.
Others news and notes
- Korey Bauer has recovered fully from the flu he battled two weeks back. His role will be emphasized since Drummond is not available for the first semester.
- As far as Menelik Watson goes, there won't be any formal announcement in regards to his red-shirting this season. The NCAA does not have a formal deadline, the team just chooses not to play a certain player for the entire season. They then apply for the red-shirt after the season. A player is eligible to be red-shirted for injury purposes as long as he doesn't play in 30 percent or more of his team's games. The post-season declaration of a red-shirt is important because this is where David Devezin ran into trouble with his paperwork.

This just in: Siena is heavy MAAC favorite

2009-10-27T16:41:00.003-04:00

Well now that we have that shocking news out of the way, here is how MAAC Media Day played out.
The team and player rankings are in and Marist gets the short end of the stick. Just like last year, Marist was selected 10th and will have to fight for its respect this season. With as many newcomers as Marist has, the politically correct thing to do is pick the team 10th. Marist will not finish 10th though.
Chuck Martin has six true freshmen in the fold and Dorvell Carter eligible as a red-shirt freshman. Depth, however, is key. Almost every player on Marist's roster has a chance to emerge as a primetime player if they got. Daye Kaba will lead this team, and when the first semester ends, Casiem Drummond will join him. Those are the only spots that are set in stone, in my opinion.
R.J. Hall enters the season as the starting point guard, but he will probably be looking over his back at Devin Price. He looked quite impressive at Marist Madness. The No. 3 and 4 spots are up for grabs. A lot depends on whether Martin chooses to go small and quick or add some bigger players like Menelik Watson (20-year old freshman) and Korey Bauer in the fold (when Drummond is back and starting).
With so many uncertainties regarding the Marist roster, no surprise the Red Foxes were tabbed last. The uncertainties aren't a bad thing, it simply means Martin has a lot more options than he did last season. He also has his guys on board, although they are inexperienced.
Here's the fallout from MAAC Media Day.

Teams, First-place votes
1. Siena, 9
2. Niagara
3. Rider, 1
4. Fairfield
5T. Loyola
5T. Saint Peter's
7. Canisius
8. Manhattan
9. Iona
10. Marist

Prediction: Marist finishes ahead of Canisius, Manhattan, and Iona.
Far too early to tell beyond that. This season will be an improvement on last year. In Chuck Martin's mind, 2010-11 is the Red Foxes' year to win the conference. Siena will lose almost all their big impact players. The top three teams will have also lost Ryan Thompson, Bilal Benn, Tyrone Lewis, and Rob Garrison.
Prediction 2: Daye Kaba finishes the season as a second-team All MAAC selection.
No surprise he wasn't selected since he's come off his transfer year, but he will replace Schneider's efficiency and leadership.

Here are the preseason teams:

Player of the year:
Ryan Thompson, Rider

First team:
Ronald Moore, Siena
Edwin Ubiles, Siena
Ryan Thompson, Rider
Bilal Benn, Niagara
Tyrone Lewis, Niagara

Second team:
Alex Franklin, Siena
Ryan Rossiter, Siena
Greg Nero, Fairfield
Jamal Barney, Loyola
Wesley Jenkins, Saint Peter's

Third team:
Mike Ringgold, Rider
Novar Gadson, Rider
Darryl Crawford, Manhattan
Frank Turner, Canisius
Greg Logins, Canisius

Red Foxes debut for Poughkeepsie faithful

2009-10-23T22:59:00.002-04:00

The Red Foxes started the season tonight in front of a crowded McCann Center.
The night served as a kick-off to the relationship between the crowd and the two programs. It was more about skill than basketball technique and intensity.
The men's team looked entirely different than last year, which is a good and bad thing. The good is that this is the most freakishly athletic team in the MAAC. Granted that doesn't translate into good basketball and wins, but there is a ton of talent there. The bad is there is no David Devezin and Ryan Schneider. They emerged as the faces of this team, so it is an obvious change. They played the game without flash, but were consummate professionals.
This team has an infusion of youth. The core is built of freshmen. There is a camraderie with this group that I haven't seen since I've followed Marist basketball. They celebrated boisterously, displayed their skills, and showboated at will. At least there won't be any shortage of confidence.
There was probably a bit of disappointment regarding the team's intensity level during the scrimmage, but that's the way these events go. The New Jersey Nets opened their annual practice to the public in early October, and the intensity was just as bad, and they are professionals. These events are to showcase the newcomers and the talent, not the dribble-drive offense and tight man-to-man defense.
Based on what Marist displayed, these are my following observations:
R.J. Hall did not play in the scrimmage and Korey Bauer has the flu.
Devin Price is one of the most athletic point guards I've ever seen. Jared Jordan and David Devezin certainly could not dunk like him. Hard to say how that translates into the game since tonight was basically a skills contest.
Expect Marist to go small to start the season. Korey Bauer should be healthy, and my guess is he is the only true "big" in the lineup. Menelik Watson, although of freakish strength, did not appear to be in shape just yet to play 30 minutes a night. He did not get involved in the scrimmage as much as I was hoping. Based on what I saw, he does not start against Rutgers.
Daye Kaba and Casiem Drummond could bring this team further than anyone is anticipating come March. Drummond displayed the kind of enthusiasm and effort you love to see. Although most hope he does not bring the ball up court in real action like he did tonight, he at least worked hard during the scrimmage.
Daye Kaba will be this year's Ryan Schneider. He will be a team leader that everyone will look to. Prediction: he is an All-MAAC selection.
Sam Prescott could start. He's everything he was cracked up to be by the coaching staff in the offseason. His speed, agility, and vertical leap make him a huge asset in this offense.
Rob Johnson and Dorvell Carter are probably vying for the same starting spot. Nod may go to Carter, but Johnson will make an impact in some shape or form.
Anell Alexis was present and in uniform. He also was not wearing a brace. Just speculation, but maybe the injury was not a full tear. Based on the numbers, I'd still redshirt him.
The wildcard for this team is Candon Rusin. In warmups, he knocked down several NBA three-pointers. He air-balled a few as well, but he seems to be a silky-smooth shooter, probably the best the team has at this point.
Finally, I'm curious to see the roles that Javon Parris and Dejuan Goodwin play. Parris' game translates to Bruce Bowen in that he's probably only a defensive-stopper that can knock down the occasional shot. Goodwin is the same player but with better talent around him, especially once Drummond is active. He knows the offense and can knock down shots. Martin will probably look to him early, like he did last year in the first three games with Kaylen Gregory, because of his seniority.
Final word: this is not a 10th place team in the MAAC. Granted, that's not exactly going out on a limb. Finishing middle of the pack and looking to get hot in Albany with Drummond is a safe bet.

Marist Madness slated for Oct. 23

2009-10-15T18:06:00.002-04:00

Marist fans will get their first look at the 2009-10 Red Foxes when the men's and women's programs host Marist Madness.
This is the sixth annual event and the doors open at 6:30 p.m. The festivities will kick off at 7 p.m.
The night will feature the red/white scrimmage, shooting contests, and a dunk contest.
Like every year, both Brian Giorgis and Chuck Martin will give a speech to the fans to set the mood for the upcoming season.
The men's team will have nine new players and eight new contributors. Anell Alexis is expected to miss the season with an injured ACL. Dorvell Carter, Daye Kaba, and Casiem Drummond are in their second year with the team, but this will be their first year of eligibility.
Admission to the event is free and concessions will be available. One fan will be selected to shoot for $10,000.

Marist releases new-look roster

2009-10-14T16:54:00.002-04:00

Marist's revamped roster has been announced by GoRedFoxes.com.
A couple interesting notes regarding the roster release:
Coming from someone that interviewed Menelik Watson extensively in the offseason, I'm kind of surprised Marist or The Poughkeepsie Journal did nothing to announce his arrival to the program. Based on his highlights, age, and body-frame, he should contribute immediately in a big way.
Devin Price is going with the No. 0. An interesting choice.
Chuck Martin has a roster full of talented players. He won't be able to say he doesn't have enough players this season. Enough "experienced" players is another story.
Expect Anell Alexis to redshirt this season after tearing his ACL in offseason workouts. Due to the Red Foxes depth, it would not make sense to carry him in case he's available for the final few games.
Based on what I heard over the summer, expect Rob Johnson to have a huge impact this season. Think starter. They see a Ryan Schneider-type player in him.
It will be interesting to see where Candon Rusin fits in the rotation. He is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. He could become a huge part of the team and rotation if he can get hot on a team that loves to drive the basket.

For the opening game at Rutgers on Nov. 14, here is my projected lineup:

G R.J. Hall
G Daye Kaba
F Rob Johnson
F Menelik Watson
F Korey Bauer

First off the bench:
G Dejuan Goodwin
G Sam Prescott
G Devin Price
F Dorvell Carter

Obviously the team will change when Casiem Drummond becomes eligible. Although Price and Prescott may play a larger role later in the season, I think Martin will choose to go with experience early on. Watson's age and experience in Spain makes him a huge asset as a freshman. He is not the typical freshman.

Marist unveils 2009-10 schedule

2009-09-18T15:39:00.004-04:00

Marist released the Red Foxes full schedule for the upcoming season today.
Marist will play 29 games this season, including 13 at home. The team will play its first six games on the road, something I think will benefit a new team's camaraderie.
The good news is that Casiem Drummond will only miss two MAAC games, neither of which is against Siena. Marist plays at Fairfield and Rider in consecutive games prior to Dec. 20th, Drummond's first eligible game.
The middle portion of the schedule is packed with home games. The only home game that won't include the full lineup will come against Boston University on Dec. 12.

The full schedule is below, courtesy of GoRedFoxes.

Nov. 14 - at Rutgers
Nov. 18 - at Hartford
Nov. 28 - at New Hampshire
Nov. 30 - at Holy Cross
Dec. 3 - at Fairfield
Dec. 6 - at Rider
Dec. 12 - BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Dec. 20 - BINGHAMTON
Dec. 22 - at Lehigh
Dec. 28 - VERMONT
Dec. 30 - at Bucknell
Jan. 2 - MANHATTAN
Jan. 4 - at Saint Peter's
Jan. 6 - PRINCETON
Jan. 9 - CANISIUS
Jan 11 - RIDER
Jan. 15 - at Loyola
Jan. 18 - NIAGARA
Jan. 21 - FAIRFIELD
Jan. 23 - LOYOLA
Jan. 28 - at Iona
Jan. 30 - SIENA
Feb. 5 - at Manhattan
Feb. 7 - IONA
Feb. 12 - at Canisius
Feb. 14 - at Niagara
TBA (Feb. 20-22) - at BracketBusters
Feb. 26 - SAINT PETER'S
Feb. 28 - at Siena
March 5-Mon., March 8 - MAAC Tournament (Albany, N.Y.)

Drummond to debut against Binghamton

2009-09-06T21:51:00.003-04:00

Marist fans will get their first look at the Villanova transfer on Dec. 20 in a home game against Binghamton.
In case there was any ambiguity as to when his eligibility took effect, this should clear up the situation. Marist has had issues in the past with NCAA paperwork, but as it stands, Drummond will be eligible once the first semester ends.
Since Louie McCroskey had an issue with the NCAA, I wanted to look into when Casiem would play his first game. Since he did not get enrolled immediately after the first semester ended this past year, I thought it might be one year from his enrollment. Fortunately for Marist, he will play once the academic semester ends.

Marist releases out-of-conference schedule

2009-09-04T16:57:00.002-04:00

The Marist Athletics Department unveiled the Red Foxes competition for the 2009-2010 season.
Marist will open the season against Rutgers on Nov. 14, one year to the day that the two teams opened up last season as part of the Garden State Tournament. Marist suffered a two-point loss at the RAC last season.
The Red Foxes open up with four straight road games, which in my opinion, is a brilliant piece of schedule making. Marist is an entirely different team from last year and a long road trip can build chemistry and form a bond.
Marist will host the home opener on Saturday, Dec. 12, against Boston University. Binghamton, Vermont, and Princeton also journey to the McCann Center.
The schedule is solid from a competition standpoint. It's hard to predict wins and losses when there will be so many new faces in the Marist lineup, but it would have made no sense to schedule a team like Memphis again following a last place finish in a mid-major conference. All of the games should be competitive, and Marist should be well prepared for its MAAC schedule.

Schneider signs in Portugal

2009-09-03T20:15:00.003-04:00

Ryan Schneider's surge in his final year at Marist propelled the forward to a professional contract. He signed with CAB Madeira in Portugal.
Schneider has said in the past that he never expected to play professionally, but a strong senior campaign led to international interest.
Schneider joins former Marist teammate Jared Jordan in European basketball. Schneider served his transfer year from Vermont during Jordan's senior season.
Schneider saw limited action under Matt Brady after transferring from Vermont, but his role increased dramatically with Chuck Martin.
The Yorktown Heights native led the MAAC in most major categories, earning second-team All-MAAC honors. Had Marist not finished 10th in the MAAC, he likely would have been a first teamer.

