Oberdorf Helps Push Marist Past Niagara

NIAGARA UNIV. – A new career-high for Claire Oberdorf and a fourteen point comeback sent the Marist Women’s Basketball team home with a 60-58 win over the Niagara Purple Eagles. Oberdorf scored 24 points on 6-for-9 shooting from deep in the Red Foxes Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory. With the win Marist moves to 7-9 overall and 4-2 in MAAC play. Niagara falls to 4-11 overall and 1-5 in conference.
Oberdorf started the game hot from three, knocking down her first three attempts to give her nine points after the first quarter. The Red Foxes continued their torrid stretch from deep in the second quarter, finishing the first half with seven made threes. Marist only had two other field goals that weren’t from deep in the first half, shooting 9-for-30 from the field.
Niagara came out firing in the new half and rattled off an 8-0 run to start the third quarter. A triple from Hannah Hand broke the run as the Red Foxes trailed 37-29 with just over five minutes to go. Undeterred, the Purple Eagles rattled off another 6-0 run to take a 43-29 lead, their largest lead of the game.
An 11-2 Red Foxes run capped off by a three from the wing by Oberdorf cut the deficit down to single-digits with less than a minute to go in the third. The Red Foxes headed to the fourth down eight, 48-40.
With just under five minutes left in the game a kick out from Henningsdottir found Hannah Hand in the corner. Hand drilled the shot and pulled Marist back to within four, 52-48.
On the ensuing possession the Red Foxes found a cutting Maura Fitzpatrick who laid it up and in and cut the deficit down to two. Another strong take from Fitzpatrick would take the lead for Marist with under two to go. Niagara answered back with a triple by Morgan Baughman before Oberdorf, as she had done all-game up to that point, found herself in the corner for another three and the lead with little over one minute remaining.
Marist foul shots and another Baughman three-pointer tied the game at 58-58 with less than 15 seconds to go.
With the Red Foxes looking for the final shot of the game, Oberdorf was fouled heading to the basket. Oberdorf sunk both, giving the Red Foxes the lead for good. A buzzer-beating attempt from Victoria Rampado as time expired was reviewed but ruled no-good.
Marist will head home for more conference play as they take on Rider, Thursday, January 12 at McCann Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.