POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Marist men’s basketball team lost a 40-minute battle with Stony Brook, the defending regular season champions of the America Conference, in the squad’s season opener on Friday evening at home. A tight game throughout, the contest was never more than two possessions apart over the final 16 minutes of the second half. Junior Jay Bowie (Tampa, Fla.) led a group of four Red Foxes in double figures with 16 points. Classmate Adam Kemp (Sherrill, N.Y.) was close behind with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds.
The Seawolves, a squad that won 22 games and participated in the postseason NIT Tournament last season, jumped out to an early 4-0 lead over the host Red Foxes. Strong defending by both teams would keep the game close, but Stony Brook managed to hold the advantage on the scoreboard for the entire first half.
With the game within one at 15-14 at 6:02, the Seawolves would garner their largest lead on the strength of a 17-6 run over the next 3:52.
Unfazed, sophomore point guard T.J. Curry (Brooklyn, N.Y.) settled down his squad and assisted on back-to-back possessions; a three-pointer by Bowie and a dunk by Kemp to bring Marist ti within seven at the break, 32-25.
At the half, Marist was outshooting Stony Brook, 39.3 to 33.3, though the Seawolves had advantages in made three-point baskets at five to three and in free throws five to zero. Kemp was the Red Foxes’ leading scorer with eight points.
Coming out after the break, Stony Brook got its lead back to double-digits at 38-28 by the 17:07 mark with back-to-back baskets down low.
Over the next 5:08, the Red Foxes would go on a 12-2 run to even the game up at 40-40. Bowie led the well-rounded attack as four Marist players registered points during the streak. The junior forward scored five points with a three-point basket and a fast-break lay-up. Crisp ball-movement was key during Marist’s comeback as four of the team’s five baskets had assists.
After a bit of shot-for-shot basketball, Stony Brook broke away with a six point lead at 50-44 at the 7:03 mark of the second half.
An 8-1 Red Fox run would give the home team its first lead of the contest after sophomore Chavaughn Lewis (Bronx, N.Y.) wrestled down a rebound and calmly turned around and sank a jump to give Marist the 52-51 advantage with 3:57 left in regulation.
Unfortunately for Marist and the loud, boisterous Marist crowd, seven points by Stony Brook’s Dave Coley would be the dagger down the stretch, as the junior guard converted all four of his free throw attempts, as well as a three-pointer.
A three-point basket by senior Devin Price (Inglewood, Calif.) made the game 58-57 with 48 seconds, but that would be the final make for the Red Foxes as they would fall by a final score of 60-57.
For the game, Marist outshot Stony Brook from the field 35.9 (23-64) to 35.7 (20-56), as well as from three-point range 33.3 (7-21) to 30.0 (6-20), though the Seawolves held an advantage at the foul line 73.7 (14-19) to 57.1 (4-7).
Bowie led a quartet of double-figure scorers as he registered 16 points on 7-9 shooting; 2-3 from three-point range. He finished with seven rebounds.
Other double-figure scorers included Kemp (12 points, 12 rebounds), Price (10 points, two three-pointers) and Lewis (10 points, two three-pointers).
In his first collegiate start, Curry finished with seven points, while dishing out eight assists and picking up three steals.
The Red Foxes will next be in action on the road as they travel to Hamilton, N.Y. to matchup with the Colgate Raiders. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
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