Meet Menelik Watson, the next MAAC force

2009-08-19T18:59:00.005-04:00

Menelik Watson has his sights set big.
The 6-foot-8, 260-pound forward is thankful for the opportunity to play Div. I basketball, and he's poised to make the most of his opportunity.
Watson caught Marist head coach Chuck Martin's eye while on a tour to the tri-state area with his team, the Canarias Basketball Academy.
Watson also competed against current Marist freshmen Rob Johnson and Devin Price in the tournament.
Watson said he likes to play physical and fashions his game after Carmelo Anthony and Rhode Island's Ben Eaves. Watson noted that he speaks to Eaves regularly and thinks of him as his mentor. Eaves is 6-foot-7, 225-pounds and plays the No. 3.
Expect Watson to be in the Marist starting lineup for the season opener.
The full interview can be heard below:

Folahan verbally commits to Marist

2009-08-05T18:42:00.002-04:00

Naofall Folahan has verball committed to Marist, according to several sources including ESPN.com.
Folahan's signing is incredibly enticing for Marist because he gives the Red Foxes a big man to replace Drummond following the 2010-11 season. Folahan, or "Ming" as he's called, stands at 6-foot-11.
According to ESPN's scouting report, he needs to improve and get stronger...That's a shock seeing as how he just finished his junior year in high school. The one attribute they listed I found incredibly intriguing. Folahan has great vision and the ability to find the cutting man. This should work incredibly well with the extra-athletic Sam Prescott for years to come.
Folahan emanates from Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Massachusetts and plays on the club team, the New England Playaz.
Picture courtesy of NERecruitingReport.com.

Jordan signs to play in Germany

2009-08-05T15:31:00.003-04:00

After earning roughly $20,000 playing in the NBDL last season, Jared Jordan has signed a contract to play for Bonn Telecom in Germany.
The deal is expected to pay a player of Jordan's caliber about 10 times that amount at $200,000.
Jordan still hopes to one day play in the NBA, but right now he realizes this is the best path for his career in basketball and in life.
For the full story, click on this story in the Hartford Courant.

Proving the critics wrong...one game at a time

2009-08-02T20:39:00.006-04:00

That's what it will take for Marist basketball this upcoming season.
The MAAC's dedicated Steve Amedio predicted Marist to finish last next season, not exactly a shock. While people I know are hesitant about predicting anything better next season than what happened in 2008-09, I'm pretty surprised people aren't giving Marist and Chuck Martin more credit.
While The Sporting News will no doubt give you an in-depth look about the ins-and-outs of Marist basketball, it's not as simple as looking at a list of recruits and predicting a finish. A lot will go into next season. I can't speak for the other nine teams in the MAAC, but I can speak for this one.
For the better part of the summer, I have gone to the gym everyday, and I cannot recall one day at least one Marist basketball player was not there as well. While Matt Brady's Red Foxes were not dedicated to the gym, Chuck Martin's surely are.
While speaking to him earlier this summer prior to his camp, he said he was pleased at the work his players were putting into the offseason. It also helps most of his players were assisting Martin and the camp's main director, Will Lanier.
After Rider bullied Marist around last season in the McCann Center, an irate Martin vowed that his team needed to and would get stronger and tougher. Enter Casiem Drummond and Daye Kaba. If nothing else, these two major-conference recruits give Marist a much needed size advantage. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my source told me that the MAAC has never seen a body like Casiem Drummond's. Although injuries and potential foul-trouble are major concerns, he brings much needed physicality to the table. Ryan Rossiter (listed at a generous 6-foot-9, 227 pounds) physically does not match up to Drummond (6-foot-10, 275).
The same goes for Daye Kaba. While the idea has been floated out there that there's a reason why players transfer, Kaba brings size, if nothing else. Amedio points out that Clarence Jackson, the MAAC's sixth man, will step up for Hasbrouck. If Hasbrouck truly was the MAAC player of the year (which he wasn't, Ryan Thompson should've been, he did more with less), shouldn't losing him cause the team to take some sort of hit? Anyway, compare Marist's No. 2 with Siena's. Jackson and Kaba will likely guard each other when the team's meet next season. Kaba stands at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds. Jackson measures 6-foot-3, 183.
While I am in no way suggesting Marist is poised to steal the conference crown from Siena, I am intimating that Marist will not be pushed around by any team in the MAAC. Most of Marist's recruits share two things in common: freakish athleticism and size. Sam Prescott, described to me by people in the know as the most athletic player at his respective position that Marist has ever brought in, will see considerable minutes. And as my source said,"If Joe Mihalich was recruiting him, then he's good enough for me." Assuming Menelik Watson attends Marist, he too will see time. Rob Johnson could start next season, assuming Kaba plays the No. 2 spot. According to my source, the coaches hope that Johnson can play a similar role that Ryan Schneider did. They want him to play inside, rebound, but also sport the ability to stretch the defense from the perimeter. Devin Price, while not likely to start, is an upgrade over R.J. Hall in size. He has three inches and 15 pounds on Hall. Don't expect Price to start, however. Not only is he a freshman, Hall gained valuable experience last season in the dribble-drive and is familiar with what Martin is trying to accomplish. He also led Marist to a win on the road at Delaware and came close to upsetting Binghamton (an NCAA Tournament entry) on the road in a 73-71 loss.
The point of this post is to provide something that Steve Amedio can't: an inside view. It's certainly not his fault he doesn't see the team up-close-and-personal. Fact is, I don't know the details about any of the other MAAC teams like I do Marist. None of this conference's beat-writers do. I do think Amedio's projections are somewhat inauspicious, however. That said, I have followed his blog for some time and appreciate the quality work he puts into it.
Siena is not a slam-dunk to win the MAAC. Niagara and Siena will duke it out, but don't sell Niagara short. How does Siena lose one of the program's best players and not take a drop-off? Jackson is a superior athletic talent, but is he consistent? I wasn't the biggest Hasbrouck fan in terms of pure statistics, but he did have all the intangibles.
I also take umbrage with Iona being ranked sixth. This was not a good team and in their favor, they return five players who started or played a significant role... Marist does lose Devezin, which is a huge blow, but Hall is capable of starting as he proved last year. Plus, there are a number of players who will demand the ball. Hall will not be the focal point of the offense. There's only so many shots to go around.
The loss of Schneider is the biggest, but Marist has a wealth of options to go to now. I don't see Rusin and Alexis playing as big a role as Price, Johnson, Watson, and Prescott do. Price will play out of necessity because he's the only other true No. 1 on the roster. Prescott's athleticism makes him a go-to option off the bench. Watson's size (assuming he is signed) is too hard to pass up for considerable minutes. His hands can't be any worse than Marist's other big men last year, could they? Finally, Johnson was mentioned as a possible starter to me. The lineup will probably be very conservative starting out. Martin went with Gregory last year before he became seasoned in the dribble-drive due to his veteran presence. There will be a feeling out period. In the first game, think:

G R.J. Hall
G Daye Kaba
F Dorvell Carter
F Rob Johnson
F Korey Bauer

First off bench:
Dejuan Goodwin

Martin is not going to throw an inexperienced lineup to the wolves. He will let them feel their away around NCAA basketball. It might not take long to get other freshmen in there if they wow the coaches early though. While Carter is a freshman in the NCAA's eyes, he's been around the team long enough to fit a role, especially early.

As far as the rest of the predictions, Iona and Manhattan are given way too much credit. One of my colleagues on press row was never a fan of Rohrssen's coaching, and he's been around Marist for longer than most. Loyola and Canisius could be argued as better than Marist, but that's not a given. Saying so-and-so's coaching will keep a team competitive is not saying much. I do agree with Amedio about Saint Peter's though. They play terrific defense and have a nice, young core that impressed last season, especially at home. The top four are pretty accurate. Marist can finish anywhere between 5 and 10...If nothing else, Chuck Martin's coaching will keep the team in it...Seriously though, Martin will have people forgetting about Brady (lawsuit or not) in a hurry. He's a true players coach and when I talked to Schneider and Gregory, they both spoke of how great a person he was in addition to his basketball knowledge. According to them, he brought the best out of them on and off the floor. Here's hoping six freshmen learn the same lesson.

Marist lawsuit goes national

2009-07-29T11:36:00.003-04:00

When you've made it onto Deadspin, you know the story is big.
The popular blog site weighs in on Marist's lawsuit against former head coach Matt Brady. While the biggest case made by Deadspin writer Barry Petchesky and Hofstra head coach Tom Pecora revolves around the transfer of recruits, Brady's departure is missing in their argument.
One of the focal points of this lawsuit includes wording in Brady's contract and James Madison's knowledge of the contractual status.
This case, to me, is not as complicated as everyone is making it seem. This clause is nothing new. Boston College football coach Jeff Jagodzinski was fired after not receiving consent to talk to the New York Jets about their previous coaching vacancy. In the NHL, Brent Sutter needed consent to talk with the Calgary Flames before taking their job opening.
While recruiting is an issue, this case centers on breach of contract. JMU is involved because they either knowlingly aided Brady in breaching his contract, or they were ignorant and didn't read the fine print. Either way, Marist has a case.
Unlike in professional sports, you can't be awarded draft-pick compensation. Therefore, Marist is gunning for financial renumerations to cover all the expenses of cleaning up Brady's mess. Imagine Julius Wells being forced to attend Marist as compensation for Brady's error. It's impossible. Where recruits attend school is not that big of a deal. A coach violating his contract is.
Granted, Marist is far better off with Chuck Martin as head coach. It's not even close. Brady pulled off one of the great heist's in college coaching history. He took the previous coach's phenomenal recruiting class and parlayed it into another job. Martin has already recruited more talent than Brady ever did in his tenure.
As far as a future precedent, I don't see the issue being nearly as large as most would make it seem. This case simply means that coaches will have full knowledge of all the provisions going into a contract. The idea floated out there that coaches will now only sign one or two year contracts is ludicrous. Imagine Martin attempting to get a bigger job after just two seasons. A two-year deal would not allow coaches to build a sufficient resume. This case does mean that coaches are more likely to hammer out the details before signing. There is the possibility a coach would not sign at a mid-major if there is the possibility the college would not allow him to talk to other schools. The thought that coaches would not want to coach here and recruits would not want to come here because of this lawsuit is erroneus, in my opinion.

Marist files lawsuit against Brady, JMU

2009-07-22T16:12:00.002-04:00

The Poughkeepsie Journal has learned that Marist is suing former men's head coach Matt Brady over his departure to James Madison University in Virginia.
According to Brady's contract, he had to have written consent from Marist College before pursuing any other job opportunities. In addition, JMU apparently knew about this and signed Brady anyway. This came months after Brady signed a four-year extension with Marist.
I talked to Marist AD Tim Murray days after this occurred back in 2008, and he did say he was really surprised Brady leftt, but made no mention that Brady violated his contract.
Evidently, Brady's contract stipulated he could not take any recruits with him to JMU, which he obviously did. Julius Wells went on to have an excellent season in the CAA.
There had been some rumblings in previous days that Marist was planning on making an announcement in regards to a legal matter, and today we learned of the report.
For the initial story, click here.

Jared Jordan Tracker: DNP in win vs. Bulls

2009-07-14T21:54:00.002-04:00

Anthony Randolph tied a Summer-League record by scoring 42 points as the Warriors defeated the Bulls, 95-83, tonight.
Randolph was really the only thing worth watching in the game as Stephen Curry played miserably and Jordan did not see the floor. As far as I could tell from watching the game, he wasn't even on the bench. Cartier Martin and Lawrence Roberts also did not play for Golden State.
Acie Law IV was the only other point guard to see minutes. He played 11:20 off the bench while Curry handled the point for 34:24. Curry shot 3-of-15 for 10 points, dished out eight assists but turned the ball over four times. His only real highlight from a scoring point-of-view was a long bank shot from the left wing.
Tonight marks another missed opportunity for Jordan to showcase what he can do. It's obvious he won't be with Golden State, but he hasn't had the chance to make another NBA squad think about picking him up. According to the announcers, 22 other teams are represented in Las Vegas with coaches and scouts.
The Warriors moved to 3-1 with the win and will take on the Hornets Thursday in their Summer-League finale.

Marist musings for 2009-10

2009-07-14T16:54:00.003-04:00

I had an opportunity to discuss next year's team at some length with my source inside the Marist athletics department. There were a number of interesting things that came about regarding next year's team. This is good food for thought when predicting what next year's team will look like:

* The biggest player to watch is Casiem Drummond, although his performance won't be the most fascinating part. My source mentioned that Drummond's success in the MAAC will be in large part due to how the officials treat him. Drummond is a superior athlete, one that the MAAC has rarely seen, if ever. If the officials call a lot of ticky-tack fouls because of his size and his ability to out-muscle people, he could find himself in foul trouble. Theoretically, Drummond should own the MAAC because there is no one near his size with his Big East background. If Ryan Rossiter is allowed to flop and Drummond picks up the charge, he could see more time on the bench than anyone on staff anticipates.

