2008 Woodie Awards
Women's basketball hits the road
Marist to take on Niagara, Canisius
Eric Zedalis
Issue date: 2/7/08 Section: Sports
The Marist women's basketball team (21-2, 11-0) faces both the western NY teams on the road this weekend.
First, the Red Foxes play at the Gallagher Center versus the Niagara Purple Eagles (5-17, 3-8) this Friday, and then head off to Buffalo to take on Canisius (10-12, 5-6).
While Niagara and Canisius are sixth and seventh in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, MAAC teams have played significantly better on their home floor when playing against Marist.
Marist's most recent game, a 79-70 win on the road against Siena on Sunday, was much closer than its 78-48 thrashing of Siena at home. The same trend applied in its two games against Loyola. The Red Foxes followed up a 61-59 win over the Greyhounds in Baltimore, Md. with an 85-59 blowout victory at the McCann Center.
In MAAC play, Marist's average margin of victory in road games is 6.4 ppg, and at home it is 26.7 ppg. MAAC teams generally seem to be more comfortable playing against Marist on their own floor, according to Marist head coach Brian Giorgis.
"When you play on the road, it's their home site and they're very used to playing there. It's your first time playing there in a year," Giorgis said.
Though both teams dropped their last two games on the road, Niagara and Canisius both beat the MAAC's number two Manhattan Jaspers and number four Saint Peter's Peahens during their last home stands. Giorgis said if the Red Foxes do not come ready to play, they too will have trouble.
"We've gotta be prepared to go up there or we could run into a buzz saw as well," Giorgis said.
According to Giorgis, one thing the Red Foxes need to be prepared for is an off-shooting night like they had this past Sunday against Siena. Marist shot just 39.6 percent from the field, but the Foxes' 10 three-pointers and Rachele Fitz's 27 points propelled them to victory.
While Marist is the best three-point shooting team in the league, Giorgis said he knows the Foxes cannot count on shooting 45 percent from three-point land every night.
"[We could fall off] at any time. Seven games ago, we weren't shooting the three that well, and all of a sudden we went from about 105 in the country to number nine in the country in three-point field goal percentage," Giorgis said. "That's why our major concern right now is our defense needs to get better, because if we have one of those off-shooting nights, we still need to be able to win."
Thus far, Giorgis said he is pleased with how the Foxes have played on the road in MAAC contests simply because they have not lost.
"Most people's formula is win all your home games and half of them on the road and you're gonna be playing for a championship. So that's what we're trying to do, and obviously we've done better that that, so, so far the formula's worked."
Fitz 1000-point watch
Heading into Friday's game at Niagara, Fitz is just 47 points shy of 1000 for her career. She averages 21.2 ppg, and her career/season high is 28 points. Fitz scored 13 points against Niagara the last time she faced the Purple Eagles back on Jan. 28, 2007 at the McCann Center. In the first Marist vs. Canisius meeting of this season on Jan. 21, she scored 20. Including the two games this weekend, Fitz has seven games left to reach 1000 career points as just a sophomore.
First, the Red Foxes play at the Gallagher Center versus the Niagara Purple Eagles (5-17, 3-8) this Friday, and then head off to Buffalo to take on Canisius (10-12, 5-6).
While Niagara and Canisius are sixth and seventh in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, MAAC teams have played significantly better on their home floor when playing against Marist.
Marist's most recent game, a 79-70 win on the road against Siena on Sunday, was much closer than its 78-48 thrashing of Siena at home. The same trend applied in its two games against Loyola. The Red Foxes followed up a 61-59 win over the Greyhounds in Baltimore, Md. with an 85-59 blowout victory at the McCann Center.
In MAAC play, Marist's average margin of victory in road games is 6.4 ppg, and at home it is 26.7 ppg. MAAC teams generally seem to be more comfortable playing against Marist on their own floor, according to Marist head coach Brian Giorgis.
"When you play on the road, it's their home site and they're very used to playing there. It's your first time playing there in a year," Giorgis said.
Though both teams dropped their last two games on the road, Niagara and Canisius both beat the MAAC's number two Manhattan Jaspers and number four Saint Peter's Peahens during their last home stands. Giorgis said if the Red Foxes do not come ready to play, they too will have trouble.
"We've gotta be prepared to go up there or we could run into a buzz saw as well," Giorgis said.
According to Giorgis, one thing the Red Foxes need to be prepared for is an off-shooting night like they had this past Sunday against Siena. Marist shot just 39.6 percent from the field, but the Foxes' 10 three-pointers and Rachele Fitz's 27 points propelled them to victory.
While Marist is the best three-point shooting team in the league, Giorgis said he knows the Foxes cannot count on shooting 45 percent from three-point land every night.
"[We could fall off] at any time. Seven games ago, we weren't shooting the three that well, and all of a sudden we went from about 105 in the country to number nine in the country in three-point field goal percentage," Giorgis said. "That's why our major concern right now is our defense needs to get better, because if we have one of those off-shooting nights, we still need to be able to win."
Thus far, Giorgis said he is pleased with how the Foxes have played on the road in MAAC contests simply because they have not lost.
"Most people's formula is win all your home games and half of them on the road and you're gonna be playing for a championship. So that's what we're trying to do, and obviously we've done better that that, so, so far the formula's worked."
Fitz 1000-point watch
Heading into Friday's game at Niagara, Fitz is just 47 points shy of 1000 for her career. She averages 21.2 ppg, and her career/season high is 28 points. Fitz scored 13 points against Niagara the last time she faced the Purple Eagles back on Jan. 28, 2007 at the McCann Center. In the first Marist vs. Canisius meeting of this season on Jan. 21, she scored 20. Including the two games this weekend, Fitz has seven games left to reach 1000 career points as just a sophomore.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Linda
posted 2/09/08 @ 8:28 AM EST
GO Red Foxes! Nice evaluation Eric!
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