Quinnipiac University
Marist
Quinnipiac Men's Basketball Rolls to 66-54 MAAC win over Marist
1/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
- Free Video Replay
- QU vs. Marist Photos and Video
HAMDEN, Conn. – The Quinnipiac men's basketball team coasted to a 66-54 victory over Marist College on Sunday afternoon, collecting its second consecutive MAAC win in the process. Ousmane Drame (Boston, Mass.) and Ayron Hutton (Virginia Beach, Va.) led the way with 15 points apiece.
Quinnipiac, now 8-7 overall and 2-4 in league play, held Marist to just 36.5 percent shooting and dominated the backboards to build a sizeable lead. Ahead by 16 at the break, Quinnipiac never relented and cruised to a comfortable win in Hamden.
Drame posted his second straight double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. This performance followed a 17-point, 10-rebound gig against Monmouth Friday night. He stayed consistent from the field, going 7-for-11, while cleaning up around the rim defensively.
Quinnipiac also got a boost from freshman guard Ayron Hutton. He finished one off his career high, totaling 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting to go along with three rebounds and three assists. He matched a career best of four threes which he had done earlier this week at Iona.
Quinnipiac dominated the first half of play, carrying a 35-19 advantage into halftime. The lead came in large part to a 13-0 run through a six minute span in which Marist went 0-for-7 from the floor and committed seven turnovers. Drame had seven points and eight rebounds in the first half.
"I was most happy with the poise we had to start the second half," said head coach Tom Moore. That's a very difficult team to play for 40 minutes because of how they run their offense. They execute very well and create a lot of open looks. That system is very hard to guard, especially for a team that plays man like we do."
Marist improved in the second half, but couldn't overcome the double-digit deficit. Quinnipiac led by 17 points for most of the second half, with Marist making a late run as time was running out. The Red Foxes hit 10 threes on 27 attempts.
Quinnipiac captain Zaid Hearst (Bethesda, Md.) finished with nine points, four rebounds and three assists. Hearst had 27 points against Monmouth, averaging 20 points and seven rebounds for the week. Kasim Chandler (Newark, N.J.) chipped in eight points and four rebounds, James Ford, Jr. (Hopewell, Va.) had six points, Chaise Daniels (Meriden, Conn.) had five, and Evan Conti (Bayside, N.Y.) and Justin Harris (Paterson, N.J.) each finished with four.
For the game, Quinnipiac shot 42.3 percent from the floor and hit 15-of-20 from the charity stripe. The Bobcats still remain among the national leaders in free-throw shooting percentage and rebounding. Quinnipiac held a 42-28 edge on the glass.
Marist, now 1-15 overall and 0-6 in league play, was led by Chavaughn Lewis who finished with 18 points. Phillip Lawrence had 11 points. Khalid Hart, the 2014 MAAC Rookie of the Year, returned for the first time in over a month. He finished with two points in 26 minutes. Marist goes to Fairfield on Jan. 16.
Quinnipiac hosts Rider in its first national home broadcast of the 2014-15 season. The Bobcats and the Broncs square off on Thursday, Jan. 15 on ESPN3. Tip-off from the TD Bank Sports Center is set for 8 p.m.
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2014-15 campaign can call the QU Ticket Office at 203-582-3905, visit the official website of Quinnipiac athletics, www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com or make a trip to the TD Bank Sports Center Ticket Office.
Quinnipiac's 'Go For 3' package is still available throughout the remainder of the 2014-15 season. The package allows fans to purchase three men's basketball tickets at a special discounted rate. The 'Go For 3' bundle is $30 for adults and $12 for children and senior citizens.
Student-athletes, parents and fans can download the QU Athletics schedules to your laptop and mobile devices for free by clicking in the iCalendar link at the bottom of each sport's homepage or the master schedule page. Please follow Quinnipiac Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@QUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates.