* The starting lineup is far from set in stone. There are any number of possibilites, especially when it comes to Daye Kaba. He has not be officially listed as either a No. 2 or a No. 3, so it's quite possible match-ups dictate what position he will play. It's obvious that will be the case for much of the team for most of the year. I have predicted he starts at the No. 3 spot, but it's also possible he plays the No. 2 guard position and Dorvell Carter and Rob Johnson occupy the No. 3 and No. 4 spots.

* Don't be surprised if Sam Prescott is in the starting rotation. That is just me guessing, but from everything I've heard about him, he should be a star in the MAAC. It also helps that he's been working out with the team all summer, and I also saw him helping out Martin and his assistans at the Marist camp two weeks ago. My source says that Prescott, "could be the most athletic recruit we've ever brought in at that position." Tyrone Weekes can get credit for bringing Prescott on board. He has Philly ties and saw flashes of greatness from Prescott when he was still coming off the bench and averaging four ppg in high school. Before he signed with Marist, Niagara and Joe Mihalich showed considerable interest. ESPN also regards Prescott as an outstanding prospect, giving him a score of 85. Alex Vouyoukas received a 40 from ESPN when he was recruited here.

* Although a freshman or Kaba could start at the No. 2, don't write off Dejaun Goodwin just yet. He's been in the gym all summer working on his game, and there's still the possibility that he starts. Don't rule it out just yet...

* As far as Jared Jordan goes, odds are he will not stay in the States if he does not make an NBA roster. He's looking to go back to Europe, and since his window of opportunity for playing in the NBA is closing, he will try and make more money in Europe than staying in the NBDL. He's currently wasting away on the Golden State Warriors' Summer-League roster. He did not dress last night and averaged just seven minutes in the two previous games.

* Regarding the new recruit, most of you know it's Menelik Watson. That said, the signing is not official yet. The NCAA paperwork has not been totally completed, and until it is, I am waiting for Marist to break the news. There have been NCAA issues with paperwork here recently that have not gone in Marist's favor. Louie McCroskey missing the first three games of the 2007-2008 season and David Devezin losing his final year of eligibility come to mind. When the paperwork is completed and Chuck Martin decides the time is right to announce it, you all will know. As far as contacting him, that is not possible. The people at Marist that issue the official press releases would also be the same people with his contact information. They will not relinquish that information if he has not been officially signed yet.

Jared Jordan Tracker: Not in uniform tonight

2009-07-13T23:33:00.002-04:00

Jared Jordan's pro prospects took another hit tonight as the former Marist star did not suit up for Golden State's match-up with Detroit.
Anthony Morrow returned, so someone had to sit. The fact that Jordan is not in uniform for a Summer League game is not a positive sign for his NBA hopes. It was a foregone conclusion that Jordan would not latch on with the Warriors, but the goal had to have been to showcase his skills for other teams come training camp and preseason. It seems like a long time ago that Jordan was seeing 25 minutes a night with the Clippers Summer League squad.
While there are guys that don't dress routinely for Summer League games, such as Morrow, Jordan is a young player looking to earn a job. Morrow played significant minutes with the Warriors in last year's NBA season, so his job is secure. Since Jordan loses another opportunity to audition for other NBA teams, his future prospects look bleak at this point.
Even Acie Law IV has seen his minutes dwindle. With eight minutes remaining in the game, Law has seen only nine minutes of action. It's obvious the Warriors are looking to see what Curry can do at the point guard position. Maybe Kenny Hasbrouck had the right idea when he passed on the Summer League for the Heat. Unfortunately for Jordan, the late trade for Law killed any chances he had for significant playing time.
Another bad sign is that Cartier Martin, a player who has started every game for the Warriors in Vegas thus far, will not be on Golden State come the regular season. The announcer said he's just looking to showcase his skills and hopefully "latch onto another team." This is a guy that scored 27 points last game.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the Warriors next game against the Chicago Bulls tomorrow night at 8 p.m. I'm guessing Jordan will be in uniform, but he needs to make his minutes count, however sparse they might be.

Hasbrouck passing on summer league; Heads for Heat

2009-07-13T18:04:00.003-04:00

Recent Siena graduate Kenny Hasbrouck is also trying to find a niche in the NBA. Apparently working his way there through the Summer League is not on his list of priorities.
Hasbrouck passed on an opportunity to play with Hasheem Thabeet, Sam Young, and the Memphis Grizzlies. Instead, he will play with the Miami Heat. Ironically, the Heat do not have a Summer League team. According to the Albany Times Union, Hasbrouck will compete with 18 other players for a roster spot in camp.
Providing that Hasbrouck does not make the Heat, which is probably a safe bet, he has an offer to play professionally in Israel.
He opted to skip out on Memphis because they have too many guards, and he felt Miami provided a better opportunity. It remains to be seen if he will be taking any minutes away from Dwyane Wade...

Jared Jordan Tracker: Warriors (1-1)

2009-07-11T21:48:00.006-04:00

Stephen Curry stole the show in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
With Golden State trailing Sacramento, 95-94, the Warriors' first-round pick cut through the lane and went up-and-under for a spectacular lay-up to give his team the lead. Following a Kings' moving screen violation, Curry calmly knocked down two free-throws to give the Warriors a 98-95 win, their first of the Summer League season in overtime.
The Warriors gave Curry an extensive look at point guard, which meant barely any minutes for Jared Jordan tonight. Acie Law IV also saw his minutes take a hit as Curry handled the load.
Curry played 36:45 out of a possible 42 minutes and tallied 29 points on 8-of-22 shooting. Cartier Martin chipped in a surprising 27 points, including several long three-pointers down the stretch. Anthony Randolph, the Warriors first-round pick last season, had another strong game with 24 points. Outside of those three, only Australia's 6-foot-8 forward Joe Ingles saw significant minutes. The rest of the team saw its minutes divided.
Jordan saw 4:12 of action to start the fourth quarter. It was not a memorable four minutes. Jordan ran an effective point but failed to score on his one true opportunity of the game. He ran a two-on-one break down the floor, attempting a running lay-up, only to have hit shot blocked by Sacramento's Michael Landry. Stephen Curry soon returned from the bench.
This game obviously served as an experiment for the Warriors' coaching staff. With Monta Ellis not really a true No. 1 guard, Curry was given the opportunity of playing the point for most of the night. He took a number of his patented long-range threes, connecting on a few, clanking some others. His performance from the free-throw line was the most impressive, especially in the clutch. The Davidson guard went 10-of-11 from the line.
Law saw his minutes drop significantly to 12:22. He also had a forgettable night. The former Hawks' lottery pick shot 0-of-4 from the field but dished out three assists with only one turnover.
The night ultimately belong to Stephen Curry, however. He went step-for-step with fellow top-10 pick, Tyreke Evans. Evans would have been the star had it not been for Curry's late heroics.
Evans scored a double-double, including 25 points. Law tried covering Evans when he was in the game, but Evans bigger frame made it difficult for Law.
Evans looked quite impressive, showing off his mid-range jumper while driving to the basket. His only weakness was from the free-throw line. His 7-of-12 effort made the difference in the end.
Jason Thompson, former Rider product, tacked on 17 points for the Kings on 5-of-10 shooting. He struggled from the free-throw line early but finished the night at 7-of 12. Thompson struggled on his mid-range jumper but proved to be a strong presence down low. Thompson did have nine fouls though.
Jordan and the Warriors will be back in action Monday at 10 p.m. against the Detroit Pistons.

Jared Jordan's final stats:
Minutes: 4:12
FGM-A: 0-2
Total Points: 0
Assists: 0
Rebounds: 0
Steals: 1
Turnovers: 0

Jared Jordan Tracker: Warriors (0-1)

2009-07-10T17:42:00.008-04:00

Jared Jordan had a ho-hum debut with the Golden State Warriors Summer League team today against the Houston Rockets.
Jordan saw 9:40 of action, nearly one-quarter of the game that the Warriors lost, 73-69. He posted modest numbers but did not put up the kind of stats that are most likely necessary to make the Warriors opening-day roster. That said, the goal for Jordan right now is simple. He needs to perform well enough to earn another invite to any team's training camp.
If he is going to make an NBA roster, it is likely not with the Warriors. His chances were good before they traded Jamal Crawford for Acie Law IV and Speedy Claxton. While I don't think the Warriors have any attachment to those players since the move was a cost-shedding measure, they are likely to opt for experience over Jordan.
Today's game did not showcase much for the former Marist star. While Houston used a steady rotation and split minutes among most of their players, Golden State made a point of getting Stephen Curry and Anthony Randolph the most minutes. Acie Law IV also saw considerable action, which is probably a sign that the Warriors are looking to see if he's worthy of a back-up spot to Monta Ellis.
Acie Law IV played 31:31 out of a possible 40 minutes. Law tallied eight points, four assists, and one rebound. He did turn the ball over four times, however.
The Warriors return to action tomorrow against Sacramento at 8 p.m. The game marks a reunion of sorts as two MAAC players of the year will meet up. Rider's Jason Thompson will greet Jordan when the two face.

Here are the final lines from the Warriors' loss to Houston today:
Jared Jordan
Minutes: 9:40
FGM-A: 0-1
Total Points: 0
Rebounds: 1
Assists: 2
Turnovers: 1
Steals: 1

Acie Law IV
Minutes: 31:31
FGM-A: 3-6
Total Points: 8
Rebounds: 1
Assists: 4
Turnovers: 4
Steals: 1

Stephen Curry went 4-of-14 for 16 points with seven personal fouls, while Anthony Randolph scored 20 points on 10-of-17 shooting. Randolph picked up nine fouls. Obviously, the rules are a little different in the Summer League as rookies and younger players learn the NBA style.
For Houston, Chase Budinger picked up 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting.

Schneider signs agent; looks to Europe

2009-07-07T12:47:00.003-04:00

For those that didn't listen to the interview Schneider gave about his future plans, the full story can be found in today's Poughkeepsie Journal.
Schneider signed with the Glass Family and hopes to play in Western Europe, but he and his agent will analyze all the options available.
Schneider surprised the MAAC last season after former head coach Matt Brady used him sparingly. Under Chuck Martin, Schneider emerged as a first-team All-MAAC caliber player and finished the season on the second team. Marist's 10th place finish is the likely cause of Schneider finishing on the second team.
The former Vermont product led the conference in most major categories for the duration of the season.

No word on new recruit [EDIT]

2009-07-02T17:22:00.003-04:00

Although Chuck Martin mentioned that there would be six freshmen on next year's team, the actual name of the sixth freshman will not be released for some time.
According to my source, Marist may not reveal the name until the fall semester is about to start. He likened it to the Javon Parris signing.
Many of you were wondering so I felt I would pass that information along. When a name is officially announced, you will know. It could be later rather than sooner, however.

[EDITED] To clarify, when I say the Javon Parris situation, I'm referring to the date when the signing was announced. Both Kaba and Parris were announced on September 5th. The similarities between the player and Parris are in date only.

Jordan to the Warriors Summer-League team

2009-07-02T17:06:00.002-04:00

As I mentioned in the Kenny Hasbrouck post, Jared Jordan would be an excellent fit for the Golden State Warriors. Now he will have a shot to do just that.
According to The Monitor, the Grand Valley Rapids announced that Jordan would play with the Warriors Summer-League team.
Jordan is now the third Grande Valley product to take part in the Summer League. Last year, current Rockets' starter Aaron Brooks played there, along with the Warriors' C.J. Watson and the Raptors' Desmon Farmer.
The reason Jordan would be an asset for Golden State is the uptempo offense and Don Nelson's indifference to defense. While watching Jordan compete in the Summer League in the past, he struggled to cover the opposing guard. Offensively, he showcased that great knack for finding the open man anywhere on the floor. Monta Ellis, while the starting PG, is more of a combo-guard and newly-acquired Stephen Curry is best suited to play the point.
Jordan is the prototypical point guard that looks to find his teammates. With playing time, he'd most likely never shoot. Golden State has plenty of offensive options the Warriors could make use of. In addition, former Nets' first-rounder Marcus Williams was largely a bust in Oakland. His inability to run the fast break made him a liability. Williams rarely saw the floor.
Jordan has a realistic shot to make the Golden State lineup based on his performance in the Summer League. The Hornets loved what they saw from him last year during preseason but opted to keep two roster spots open. Providing Golden State has no qualms about filling a roster, Jordan could break through with the Warriors.

