Jan. 13, 2006

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

Will Whittington scored 30 points and tied a Marist school record with eight 3-pointers in an 85-77 win in front of 6,397 fans at Pepsi Arena in Albany Friday night. The Red Foxes shot 60% from the field and 58% from 3-point range. Jared Jordan and Ryan Stilphen added double-doubles for the visitors.

Marist used a 16-3 run midway through the first half to break free from a 16-16 tie and assume command of the game. Siena cut the lead to four twice in the second half, the second time with two minutes remaining on a layup by Kojo Mensah.

Mensah led five Saints in double figures with 20. It was his seventh 20-point effort of the season.

Stilphen scored eight of Marist's final 10 points to seal the outcome, including a driving layup after Mensah sliced the lead to four.

Siena had a chance to close the gap down the stretch, but uncharacteristically struggled from the free throw line. The Saints missed three chances at three-point plays and shot just 13-20 from the stripe (65%) after entering the game as the nation's 17th best free throw shooting team.

Jordan dictated the tempo all night running the point for Marist. He finished the game with 12 assists and easily controlled Siena's three-quarter court press.

It was the first loss at home for Siena, which had won three of four entering tonight. Marist picked up its first MAAC win of the season. The Red Foxes improved to 6-1 on the road.

"I was happy with our effort, but disappointed in our level of concentration," head coach Fran McCaffery said. "We knew (Marist) was a dangerous team coming in, and they are an extremely difficult team to come back on."

All five starters finished with 10 points or more for the Saints. David Ryan and Antoine Jordan scored 17 points in a losing effort.

Siena has a short break before returning to action at Manhattan Sunday afternoon.