Men’s Basketball Hosts Marist on Monday Night in Season Opener
Marist Red Foxes Come to Poughkeepsie to Face Marist in MAC Freedom Matchup
The Vassar College men's basketball team will open its 2022-23 season on Monday night when it hosts Marist College in a non-conference matchup at the Athletics and Fitness Center. Tip-off is set for 7 pm, and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Scouting the Red Foxes
Marist finished 12-18 overall and 8-10 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference last season. The Red Foxes return three starters from that team, including senior forward Raheim Sullivan, who led the team in scoring (14.5 points per game) and rebounding (7.0 rebounds per game).
In addition to Sullivan, Marist also returns senior guard Ricardo Wright, who averaged 12.3 points per game last season, and junior forward Isaiah Brickner, who averaged 10.8 points per game.
The Brewers Look to Bounce Back
Vassar finished 9-17 overall and 5-9 in the Liberty League last season. The Brewers lost four starters from that team, including leading scorer Jake Stephens, who averaged 19.2 points per game.
Despite the losses, Vassar returns several key players from last season's team, including senior guard Matt Lee, who averaged 11.3 points per game, and senior forward Jake Gordon, who averaged 8.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Keys to the Game
The key to the game for Vassar will be to control the tempo and limit turnovers. The Brewers are a young team with several new players, so they will need to be able to execute their offense efficiently.
Defensively, Vassar will need to be able to contain Sullivan and Wright. The two guards are Marist's leading scorers, and they can both shoot the ball well from the outside.
Prediction
This is a tough matchup for Vassar in its season opener. Marist is a more experienced team with several talented players. However, the Brewers have a few key players returning, and they will be playing at home. I expect this to be a close game, but I think Marist will ultimately pull out the win.