Strickland and Martin interviews

2009-07-01T19:58:00.004-04:00

Martin did not have much to say on the front of how the team would shape up next season. He did say that there were six freshmen coming in and two transfers (Drummond and Kaba). The team will look completely different, but Martin is finally getting his type of athletes in here.
I saw Sam Prescott at camp today and he has excellent size for a guard. It didn't hurt to have Rod Strickland there to give him some advice.
When it comes to the interviews, Strickland was battling a sinus infection, hence the interesting opening. The audio also drags for about 30 seconds after we finish.

Spending the day with Chuck Martin and an NBA Legend

2009-07-01T18:27:00.003-04:00

I had the good fortune of speaking with former NBA great Rod Strickland today at Chuck Martin's Basketball camp. Strickland and Martin were colleagues at Memphis before Martin came to Poughkeepsie.
Strickland is currently an assistant coach with John Calipari at Kentucky. He ranks in the top 10 all-time with close to 8,000 assists.
Martin participated in a question and answer session with the campers before turning the floor over to Rod. Strickland also participated in some drills that featured pick-and-roll and focused on the responsibilities of the point guard. R.J. Hall certainly as a good outlet to pick up some of the nuances of the game.
Strickland told me that he and Chuck are in constant communication, and Martin played a major factor in his development as a coach.
The full story will appear in tomorrow's Poughkeepsie Journal and on their website. I will post the audio of the conversation's I had shortly.
I also spoke with Ryan Schneider who will be playing in Europe next season. Schneider is assisting Martin and Will Lanier at the camp. Current Red Foxes Dejuan Goodwin, Daye Kaba, Casiem Drummond, Korey Bauer, Javon Parris, and R.J. Hall were also on hand to help Martin out.
Schneider said he signed with the Glass Family, specifically Tyler Glass. Keith Glass, Tyler's father, is the agent for Larry Brown, Gregg Popovich, and Scott Skiles. The full story on Schneider will appear Sunday in the Poughkeepsie Journal along with the area's High School All-Stars Section.
All the audio will be available later.
For now, here are some videos of Rod Strickland in action in the NBA:

Hasbrouck works out with Nets

2009-06-12T11:38:00.002-04:00

With the draft approaching at the end of this month, Jared Jordan is not the only MAAC product looking to make it into the NBA.
Siena's Kenny Hasbrouck had a pre-draft workout with the New Jersey Nets, per Albany's Times Union.
According to the report, Hasbrouck felt like he did well, but he "didn't kill it."
Hasbrouck's draft hopes are bleak at best. His 2-for-20 against Niagara late in the season won't win him much fanfare from scouts.
In my opinion, I have a hard time seeing Hasbrouck latching on to an NBA club. Jared Jordan has far more value to an NBA team, and he has yet to make an opening-day roster. Hasbrouck makes his living with jump shots, something that are a dime-a-dozen in the NBA. He doesn't really create his own shot and doesn't look to get into the lane as often as he should.
I don't see him as a valuable NBA commodity. I do think Jordan has something to offer a number of clubs, however.
The New Orleans Hornets liked what they saw from Jordan during the preseason, but they decided to release him and Courtney Sims in order to keep two roster spots open.
Jordan could help clubs like the Knicks or Warriors, teams that run an uptempo offense. Jordan did say he would rather return to Europe than play in the NBDL again, despite his success there. It will be interesting to see where Jordan and Hasbrouck wind up in the preseason prior to roster selections.

Foxes add two new faces

2009-05-14T00:23:00.002-04:00

According to GoRedFoxes.com, Chuck Martin and the Marist Red Foxes will welcome forward Rob Johnson and guard Devin Price to the team next fall.
Both players signed letters of intent to play in Poughkeepsie, despite hailing from far regions. The 6-foot-7 Johnson played his high school ball in Georgia while the 6-foot-1 Price will migrate from Los Angeles.
Both players fit into Martin's dribble-drive scheme, but Price is probably the player who will make a more immediate impact. With star guard David Devezin's departure, Marist was missing a backup point guard to R.J. Hall, the player assuming Devezin's starting role. Price averaged eight assists per game while at Edison Prep.
Martin issued his stock quotes to Marist's Sports Information Department.
"We're really excited to have Rob and Devin become a part of our program at Marist," Martin said. "It's going to be exciting to watch their development and our growth as a program."
Martin commented on the versatility in fit for the team's scheme as the major selling points.
Although Martin is renowned for his local recruiting, three recuits are far from local. They come from North Carolina, Georgia, and California.
Martin seems to be changing the look and attitude of the team. Forward Lawrence Williams will leave the program while a host of new faces will enter.
Recruits:
Anell Alexis
Rob Johnson
Devin Price
Sam Prescott
Candon Rusin

Marist reloads for next season

2009-05-04T16:31:00.002-04:00

Following Marist's 65-44 loss to St. John's at Madison Square Garden, Marist head coach Chuck Martin's defeated demeanor said it all.
"We need to get more [players]," Martin emphasized following the drubbing to the Red Storm.
The first year head coach left coach John Calipari and perennial NCAA Tournament bids in Memphis for greener pastures in Poughkeepsie. Instead of success, Martin found adversity. He inherited a team in flux after all of its recruits followed former head coach Matt Brady to James Madison. Martin also took over the team so late in the signing period that there were virtually no recuits left.
Martin capitalized on his recruiting savvy, however, and was able to land R.J. Hall, a New Jersey product that de-committed from Florida Atlantic after its coach left for San Francisco. Hall emerged as a MAAC All-Rookie selection in the 2008-09 season. Martin also nabbed 6-foot-9 center Alex Vouyoukas, a player that had previously signed with Davidson. Impressive findings considering his predicament.
After a 10th place finish in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference [MAAC], Chuck Martin can now smile. His second offseason as head coach has proved far more fruitful than the first. Those players that Martin was pining for are now enrolled and set to suit up with the Red Foxes in the 2009-10 season.
Martin was known for his recruiting talent in the New York area, and according to ESPN's Scouting Department, Marist has the best recruiting class in the MAAC. Marist inked three players with ratings above a 79. For a comparison, Alex Vouyoukas entered last season with a 40 rating according to ESPN. Martin recruited 6-foot-3 shooting guards Sam Prescott (85 rating) and Candon Rusin (79 rating). Marist's last recruit is Anell Alexis, a heralded 6-foot-6 recruit that could start next season with the departures of Ryan Schneider and Lawrence Williams.
While Marist's biggest rivals Siena and Niagara recruited size, Martin opted for guards and wing players that can play in his dribble-drive offense.
The transfers will bring the most skill though. Boston College guard Daye Kaba and Villanova center Casiem Drummond will be eiligible to play next season. Drummond's eligibility does not come into effect until the Fall semester ends, however.
Martin said the team needed to get bigger and stronger in the offseason, and these major-conference players bring just that. Kaba is a 6-foot-3 guard weighing in at 215 pounds while Drummond is a 6-foot-10 center listed at 275 pounds. Both players will start during conference play.
KEY ARRIVALS: Casiem Drummond, Daye Kaba, Dorvell Carter, Anell Alexis, Sam Prescott, Candon Rusin
KEY DEPARTURES: David Devezin, Ryan Schneider, Lawrence Williams, Kaylen Gregory

Projected Starting Lineup:
G R.J. Hall
G Dejuan Goodwin
G Daye Kaba
F Dorvell Carter
C Casiem Drummond

Marist rival looking at Kansas forward

2009-04-29T13:01:00.004-04:00

Quintrell Thomas, a 6-foot-8 power forward, is exploring transfer options. Heading his list is Marist foe Siena.
According to the Times Union's Pete Iorizzo, Thomas will visit Siena and UNLV. While Thomas did not factor much into the Jayhawks rotation, the freshman was considered an elite player coming out of high school.
Kansas also looks to lose guard Tyrone Appleton.
Both players want a larger role in college basketball than they currently have at Kansas.
"During our season-ending meetings, Tyrone and Quintrell discussed their roles with me and have expressed their interest to transfer," Bill Self said on the team's website. "They have chosen to attend a university where they can have expanded roles."

Thomas would provide an excellent response to Marist's recuitment of Casiem Drummond in the 2010-11 season.

Siena coach inks extension

2009-04-09T00:05:00.002-04:00

Siena head coach Fran McCaffery signed an eight year extension today. The deal is intended to keep McCaffery around through the 2016-17 season.
The former Notre Dame assistant has led Siena to the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons. In both tournament appearances, the Saints have registered a first-round upset. Siena blew out Vanderbilt two years ago and upended Ohio State this past March.
While Siena fans and pundits are probably thrilled about the news, the deal is not as significant as it might seem. Although many want to think McCaffery will stay around to turn Siena into the Gonzaga of the East, he will most assuredly leave well before 2016. Before Chuck Martin became the Marist head coach, previous coach Matt Brady had signed a four-year extension. Brady did not even leave for a more desirable job by going to James Madison. When I spoke to Marist AD Tim Murray last year regarding Brady's departure, he was pretty surprised at the move and the new school.
McCaffery will not leave for any old job, however. He will wait for an offer from a major program like Notre Dame or Villanova (providing Jay Wright earns a promotion in the coming years). After this coming year, Edwin Ubiles, Ronald Moore, and Alex Franklin will graduate. My bet is McCaffery leaves after next season. The program will need to be completely rebuilt. McCaffery could easily pull a Brady, leaving one year after an extension. This is a business, after all.

Devezin won't return next year

2009-04-08T12:02:00.002-04:00

According to the MAAC and the Poughkeepsie Journal, Marist star point guard David Devezin was denied his request for a medical red-shirt dating back to his freshman season at Texas A&M. Devezin's short but successful career as a Red Fox is over.
Devezin appeared in three games for Texas A&M as a freshman before breaking his foot. Upon transferring, it was understood that Devezin was a medical redshirt. The MAAC shot that down, however.
Devezin's loss leaves Marist with a crater at the point guard position. While R.J. Hall is more than capable of starting, Devezin's depth and experience would have been critical with juniors Daye Kaba and Casiem Drummond receiving eligibility.
Hall will start next season and will likely be backed up by one of Chuck Martin's three recruits. Sam Prescott and Candon Rusin are both listed as shooting guards coming out of high school, but Martin will likely be forced to develop one as a No. 1.
With Devezin's departure, Marist will be without its top two scorers next season. Ryan Schneider and Devezin will both leave as seniors. R.J. Hall, a MAAC all-rookie selection, is the next highest scorer.
Other notes
Matt Brady recruit Lawrence Williams will not return to the Marist team next season, per the Poughkeepsie Journal.
While a specific reason was not given, head coach Chuck Martin stated that Williams was not a good fit for the program and believed a fresh start would benefit the Paramus Catholic product.
Williams' stamina and style of play did not seem to be a good fit for the uptempo Marist dribble-drive. While it is not clear if Williams' midseason suspension had anything to do with his departure, his athleticism did not seem to fit the mold Marist was looking for.
Without Williams and Casiem Drummond not eligible to play until the 2010 spring semester, Marist will likely start the season with Korey Bauer and Alex Vouyoukas at the No. 4 and 5 spots. It is also possible that Chuck Martin could go with a smaller lineup and start freshman Anell Alexis at the No. 4 position. Alexis is a 6-foot-6 small forward according to Scouts, Inc. However, Marist played with a 6-foot-6 Williams and 6-foot-7 Schneider at the No. 4 position last year.

Jordan impressing in NBDL

2009-04-03T12:26:00.002-04:00

It looks like Jared Jordan made the right decision staying in the States.
Although the Marist star played overseas in Lithuania last season, he passed on the money to stay and play in the NBA's developmental league. So far so good.
In last night's 121-114 loss to the Reno Bighorns, Jordan poured in 21 points while dishing out five assists in 34 minutes of game action. Jordan has had an impressive campaign with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He's started 26 of 33 games and averages nearly a double-double. Jordan scores 10.2 ppg and notches 8.7 apg. His assist-to-turnover ratio is close to 4-1.
While Jordan won't latch on with a team this season, he is sure to get an invite to training camp with some team prior to the 2009-10 season. NBA teams also have a resume to attach to the player. Jordan played sparingly in Lithuania, a common problem facing young players venturing overseas. High school star Brandon Jennings passed on college to play internationally for one season prior to entering the NBA Draft and the decision looks foolish. Jennings has played in limited minutes and struggled while in the game. Nevertheless, he is still considered by many a Top 5 pick in this year's draft.
Jordan impressed the Hornets' brass while spending training camp with New Orleans prior to this season, but the team opted to keep two roster spaces open rather than keeping Jordan and big-man Courtney Sims.

Jay Gavin given a dose of karma

2009-04-02T18:12:00.003-04:00

A year after Jay Gavin transferred to Virginia Commonwealth due to head coach Matt Brady's departure, another coach has left the former MAAC rookie of the year.
Given the opportunity to stick around and play for Chuck Martin, Gavin chose to join VCU, another school that heavily recruited him.
Well VCU head coach Anthony Grant has pulled a Matt Brady, leaving Gavin to adjust to another head coach and most likely, a step back for the program. Grant, a one-time assistant with Florida's Billy Donovan, accepted the head coaching position at the University of Alabama.
Gavin will become eligible to join the Rams' active roster next season after serving his mandated redshirt season following his transfer. While Gavin gets to join a team that has gone to the NCAA Tournament two years in a row, he will become a part of a team in flux. Gavin will experience what last year's Red Foxes had to endure.
In addition, Gavin will miss the opportunity to play with two major conference transfers joining the Red Foxes next season. Swingman and Boston College transfer Daye Kaba (right) becomes eligible for the start of the 2009 season while Villanova transfer Casiem Drummond (above) will become eligible for the start of conference play. The players transferred from the ACC and Big East, respectively, and bring the kinf od size and bulk that Chuck Martin emphasized the team needed following a home loss to Rider.

Siena's dream run ends in Dayton

2009-03-22T23:16:00.002-04:00

Siena gave the nation's top team a scare, but ultimately, Louisville persevered and now Marist fans can breath a little lighter.
Siena held a 63-62 lead with a little over five minutes left in regulation, but Louisville's Terrence Williams took over and led the Cardinals to a 79-72 win.
Poughkeepsie product Edwin Ubiles delivered a career performance that is likely to earn him preseason player of the year honors next season. The junior scored 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Fellow junior Alex Franklin poured in 19 points beside Ubiles. Siena's one impacting graduating senior, Kenny Hasbrouck, fought injury late and finished with 11 points. The loss ends Hasbrouck's historic career at Siena.
With Hasbrouck out of the picture next season, it is interesting to see how Siena will replace him. Freshman Kyle Downey took his place in Poughkeepsie after Hasbrouck fouled out late and emerged as the hero that night. That performance alone likely earned Downey a spot on the all-rookie team. Although Downey is tabbed as the team's strongest player in the weight room, he really only stepped up against Marist in the team's miraculous overtime win on Jan. 15.
Siena will still enter next season as the consensus favorite for No. 1 spot in the MAAC and rightly so. Hasbrouck's loss makes the team a little more interesting though. No. 2 Niagara will only lose center Benson Egemonye, but he was a central part of their offense. His presence down low opened up the floor for Tyrone Lewis and the team's two Big East transfers.
Had Siena upset No. 1 Louisville, the rest of the MAAC teams might have been in serious trouble. Siena has brought great attention to the conference, but Marist and the other schools don't want to see Siena turn into the Gonzaga of the east. NCAA Tournament wins will only help Siena's recruiting. On the plus side, Marist has arguably the best recruiting coach in the conference now. Martin was able to secure R.J. Hall late in the signing period last spring and lured Villanova bigman Casiem Drummond away from Boston University and the aforementioned Siena. For the coach of a 10th place team to coax Drummond away from Siena, a perennial NCAA tournament participant, is a major boon to Chuck Martin's resume.

Familiar faces finding national success

2009-03-21T14:21:00.002-04:00

With March Madness in full swing, two Marist foes are enjoying Cindarellia status in the NCAA Tournament.
Marist rival Siena knocked off No. 8 Ohio State, 74-72, in double overtime on the heels of two clutch three pointers from Ronald Moore. The biggest upset of the tournament goes to Cleveland State, a team Marist has faced two straight years, including this past season on Dec. 13 in Poughkeepsie. The Vikings handed a short-handed Marist team a 66-47 loss.
J'Nathan Bullock starred against No. 4 Wake Forest last night, pouring in 21 points in the 84-69 win.
Both Siena and Cleveland State came to McCann this past season. The match-up with Siena proved much more competitive with the Saints ultimately winning, 91-85, in overtime. Cleveland State topped a David devezin-less Marist team.
One note about Marist's schedule this year was the increase in difficulty. Marist's schedule grew much tougher under Chuck Martin than under previous head coach, Matt Brady.
Marist played five teams that went to the NCAA Tournament this year. The Red Foxes posted a 1-4 record against those teams. The lone win came in the Garden State Classic when Marist routed Robert Morris, 72-55. Robert Morris won the NEC and lost to No. 2 Michigan State in the first round of the tournament. Marist also faced Binghamton and Memphis on the road.

Marist-Niagara postgame audio

2009-03-08T12:39:00.004-04:00

A pretty good press conference from Marist considering the circumstances. Niagara coach Joe Mihalich, Tyrone Lewis, and Rob Garrison speak for Niagara while Marist coach Chuck Martin is accompanied by seniors Ryan Schneider and Kaylen Gregory. The Marist portion of the press conference begins at the 6 minute mark.

Schneider scores 1,000th point in season-ending loss

2009-03-08T00:56:00.000-05:00

For Marist fans, Ryan Schneider burying a three-pointer from the right wing to eclipse 1,000 career points will be the lasting memory from tonight’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament game against Niagara. For Niagara, the team defense employed on Schneider for 40 minutes will be the final thought.

The No. 2 seeded Niagara Purple Eagles smothered Marist with their defense en route to a 79-50 blowout win over the Red Foxes.

Niagara held Marist to 33.3 percent shooting from the field and 18.8 percent on three-point field-goals for the game. Niagara first-teamer Bilal Benn drew the assignment of covering Schneider and blanketed him as soon as the senior captain crossed midcourt.

Schneider entered the game needing only 10 points to eclipse the 1,000 mark, but the senior struggled to get to double digits. He scored just one point in the first half and was 1-of-10 shooting with under 10 minutes to play in the game.

After two field-goals and three free-throws, Schneider found himself with nine points and less than two minutes to play. Fittingly, senior co-captain Kaylen Gregory found an open Schneider, who flushed a three-pointer with 1:55 left to play.

Schneider exited the game to a standing ovation despite Marist’s lopsided loss.

Coach Martin said that he was looking to get Schneider that record after it became apparent the game was out of reach.

“Our first thought was win the game, that’s always our first thought,” Martin said. “Obviously towards the end of it the game was out of reach and now you want to think, okay, let start trying to get the ball to Ryan…we were conscious of it; we were aware of it.”

Although Schneider admitted he would have traded 1,000 points for a win against Niagara, the moment was special for the senior, albeit bittersweet based on how the year unfolded.

“I mean it felt great. I really thank coach for that,” Schneider said. “It was a great gesture…it’s been a tough year, it really has, it’s been tough.”

After averaging a little over seven minutes per game (mpg) last season, Schneider finished third in the conference with 37.5 mpg this season.

For the game, Schneider and Gregory led Marist with 12 points apiece while point guard David Devezin scored 10 points. Niagara guard and UConn transfer had a game-high 21 points while MAAC defensive player of the year Tyrone Lewis notched 13 points.

Marist finished the season 10-23 overall and 4-14 in regular season conference play. The season also capped off the first for head coach Chuck Martin.

“It’s a humbling experience but a good experience, a really good experience,” Martin said regarding his first season. “I’m glad I got a chance to coach the kids that I coached, really good kids who gave me everything they had every night, our seniors, in particular Ryan Schneider and Kaylen Gregory. It’s been a really good experience for me and I think it’s going to pay off in years to come.”

Schneider and Gregory both found opportunities under Martin that did not exist under previous head coach, Matt Brady.

Schneider emerged as a second-team all-conference player while Gregory became a starter after spending four years on the bench.

“I thought the opportunity [to play for Coach Martin] was tremendous,” Gregory said. “The most important part of this year was that I grew as a person, not only on the court but off the court. I learned that I can do a lot more than I thought I could and I have a lot in me and I thank Coach Martin and his staff for that.”

Marist vs. Niagara LIVE from the TU Center; Niagara romps, 79- 50

2009-03-07T19:38:00.012-05:00

FINAL SCORE Niagara 79-50

Ryan Schneider also scored his 1,000th career point on a three-pointer with a little more than a minute to play. Schneider finished his career with 1,002 points.

*****

Along with the game, it looks like Marist's Ryan Schneider will lose his pursuit of 1,000 points. The senior captain just missed a pair at the line and is 1-of-9 from the field on the night. He has four points. Marist trailing, 61-39, with 7:53 left.

Niagara's lead has ballooned to 58-35 with 10:57 remaining.

Niagara came out of the gates with a 7-0 run and Marist's season is now on life support. Niagara up big, 46-26, with 17:59 left.

*****

**On a side note, Marist's mascot drained a jumper in the annual mascot game. One Red Fox has scored tonight...Shooter Fox: 1-1.

At the half, Niagara is all over Marist, 39-23. Niagara's largest leads has been 18 at 37-19. Rob Garrison has a game-high 10 points. Tyrone Lewis has eight points and David Devezin leads Marist with eight. Devezin scored his eight relatively early and was quiet for much of the last 10 minutes. Ryan Schneider has one point and needs nine to reach 1,000 career points.

The blowout is officially in full force. After Fairfield and Manhattan played a competitive game, the Albany fans have been treated to two one-sided affairs. Niagara is up, 34-18, with 3:06 left in the first half. Marist got away with sloppy offense against Iona, but the No. 2 Niagara Purple Eagles aren't letting the Red Foxes off the hook. Outside of Devezin and Kaylen Gregory's seven points, Marist has little to show offensively. In other news, Ryan Schneider is still 10 points shy of 1,000 as he has zero for the night.

Niagara is starting to pull away very early in this game. The Purple Eagles have a commanding 28-13 lead with 8:16 left in the first half. Outside of David Devezin, Marist has not gotten anything going offensively. The Red Foxes are shooting 37.5 percent from the field while Niagara boasts a 45.5 shooting-percentage.

Tyrone Lewis' three-pointer plus the harm has given Niagara an 18-10 lead. Rob Garrison since added a layup and Niagara is doubling up Marist early, 20-10. Marist has had open looks but has failed to knock them down. Niagara is not having the same problem. David Devezin has a game-high eight points so far.

Niagara opened the game with a quick Bilal Benn bucket, but David Devezin countered with a layup. Tyrone Lewis just hit a three-pointer to make the game 11-6 Niagara. Devezin has gotten to the lane early, which is a good sign for Marist.

*****

After advancing last night, Marist is set to take on the Niagara Purple Eagles. Tip-off is slated for 1:50 from now.

Siena and Canisius LIVE from the TU Center; Siena rout continues, 67-43

2009-03-07T17:08:00.010-05:00

Siena is showing no mercy to the No. 9 Griffs as the blowout is officially on. Siena leads, 67-43, with 8:31 left and Canisius has brought on its famous walk-on, Bob Bevilacqua. Siena will take on Fairfieild tomorrow. On a side note, Hasbrouck has gone below 50 percent shooting on the night. He's 7-of-16 for 16 points.

With 15:14 left in the game, Siena has opened up a wide margin and looks poised to move on. The Saints lead, 50-36. Kenny Hasbrouck has a game-high 16 points while Frank Turner leads Canisius with 12.

*****

An awkward play led to a lengthy delay after Robert Goldsberry fouled Alex Franklin and landed strangely. Goldsberry was called with an intentional foul, but he needed to be helped off the floor. Right now, Siena leads, 29-24, as halftime approaches.

Canisius pulled into a 13-13 tie, but Siena countered with a 6-0 run. With 7:35 remaining in the first half, Siena is leading by a small margin at 19-15. Hasbrouck has a game-high 10 points, but Frank Turner has been the best player on the floor so far for either team. Poughkeepsie's own Edwin Ubiles has spent a considerable amount of time on the bench and hasn't gotten anything going.

MAAC player of the year Kenny Hasbrouck has been lighting up the net early with eight points. Although Siena looked like it was going to pull away, Canisius has hung around and trails by only three at 13-10. There is 11:57 remaining in the first half.

Siena jumped out to the early 5-0 lead, but Canisius responded with a 4-0 run of its own. Siena leads, 7-4, at the first official timeout, although the Saints don't look particularly impressive. Luckily for them, they have probably the easiest path to the MAAC finals that a team could possibly have. A win here this afternoon means a date with all seven of Fairfield's players tomorrow.

*****

A raucous crowd has filled the Times Union Center for Siena's first game against No. 9 Canisius. Canisius played last night and arrived here today by virtue of knocking off Jimmy Patsos' Greyhounds. Tip-off is slated for three minutes. Marist and Niagara will follow at 7:30 with Rider and Saint Peter's getting the luxury of the 9:30 p.m. slot.

In the game prior to this one, Fairfield pulled a slight upset by beating the No. 4 Manhattan Jaspers. Even with Fairfield missing half its team and Greg Nero battling multiple injuries, Manhattan still crumbled. Fairfield will play the winner of the Siena-Canisius game.

Marist-Iona Postgame

2009-03-07T13:52:00.004-05:00

I got a chance to speak with Coach Martin and Ryan Schneider following last night's opening round win over Iona. For the full audio, click below:

Marist survives to play another day

2009-03-07T02:08:00.001-05:00

As Chuck Martin has said several times this season, an ugly win beats a pretty loss any day of the week.

In the match-up of No. 7 Iona and No. 10 Marist, both teams sputtered offensively and yielded late runs before the Red Foxes eventually closed out the Gaels, 43-40.

In a game where a short spurt looked like it could win the game, Marist gained separation with an 8-0 run to take a 38-30 lead with 7:30 left in regulation.

Iona clawed back, however, and responded with a 7-0 run of its own. Marist senior Ryan Schneider put the game out of reach though when he sank a straightaway three-pointer with 3:22 left. Marist led 41-37 and would hang on in the final minutes.

Schneider and point guard David Devezin each scored a game-high 14 points.

Although Marist finished last in the conference, the tough losses have given Chuck Martin’s team a wealth of experience to draw on for this tournament.

“The one thing we’ve learned through all our games this season is, we’ve learned how to have composure in the last 10 minutes,” Martin said. “We’ve had leads and gotten down and we just don’t know how to get back, but it’s paid off for us, all of these games.”

Although the team finished 10^th, Martin and Schneider both know that the team played better than the record indicates and this conference win validates a lot of the effort during the season.

“I think for the team and the people who followed us all season, [they] understood we finished 10^th but we played much better than a 10^th place team,” Martin said. “I think the coaches in this league, I don’t want to speak for them, but I think they would say, ‘Hey, we’re pretty good for a 10^th place team.’”

“I think we’ve worked really hard even though our record doesn’t show it and to go out and get a win today, it really shows that we haven’t given up and we’re going to keep playing hard,” Schneider said.

Marist’s largest lead came at 38-30 in the second half. Both teams exchanged leads multiples times and were tied, 21-21, at the half. Marist held Iona to 31.9 percent shooting from the field.

Marist will meet up with the No. 2 Niagara Purple Eagles tonight at 7:30 p.m. Like with Iona, both teams split the season series. Marist won, 86-68, in Poughkeepsie on Jan. 11 and fell, 80-72, six days ago in Buffalo.

Marist knows it can beat Niagara and the team now has a win to build upon.

“I think internally they’ve got the confidence of knowing that we did beat them and that we did play well last Sunday although we lost by eight, they’re a really talented team,” Martin said. “We respect them, we know they’re talented, we know they can put numbers up so it’s going to be a challenging game for us but we’re excited.”

Schneider feels he and his teammates have that confidence going into the game tonight.

“I think we have all the confidence in the world, especially coming off a hard fought, really tough win tonight,” Schneider said. “I think we’re really excited about the fact that we match up really well with Niagara and we’re excited about tomorrow.”

Marist vs. Iona LIVE from the Times Union Center; Marist wins, 43-40

2009-03-06T21:50:00.014-05:00

FINAL SCORE: Marist 43 Iona 40

With 42 seconds left, Marist is up, 43-40, and has the ball.

A Ryan Schneider three-pointer broke Iona's 7-0 run and Marist has opened up a six point lead after squandering an eight point advantage minutes earlier. With 2:32 left in possibly the season, Marist clings to a 43-37 lead against Iona.

Jonathan Huffman just drained a straightaway three-pointer and Iona climbed to within three points. Iona is on a 5-0 run after going 4:40 without scoring a single point. Marist leads, 38-35, with 6:02 left.

"When was the last time Iona scored?" - Ted Remsnyder
Kevin Willard called another timeout as Marist has gone on an 8-0 run. David Devezin has scored the Red Foxes' last four points. Marist leads, 38-30, with 7:24 remaining.

At the second official timeout, exactly six points have been scored. The teams are still tied, 30-30, with 11:31 left in the game. If either team has a four or six point run in them, that may just be enough. Ryan Schneider and Scott Machado have a game-high nine points. Interestingly, Gary Springer has not scored since he scored the Gaels first eight points.

There's been an offensive explosion to start the second half. Each team has put up seven points and the game is knotted at 28 with 15:03 remaining. The last bucket came courtesy of Kaylen Gregory, a corner three-pointer.

*****

"This is unbelievable. This is one of the worst MAAC games I've ever seen." - Ted Remsnyder

The quote says it all, folks. Both teams have no compunction about throwing blind passes all over the court and having big men shooting contested three-pointers. At halftime, this game is fittingly tied at 21.

An irate Kevin Willard called for an immediate timeout after Marist big man Korey Bauer drained an open three-pointer from the left wing. Marist is winning a sloppy game, 21-15, with 4:47 left in the half.

Marist went on a 9-0 run to grab a 13-9 lead. With 7:52 left in the first half, Marist has an 18-15 lead on the heels of strong play from David Devezin and Ryan Schneider. The duo has six and seven points, respectively.

With 11:54 remaining in the first half, Iona is holding onto a 9-8 lead. Gary Springer has eight points, meanwhile Schnider has four for Marist.

Gary Springer opened the game with a lay-up, but Marist responded when David Devezin found Korey Bauer underneath the basket for a two-handed jam. Springer has four points for Iona and this game is shaping up to be a low-scoring affair, as the first two meetings have been.

*****

The start of the game has been delayed due to the late finish of Canisius and Loyola. Canisius got past the No. 8 Loyola Greyhounds, 74-68. Canisius will play Siena tomorrow in the second game of the day. Siena won the last match-up, 78-74. Tip-off is slated for 10 p.m. in the Marist-Iona tilt. The winner will play Niagara tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.

Schneider, Hall earn MAAC honors

2009-03-02T16:26:00.002-05:00

Despite finishing last in the MAAC, the Red Foxes received some good news today from the conference. Senior captain Ryan Schneider garnered Second-Team All-MAAC honors while freshman R.J. Hall was named to the All-Rookie Team.
Schneider played sparingly under former head coach Matt Brady, but the Vermont transfer played at an all-conference level the entire season. The only thing that kept him from the first team was Marist's poor record. The first team is typically reserved for players on the top couple teams in the league. Kenny Hasbrouck, hardly deserving of First-Team honors, earned that designation based on Siena's dominant display in the MAAC.

The First-Team looks like this:
Edwin Ubiles, Siena
Kenny Hasbrouck, Siena
Tyrone Lewis, Niagara
Bilal Benn, Niagara
Ryan Thompson, Rider

R.J. Hall, who played substantial minutes this season, joined four other freshman on the All-Rookie team. Hall emerged as a key contributor when David Devezin was injured and sick earlier in the season. Devezin's absences provided valuable experience for the freshman from Bloomfield Tech in New Jersey.

The All-Rookie Team looks like this:
Scott Machado, Iona
R.J. Hall, Marist
Kyle Downey, Siena
Anthony Winbush, Loyola
Novar Gadson, Rider

Red Foxes can't repeat January magic

2009-03-01T17:24:00.004-05:00

Marist took advantage of a slow-Niagara start, but the Purple Eagles finished strong in dealing Marist an 80-72loss assuring the team of a 10th place finish.
Marist jumped out to an early 15-7 lead and last led at 24-18, but Niagara pulled off a 15-0 run when Marist went scoreless for nearly five minutes.
Niagara leaned on its mountain, center Benson Egemonye, who scored a team-high 19 points. Egemonye attempted 17 free-throws and frustrated Marist's big men throughout the game. Foxes' senior forward Ryan Schneider tallied a game-high 21 points in his final regular season game.
Three Marist players scored in double-figures. In addition to Schneider, freshman guard R.J. Hall and junior swing man Javon Parris scored 11 and 12 points, respectively. Hall also dished out a game-high seven assists. Hall's performance is certainly encouraging because of the uncertainty surrounding David Devezin's eligibility.

The final MAAC standings look like this:
1. Siena
2. Niagara
3. Rider
4. Manhattan
5. Fairfield
6. Saint Peter's
7. Iona
8. Loyola
9. Canisius
10. Marist

Marist will face Iona in the opening round of the MAAC Tournament on Friday night at 9:30 p.m. Both teams defended their home-court with 1-point wins.

Marist misses game tonight

2009-02-27T21:19:00.002-05:00

In the first leg of the daunting Buffalo trip, Marist failed to show up for a game that will likely earn them a 10th place finish in the MAAC.
Canisius dominated Marist from start to finish and had its way with the Red Foxes en route to a 75-49 blowout win. Marist endured a stretch in which the team scored only two points in nearly 11 minutes of game action. The lead proved to large to overcome.
Canisius had four players score in double-figures, including 15 from freshman Julius Coles. Coles will battle Iona's Scott Machado for rookie of the year, an award garnered by then Marist-product Jay Gavin last year. Gavin has since transferred to Virginia Commonwealth.
Ryan Schneider emerged as the only Red Fox to score in double-digits. The senior tallied 12 points and hauled in seven rebounds. Korey Bauer and Dejuan Goodwin chipped in seven points apiece.
A disturbing trend for Marist continued tonight when Canisius outrebounded the Red Foxes by 18. Coles grabbed a game-high 11 boards while center Chris Gadley had eight. Gadley, the 6-foot-9, 320-pound center, missed the first meeting between the two teams.
In other MAAC action, Niagara upset Siena, 100-85, in dominating fashion. Marist has only won one game since its blowout win over Niagara on Jan. 11. Marist sat at 3-3 following the Niagara win and has only won one game since. The win came over a Fairfield team missing its four leading scorers.

Sophomore guard paces Foxes on Senior Night

2009-02-22T15:50:00.002-05:00

Dejuan Goodwin found his early-season form and brought rain from long distance in the Foxes 57-35 win over Hartford.
Goodwin shot 6-of-10 on three-pointers and finished with a game-high 20 points. Freshman guard R.J. Hall was the only other player to score in double figures. Hall's emergence is a promising sign considering David Devezin walked with the seniors due to complications with his red-shirt season at Texas A&M. If Devezin can't return, Hall will man the point guard position for Marist for the next three seasons.
Marist's double-double machine Ryan Schneider failed to score in double digits for the first time since Nov. 29 against New Hampshire. Ironically, Marist won both games against America East opponents. The senior captain also grabbed seven rebounds in last night's win.
This game could provide some momentum for a team heading on a Buffalo trip next weekend. Marist will take on Canisius in the first game on Friday and finish the season with a re-match against Niagara on March 1.
Marist is now 9-20 on the season.

Devezin to walk with seniors

2009-02-21T17:33:00.004-05:00

Despite his status as a redshirt junior, David Devezin will walk with the seniors tonight on Senior Day at McCann. Marist takes on Hartford at 7:30 as part of the ESPNU BracketBuster format.
Due to a technicality with his transfer from Texas A&M to San Jacinto CC in Texas, Devezin may not get his redshirt season.
Marist sports information director Mike Ferraro alerted me to this breaking news yesterday and it's a realization that the standout point guard may not be around to anchor the Red Foxes next season. The idea of having Devezin, Goodwin, Kaba, and Drummond starting come MAAC time is certainly a recipe for MAAC success. Only time will tell if the issue gets sorted out...
In other MAAC news...the conference has fared exceptionally well in the ESNPU BracketBusters so far. Siena cruised past a stout Northern Iowa team while Niagara beat Illinois State by 12 last night. Canisius, Marist's next MAAC opponent, got past Bowling Green in overtime. With the MAAC as competitive as it is, any team could emerge from the tournament. That said, Siena will surely go to the tournament as an at-large bid based on their RPI rating and the showing against Northern Iowa. A mid-maor team getting an at-large bid is rare, but Siena has proven it can hang with the big boys.

Marist embarrassed on MSG

2009-02-16T23:50:00.003-05:00

In what could amount to a first-round match-up in the MAAC Tournament, Saint Peter's won in a wire-to-wire victory on MSG network.
Marist fell behind 10-1 early and trailed by 16 points in the second half before eventually falling, 72-62. The Red Foxes failed to get anything going offensively in the first half and scored their first 2-point field goal after 13 minutes of action.
Saint Peter's senior forward Akeem Gooding exploded for a career-high 23 points. His previous high was 22 points that also came against Marist two seasons ago. Gooding averages 6.9 ppg but Marist had no answer for him underneath. Gooding went to the free-throw line 18 times.
Marist head coach Chuck Martin can't be happy with his team's effort on the glass. The Peacocks outrebounded Marist by 15. Most of the 10 offensive rebounds led to free-throw attempts, especially for Gooding.
The loss drops Marist to 4-12 in the conference and with Canisius beating Loyola, 69-67, the Red Foxes could conceivably finish last in the MAAC. Marist opened up the year 3-3 in the conference but after collapsing late against Siena on Jan. 15, Marist has lost nine of 10.
In the loss, Ryan Schneider and Javon Parris led Marist with 15 points apiece. David Devezin scored 12 points while Lawrence Williams chipped in 10 off the bench. Parris has been one of the few bright spots for Marist recently after he was demoted to the bench in favor of a resurgent Kaylen Gregory. Gregory struggled tonight, shooting 0-for-9 from the field.
This loss drops Marist to 0-5 on the season playing on national or regional television.

Marist set for Saint Peter's test

2009-02-15T22:19:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow night, Marist will head to Jersey City, N.J. to take on the surging Saint Peter's Peacocks.
Although this game looked quite winnable several days ago, Saint Peter's upended then No. 3 Rider on the road, 65-64. Marist lost to Rider twice, both by double digits.
Saint Peter's enters the game, which can be seen on the MSG network, on a 2-game winning streak. Saint Peter's beat both Canisius and Rider on the road by one point in each contest.
The Peacocks sit in eighth position in the MAAC, one game ahead of Marist. At this point in the season, both teams are likely to play in the opening round of the MAAC tournament on Friday night, March 6, in the Times Union Center in Albany. While Loyola, Saint Peter's, Marist, and Canisius are still jockeying for position, Iona would need to virtually collapse down the stretch for any of the first three teams to pass them. Canisius is eliminated from a first round bye.
Marist and Saint Peter's could realistically face each other in the first round of the tournament. The top six teams get byes while No. 7 plays No. 10 and the No. 8 and No. 9 teams face off. Marist won the first meeting in Poughkeepsie, 60-54. Saint Peter's hopes the home-court advantage will pay off.
Saint Peter's enters the game with the worst scoring offense in the MAAC, averaging a meager 58.5 ppg. On the flip side, the Peacocks boast the second-best scoring defense, yielding 64.1 ppg. The team also ranks last in field-goal percentage offense and offensive rebounding. The game is shaping up to be a defensive contest, much like the Iona games have been for Marist.
Despite Saint Peter's offensive inconsistency, the team has three players scoring in double digits on the season. Wesley Jenkins ranks fifth in the MAAC in scoring with 15.3 ppg. Jenkins is two spots behind Marist's Ryan Schneider, who averages 16.4 ppg. Nick Leon ranks one spot behind his teammate at sixth with 15.2 ppg. Sophomore forward Ryan Bacon rounds out the scoring trio with 11.4 ppg. The Peacocks may not score much as a team, but these three players are extremely capable of going off for big numbers. Leon should provide an interesting match-up for Marist's David Devezin.
One interesting thing of note is that Marist has struggled when televised on national and regional television. Marist has played games on MSG, MSG+, and ESPNU, and has yet to register a win. Marist is 0-4 on the big stage.

Marist snaps skid with win over Fairfield

2009-02-12T22:42:00.003-05:00

The Red Foxes went nearly a calendar month without a win, although it felt much longer for Ryan Schneider.
"It feels good to hear congratulations again," Schneider said with a smile walking into the media room.
Marist controlled the game, one in which Fairfield never led, and won, 75-66. Dejuan Goodwin and Schneider, the third leading scorer in the MAAC, each scored 17 points to lead the Red Foxes. Kaylen Gregory returned after hurting his shoulder in the last game to haul in a game-high 10 rebounds.
Gregory made a lay-up with 8:46 remaining in the game to give the Red Foxes a 59-39 lead, their largest of the night. A banged-up Fairfield squad rallied, however, to cut the lead to seven with 51 seconds left in regulation.
That was the closest Fairfield got in a valiant effort on the Stags' part. Fairfield played without starters Anthony Johnson, Warren Edney (both out for the season), Jonathan Han (suspended; likely done for year), and Lyndon Jordan (illness). In addition, Greg Nero missed the entire second half after his back stiffened up. Herbie Allen and Mike Evanovich stepped up and scored 21 points and 18 points, respectively. Fairfield played the second half with only eight men eligible to play.
Fairfield head coach Ed Cooley gave by far the most entertaining press conference of any opposing coach this season. For Marist, head coach Chuck Martin, Ryan Schneider, and Dejuan Goodwin spoke. Click below for the full press conference:

Marist vs. Fairfield LIVE from McCann; FINAL Marist closes out Fairfield, 75-66

2009-02-12T19:20:00.012-05:00

FINAL SCORE: Marist 75 Fairfield 66

The game is coming to a close and Marist holds a 63-49 lead. Marist hasn't played exceptionally well in the second half, but its hasn't really had to. Martin has used most of the bench in the second half, probably in an effort to conserve some of the starters going into Monday's game at Saint Peter's.

Dejuan Goodwin just nailed a corner three-pointer to give him 17 points on the night. That marks a career high in points for Goodwin. Marist has a 55-39 lead and has led by as many as 18. There is 9:10 left to play.

Greg Nero, Fairfield's best player, is no longer in uniform and appears to be done for the night. His back must be bothering him as he's been plagued by back spasms. Fairfield is down to eight guys, one being a walk on. The night was summed up best for Fairfield when moments ago, Yorell Hawkins missed a dunk. Marist is all over Fairfield, 45-27.

*****

At the end of the first half, Marist has a 39-25 lead. Fairfield looks like the injuries are finally catching up with them. Marist had another good first half offensively like they did against Rider, but another 19-point second half effort won't win this game.

Ed Cooley looks like he has a migraine on the Fairfield sideline. The Stags have gone 1-of-4 on their last four free-throw attempts.

With the half nearing a close, Marist has exploded offensively and holds a 39-24 lead with 2:12 remaining. Goodwin has 14 points while Ryan Schneider has nine.

At the official timeout with 6:56 left in the first half, Marist has a 29-22 lead. The Red Foxes led by as much as 10 at 21-11, but Fairfield has responded with several three-pointers. The surprise so far has been sophomore guard Dejuan Goodwin, who has 14 points early. Goodwin is making up for lost time after being quiet for the past couple weeks.

Fairfield coach Ed Cooley just took his third timeout in 7:08. Apparently his players aren't getting something. Dejuan Goodwin just hit another three-pointer to give him 11 on the game so far. Marist has an 18-11 lead.

Ryan Schneider just drained a deep three-pointer from straight on to answer Greg Nero's three. Marist still holds a 7-point advantage, 15-8.

Marist has jumped out to a 10-3 lead. Dejuan Goodwin has two three-pointers and looks like he could be getting his swagger back. Goodwin has been in a drought for the last couple of weeks. Goodwin has eight points for Marist thus far while Kaylen Gregory has the other two. Although Marist looks good early, they jumped out to a 24-7 lead in the teams' last meeting before falling, 68-63. There's 15:46 left in the first half.

*****

Some pregame notes. According to Bob Heussler (also of WFAN fame), Fairfield starter Lyndon Jordan will be out tonight due to illness. He did not make the trip. For those keeping track, Fairfield is missing four players, all starters or first players off the bench (Jonathan Han, Warren Edney, Anthony Johnson, Lyndon Jordan). R.J. Hall is in uniform for Marist and it looks like he will play. Thanks to WMAR for the outlet, the whole game should be blogged.

Stags hope to party in McCann tonight

2009-02-12T12:52:00.002-05:00

Both Fairfield and Marist enters tonight's contest with sour tastes in their mouths. Marist has lost eight straight contests while Fairfield is coming off an embarrassing 25-point loss to Niagara.
Despite Fairfield's performance, the Stags still sit in fourth in the MAAC and will try to gain ground on third place Rider. Fairfield is 8-6 in the MAAC and 1.5 games behind Rider.
Marist is simply looking to get on track. Its last win came against No. 2 Niagara on Jan. 11.
Both teams should have a good feel for each other early on as they last met two weeks ago in Fairfield. Marist jumped out to a 24-7 lead, but Fairfield stormed back and led for the majority of the second half.
Fairfield is still dealing with a depleted lineup. Jonathan Han is not expected to play as he was not in uniform for the Niagara game. Head coach Ed Cooley met with the athletic director on Feb. 5 to discuss Han's situation and presumably they came up with a decision. Whatever that decision was, Han is still not playing yet.
As far as injuries go, Herbie Allen and Greg Nero will both play despite battling wrist and back injuries, respectively. Warren Edney and Anthony Johnson are both out for the season.
For Marist, it is unknown whether R.J. Hall will play after missing practice due to illness. Regardless, Marist has to take advantage of Fairfield missing its thir and fourth leading scorers in Johnson and Edney. Johnson also led the team in rebounding.
Marist is 7-19 on the season while Fairfield is 15-10. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. in the McCann Center.

Marist-Rider Press Conference

2009-02-10T12:53:00.003-05:00

Interesting press conference following last night's game. The game proved to be a tail of two halves and Chuck Martin harped on the fact that Marist needs to become a bigger and more physical team to compete night in and night out. Much of that stems from the Red Foxes getting outrebounded by 20 in the second half and only scoring 19 points after pouring in 42 in the first half.
Although Martin gave no update on Kaylen Gregory's injury, I had a chance to talk to both Gregory and Marist trainer Glenn Marinelli following the game outside the trainer's room and the injury is not believed serious. Gregory said he was just really sore and landed awkwardly on it while fighting for a loose ball. Marinelli said it was not a dislocation or anything more serious. Gregory said he would take it day by day and hopefully be ready for Thursday's match-up with Fairfield.

Marist vs. Rider LIVE from McCann; Rider dominates second half; wins 74-61

2009-02-09T19:35:00.009-05:00

FINAL SCORE: Rider 74 Marist 61

At the final official timeout, Rider has taken over the game, 65-57. Ryan Thompson has 20 points while Mike Ringgold has 18. A Harris Mansell three-pointer seems to have put this game out of reach. After Ryan Thompson nailed a three-pointer with 9:05 left, Marist has yet to grab the lead back after leading for the entire first half.

Rider opened the half with a 12-5 run and Kaylen Gregory has not returned for Marist. The senior captain has spent the majority of the half on the bench with ice on what appears to be a dislocated shoulder. Rider has taken control of the game and leads, 62-57. David Devezin has not been able to get to the basket in the second half and the offensive production reflects that. There's 6:10 remaining.

*****

With halftime approaching, a Marist 11-point lead has evaporated into a 4-point lead. Devezin leads all scorers with 13 points.

With Marist looking to pull off an upset of No. 3 Rider, that dream may have taken a serious blow as Kaylen Gregory has suffered what appears to be a shoulder injury. He was in excruciating pain on the floor but walked off on his own power. Interesting to see if he returns. Marist leads, 36-27.

With 7:52 remaining, Marist has stormed out to a 29-23 lead. The Red Foxes largest lead has been seven and David Devezin has sparked Marist thus far. He has gotten to the basket with just as much ease as Thompson as. This game could get interesting if Devezin can continue to succeed around the basket. Rider has also picked up eight fouls with nearly eight minutes left in the half.

At the second official timeout, Marist has grabbed an early 18-16 lead. Ryan Schneider has gotten going early, most recently knocking down an NBA-range three-pointer. His success is vital to the Red Foxes having a chance in this game. Ryan Thompson looks to be on point tonight for Rider. The junior forward has nine early points.

Although the game is tied at 9 with 15:44 remaining in the first, Ryan Thompson has penetrated the lane with ease so far. It's going to be a long game for the Red Foxes if Thompson is able to get to the bucket untouched.

*****

The game's set to start and the starting lineups are as predicted.

Unpredictable Broncs head to McCann

2009-02-08T18:56:00.003-05:00

After the Rider Broncs lost by 14 points to the Loyola Greyhounds, it looked like the 2008 MAAC runner-up might not have the same magic as last year's team. Granted, losing an NBA lottery pick to the Sacramento Kings doesn't help.
That all changed on Saturday, however, when Rider hosted MAAC powerhouse Siena. After Siena outlasted Rider in the teams' first meeting at the Times Union Center in a 91-81 barnburner, Rider responded with its best effort of the season. Both teams exchanged double-digit leads and when the game was on the line, NBA prospect Ryan Thompson delivered. The 6-foot-7 younger brother of the NBA's Jason Thompson went straight at Edwin Ubiles in an isolation situation and drained a lay-up in the waning seconds of the contest.
Rider's 90-88 win over previously undefeated Siena reestablishes the Broncs as a darkhorse contender in the MAAC. As Chuck Martin always says, "It's all about the four days in March." Marist learned that the hard way after winning the regular season championship in 2007, only to be upset by Siena in the tournament's semifinals.
When Marist and Rider meet up for a Monday night tilt in McCann, it's hard to say which Broncs team will show up. Rider is not a great road team, as evidenced by its 5-6 record away from Lawrenceville. Rider also lost to last-place Canisius by 18 on Jan. 15. Coincidentally, that was the same night Marist fell apart in the late minutes to lose against Siena. Maybe both teams had a fluke night...
Regardless, Marist is in desperate need of a good performance after losing seven straight conference games. The Red Foxes have gotten to the top of the mountain numerous times this year, only to fail getting over the top as time expired. Ryan Schneider missed a chance to send Marist home with a win on Saturday at the end of regulation, but instead, Iona went on to narrowly win, 66-65, in New Rochelle.
Marist goes when Schneider goes, however. The senior captain shot only 6-of-20 from the field, although he did tally 21 points. When Schneider's been on, the Foxes have won in impressive fashion, as shown against Bucknell and Niagara. he's struggled a bit during this losing streak and the results have shown. Marist does not have another consistent scoring option to go along with Schneider. When David Devezin's heathy, that changes, but the junior point guard has battled plantar fasciitis and illness at different times this season. Kaylen Gregory, Dejuan Goodwin, and Lawrence Williams have all had their moments, but none have consistently aided Schneider. Marist will need a go-to option on Monday night because Schneider will have his hands full with Ryan Thompson.

Expect the starting lineups to look as follows for Rider:

G Justin Robinson
G Harris Mansell
F Ryan Thompson
F Mike Ringgold
F Jermaine Jackson

First off the bench:
G Novar Gadson

Rider: 13-9 overall; 8-4 MAAC
Marist: 7-18 overall; 3-10 MAAC

Marist can't get past overtime hump, falls 66-65

2009-02-07T15:56:00.006-05:00

The Red Foxes played their fourth overtime game of the season against Iona today, and the results have all been the same: a loss. Whether inexperience or a lack of depth play into the equation, Marist has not been able to outlast its opponent. Iona handed Marist a 66-65 loss.
Marist has lost seven straight games dating back to Siena and drops to 7-18 overall (3-10 in the MAAC).
Marist grabbed a 56-55 lead when Lawrence Williams knocked down 1-of-2 free-throws with 33 seconds left, but MAAC rookie star Scott Machado matched Williams' free throw eight seconds later and the game headed for overtime.
Ryan Schneider had a game-high 21 points, but shot a mere 6-of-20 from the field and 5-of-14 from beyond the arc. The senior captain also grabbed 11 rebounds. Lawrence Williams contributed 14 points off the bench while David Devezin poured in 10 points.
Chuck Martin started the year with dark hair, but it's quite likely there will be some gray hairs by year's end. Marist has lost nine games this year by six points or less. Marist held last possession leads against Siena and Loyola, not to mention a 24-7 lead against Fairfield. Marist lost all three games.
The Red Foxes trailed by seven before the end of the first half, but Lawrence Williams scored four straight points and Marist trailed by three at the intermission. Marist outscored Iona, 31-28, in the second half and the two teams entered overtime knotted at 56.
The game turned out to be a defensive struggle, something that was expected. Iona leads the MAAC in scoring defense.

Marist looking to recreate Iona magic

2009-02-05T22:25:00.003-05:00

Marist's most exhilarating game this season came against the Iona Gaels, and the two teams will meet in New Rochelle, N.Y. in part II of the series. Dejuan Goodwin capped off the first game with a fadeaway jumper with 1.4 seconds left to propel the Red Foxes to a 51-50 win.
A lot has changed since that game, however. Marist has only won two conference games (Saint Peter's, Niagara) since the thriller on Dec. 5. Plus, Iona rookie Scott Machado has matured into arguably the league's best rookie and power forward Gary Springer is fully healthy. He suffered an ankle injury in the two teams' first meeting in the McCann Center that appeared to be season-ending. Iona coach Kevin Willard said following the game that the Gaels would have to "learn to play without him for awhile."
Luckily for Iona, Springer recovered. The senior forward from Georgia leads the team in both scoring and rebounding. Springer averages 11.6 ppg and 6.6 rpg. Springer is the only Gael scoring in double-figures on the season.
Although Iona does not score much, the team leads the MAAC in defense. The Gaels only allow 63.8 ppg. Their defense impressed in the first game against Marist, allowing the Red Foxes to score only 51 points. That is the lowest output for Marist with a healthy squad. Marist scored less than 51 points three times, but played all those games without a full-strength David Devezin.
Marist enters the game at 7-17 and will be looking to break a six game winless streak. In order to do so, the Red Foxes will need contributions from players other than Ryan Schneider. Although Schneider is a MAAC leader in almost all major categories, he has not gotten much support recently. A lot of that is due to David Devezin's illness the past couple games. Kaylen Gregory has played the best basketball in his career recently but is buoyed by Devezin's presence. Outside of Schneider, Gregory, and Devezin, Marist has not found a consistent scoring threat. It's conceivable that the long season and demands of a short bench are taxing many of the players, including players like Dejuan Goodwin. Goodwin emerged as a lethal threat from beyond the arc but has tailed off considerably. After the Niagara win, Goodwin had ice on both of his knees and joked in the press conference about being tired. Maybe he and some of his teammates are running out of steam...

MAAC Conference Call

2009-02-04T13:50:00.004-05:00

The MAAC and all the head coaches held a conference call that ended a little over an hour ago. Nothing startling revealed by any of the coaches, although I found it interesting that Jimmy Patsos eluded to the fact that on any given night, any team in this conference can win and the league is the toughest it's been in quite some time. Chuck Martin's call comes around the 33 minute mark.

Marist-Manhattan Press Conference

2009-02-02T23:18:00.003-05:00

Despite the debacle that occurred in the McCann Center tonight, Coach Martin gave a very honest and forthright press conference. Also in the presser is Manhattan coach Barry Rohrssen.

Marist vs. Manhattan on MSG+ LIVE from McCann; Manhattan routs Marist, 67-48

2009-02-02T19:02:00.010-05:00

FINAL SCORE: Manhattan 67 Marist 48

The game is winding to a close and the small cheering section for Manhattan has started the "Let's Go Jaspers" chant. Manhattan is blowing out Marist, 57-44, with 3:16 remaining.

With 6:05 remaining in the game, Manhattan has stormed out to a 53-42 lead. The only constant for Marist has been Ryan Schneider, who has 16 points thus far. The Red Foxes have not gotten anything going offensively all game.

*****

A Ryan Schneider-three broke Manhattan's 11-0 run. Schneider now has 10 points to go along with three rebounds. Manhattan still leads, 28-24, in the waning minutes of the half.

Marist is really running into fair trouble, as it has already entered the double-bonus with 5:59 still left to play in the first. Manhattan has taken advantage and leads, 28-19. Manhattan is on an 11-0 run coming up on halftime.

**Elsewhere in the MAAC, Kenny Hasbrouck has 13 points early against Saint Peter's and Siena has a 28-22 lead. Niagara and Iona are getting ready to tip off.

Jolicoeur is the early story tonight in Poughkeepsie. Coming off the bench, he already hit double-digits with a par of free-throws. The Marist bigmen are having trouble keeping him out of the paint. Jolicoeur has propelled Manhattan to a 19-17 lead with 7:59 left in the first half.

Reserve forward Laurence Joulicoeur has put his mark on this game early. The 6-foot-9 forward has seven points early, including a three-pointer. A Mike Taylor-three has the Red Foxes on top, 13-11, though with 10:32 left in the first half.

David Devezin checked into the game following a Marist turnover. There were doubts about his eligibility for this game, but Marist's stagnant offense may have forced Chuck Martin's hand a bit.

** The MAAC just issued a press release to the media listing the ESPNU BracketBuster match-ups. Marist will take on Hartford on Feb. 21 in the McCann Center.

Marist jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after a pair of Ryan Schneider free-throws. At the first timeout, both teams are struggling with turnovers and Marist holds a 4-2 lead. Marist is 1-of-5 shooting while Manhattan is 1-of-4. For a conference game being televised on MSG+, the crowd is surprisingly sparse.

*****

Some pregame notes. David Devezin is in uniform but not starting. He has been battling illness but could play. The game is set to start.

Jaspers to enter Foxhole

2009-02-01T21:53:00.003-05:00

In a game that will be televised on the MSG+ network, the 3-8 Marist Red Foxes will host the 5-6 Manhattan Jaspers.
Marist fell in the teams' first meeting, 73-67, in the Draddy Gymnasium. Marist has not won at Manhattan since 2000. Luckily, this game will be played in front of the Poughkeepsie faithful.
Marist hopes to have star guard David Devezin back for this match-up. He missed the last game at Fairfield due to illness. Marist jumped out to a 24-7 lead, but surrendered the lead early in the second half and ultimately lost, 68-63.
Marist has lost five straight games since blowing out MAAC power Niagara in the McCann Center on Jan. 11. Manhattan is coming off a loss against Niagara. The Purple Eagles pasted the Jaspers, 68-49, in a game that was not nearly as close as the score suggests. Niagara routinely led by 20 points for the majority of the second half before emptying its bench.
Manhattan features a spread offense with multiple scoring threats. Three players average over double-digits in scoring and guard Antoine Pearson averages 9.3 ppg. Guards Chris Smith and Darryl Crawford average 13.5 and 11.9 ppg, respectively. Senior forward Devon Austin scores 11.4 ppg.
The last meeting between these two teams proved to be a monumental one for the Red Foxes. Manhattan outrebounded Marist by 18, and Marist head coach Chuck Martin was obviously displeased. The following day, Marist had what Martin confirmed as "the hardest practice during his tenure." Marist played the last game without forward Lawrence Williams, who was suspended for violating a team rule.

Marist falls to banged-up Fairfield

2009-01-30T21:26:00.002-05:00

With a chance to get back into the MAAC race, Marist fell flat on its face. With Fairfield playing with mostly reserves, the Stags managed to earn a 68-63 win at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
Although Marist played without starting point guard David Devezin (illness), Fairfield entered the game without star guard Jonathan Han (suspension), Warren Edney (injury), and Anthony Johnson (injury). Greg Nero, hampered by a back injury, played and poured in 13 points in 25 minutes off the bench.
Marist opened up the game with an offensive onslaught and jumped out to a 24-7 lead. The 17-point lead was short-lived, however. Marist led, 35-27, at the half but Fairfield came into the second half and scored at will. Marist played catch-up for most of the second half.
Ryan Schneider led Marist in scoring with 21 points shot just 7-of-18 from the field and 4-of-15 from behind the arc. R.J. Hall, filling in for Devezin, scored 12 points.
This loss drops Marist to 3-8 in conference play and 7-16 overall.

Something has to give in Bridgeport

2009-01-28T18:17:00.002-05:00

Two teams on a downward spiral meet in Bridgeport, Conn. on Friday night in a MAAC showdown. The 5-5 Fairfield Stags play host to the 3-7 Marist Red Foxes in a game where one team has to emerge as the winner. Fairfield has lost three straight conference games while the wheels have fallen off for a Marist team that was three minutes away from upsetting undefeated Siena on Jan. 15. Marist is on a four-game slide.
Although Fairfield entered the season as a team with aspirations of making it to the NCAA tournament, injuries have derailed those hopes for now. Sophomore Warren Edney, who averages 9.7 ppg, is likely out for a month with an injured achilles while Greg Nero and Herbie Allen are also battling nagging injuries. Nero is the team's leading scorer and second-leading rebounder, but he has been plagued by back pain and was limited to just 10 minutes in the team's latest loss to Manhattan. Finally, guard Herbie Allen has an injured wrist.
Fairfield enters this game in its most vulnerable position since head coach Ed Cooley took over the program. According to an interview Cooley did with The Mirror's Tom Cleary, the team is rattled from its slide. "Our psyche is somewhat shaky," Cooley said. "We haven't played our best basketball. But I think our best basketball is ahead of us. We need to get back on the winning track."
One constant for Fairfield is preseason first-team guard Jonathan Han. The crafty lefty averages 12.5 ppg and is second in the MAAC with 5.3 apg. His match-up with David Devezin is likely to determine the winner of the game. Han flourishes while driving-and-dishing while Devezin makes his living driving to the rim and looking to score.
Marist is hard to read entering this game. The talent is obviously there, but the team has not responded after what should have been a sure win against No. 1 Siena. The Red Foxes are finding every way imaginable to lose games. Missed free-throws, listless play, and a 35-foot three-pointer to send a game into overtime are among them. After losing back-to-back games in the McCann Center, Marist needs to regroup heading into the Arena at Harbor Yard. One weapon that Marist has firing on all cylinders right now is senior captain Kaylen Gregory. The Virgin Islands native scored a career-high 23 points against Loyola and showed just how dangerous he can be. Gregory knocked down three-pointers with ease and brought the crowd to its feet with a soaring dunk through the middle of the lane. While Javon Parris has started every game this season, Gregory deserves another shot in the top five. Gregory emerged as a starter after camp but quickly lost his spot to sophomore guard Dejuan Goodwin.
Although lineups are impossible to predict for Fairfield due to injuries, Marist's starting five should look like this:

G David Devezin
G Dejuan Goodwin
G Kaylen Gregory
F Ryan Schneider
F Korey Bauer

Marist-Loyola Press Conference

2009-01-26T15:57:00.004-05:00

After Loyola's miracle comeback win over Marist, head coaches Jimmy Patsos and Chuck Martin addressed the media along with Marist forward Ryan Schneider.