2002-2003 Archives

MARSHALL EARNS POSTSEASON ACCOLADES

March 27, 2003 - Aaron Marshall was rewarded for his outstanding season on the basketball court by the ECAC on Wednesday, earning a spot on the ECAC Division III Upstate All-Star Second Team.

Marshall was also recently selected to D3hoops.com’s First-Team All East Region. A sophomore forward from Buffalo, NY, he set the school record for field goal percentage in a season, hitting over 67% of his shots from the field. His 483 points are more than any player has ever scored in a single season in the six-year tenure of head coach Chris Downs.

The men’s basketball team finished the season with a 17-10 record and advanced to the ECAC Upstate Tournament semifinals for the third consecutive year.

SAINT SEASON ENDS WITH 82-75 LOSS TO NAZARETH IN ECAC SEMI'S

March 8, 2003 - The St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team finished the 2002-03 season with a loss to top seed Nazareth, 85-72, in the ECAC Upstate tournament semifinals.

The Saints, the No. 4 team in the tournament, beat Potsdam 85-80 to advance to the championship round.

Aaron Marshall capped an outstanding season with a 17-point, seven rebound performance. Marshall went 7-for-13 from the field, and finishes his sophomore season 67.5% from the field, shattering the St. Lawrence record for field goal percentage, set by Drew Skonberg in the 1978-79 season.

Ronan McGarrity added 17 points for the Saints, who finish the season 17-10. Nick Laettner added 11 points.

Jimmy Evans led Nazareth with 24 points, and Lawrence Maroney added 19 points and 10 rebounds.

SAINTS COME BACK TO BEAT BEARS, WILL FACE NAZARETH IN ECAC'S

March 5, 2003 - St. Lawrence University’s men’s basketball team went 16-for-25 from the field and held Potsdam to just over 35% shooting to come from behind to beat the Bears 85-80 in the ECAC Upstate Tournament quarterfinals in Burkman Gymnasium on Wednesday night.

Aaron Marshall, who in all likelihood will break Drew Skonberg’s 24-year old record for field goal percentage in a season, went 9-for-14 from the field to score 23 points. Two of those points came on a thundering dunk with just 31.5 seconds to play to give the Saints a five-point lead.

While Marshall was called for a technical foul for hanging on the rim, the Saints were able to hold on for the final seconds to beat Potsdam for the second time this season.

The Saints will play No. 1 seed Nazareth, a 74-70 winner over Brockport, in the semifinals at Nazareth this Saturday.

St. Lawrence trailed Potsdam 51-44 after the first half as the Bear shooters were on fire, hitting over 56% of their shots in the first half. Jim Connelly scored 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting, and Russell Johnson scored 15 points, including a 9-for-11 performance from the free throw line.

But the Saints had a hot free throw shooter of their own, as Ahmad Toussaint went 8-for-8 from the line in the first half to keep the Saints close.

Potsdam held their lead in the early minutes of the second half, but the Saints went on an 11-0 run halfway through the period to take their first lead. Ronan McGarrity hit a 3-pointer to cap the run and give the Saints a 66-64 lead.

The lead changed hands a few times, as Potsdam’s Jeff Brady hit a pair of 3-pointers to push Potsdam back to a 74-72 lead.

But Jimmy White’s layup on a feed by Nick Laettner gave St. Lawrence a 78-77 lead 3:51 to play, a lead they held for the remainder of the game. Marshall capped the game by hitting his next three shots, including the dunk with 31.5 to play.

Toussaint and White both finished with 14 points, with Toussiant finished 10-for-12 from the line. Dave Hannah added 11 points for the Saints, while Laettner scored 10 points and had four assists.

Johnson led Potsdam with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Brady scored 16, Junior Clayton added 15, and Jim Connelly scored 13 for the Bears.

The Saints improve to 17-9 on the season, while Potsdam finishes at 18-9.

SAINTS WILL HOST POTSDAM IN ECAC UPSTATE QUARTERFINALS

March 3, 2003 - The St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team will get a chance to defend their ECAC Upstate Tournament title this week.

The seeds for the tournament were announced on Monday afternoon, and St. Lawrence earned the No. 4 seed and will host No. 5 Potsdam in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Burkman Gynasium. The winner of the game will travel to the highest remaining seed for the semifinal and final rounds.

The Saints beat Potsdam 82-75 in Maxcy Hall during the regular season.

2003 ECAC Division III Men's Upstate Basketball Championship

First Round - Wednesday, March 5
No. 8 Brockport (16-11) at No. 1 Nazareth (20-5), 7 p.m.
No. 7 SUNYIT (17-9) at No. 2 RIT (17-8), 7 p.m.
No. 6 Oswego (16-10) at No. 3 Union (16-11), 7 p.m.
No. 5 Potsdam (18-8) at No. 4 St. Lawrence (16-9) 7p.m.

Semifinals - Saturday, March 8 at highest remaining seed
No. 1 Nazareth/No. 8 Brockport vs. No. 4 St. Lawrence/No. 5 Potsdam, TBA
No. 2 RIT/No. 7 SUNYIT vs. No. 3 Union/No. 6 Oswego, TBA

Championship Game - Sunday, March 9 at site of semifinals
Two Semifinal Winners, 2 p.m.

SAINTS STOPPED BY LAST SECOND UNION TRIFECTA

February 28, 2003 - Union sophomore Devon Bruce made his return to the starting lineup a meaningful one as he hit a three-point basket as the shot clock expired to rally the Dutchmen past St. Lawrence, 52-50, in a semi-final game of the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association's championship tournament. The Dutchmen have a chance to defend their 2001-02 tournament title on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Hamilton.

Trailing by 13 at the half, 26-13, the Dutchmen pulled to within one, 50-49 on Ryan Freundlich's layup off Chris Murphy's missed three-point attempt with 1:24 left to play. Nick Laetttner missed a three-point shot for the Saints with 50 seconds remaining with Murphy getting the rebound. Then, with 12 seconds showing in the game, and one second left on the shot clock, Bruce connected on his second three-point field goal of the game as the Dutchmen took their only lead of the contest.
Seventh-year head coach Bob Montana picked up his 100th career victory, all at Union, when Ahmad Toussaint's jumper was blocked by Ron VanValkenburgh as time expired.

Union's win was an exact opposite of a loss the Dutchmen suffered at the hands of the Saints in Canton earlier in the year. In that game, Union held a 10-point advantage with 3:20 left to play only to see St. Lawrence come away with a 73-71 victory; the Saints only lead of the second half.

Aaron Marshall finished with 13 points and seven rebounds for the Saints while Dave Hannah contributed 11 points and seven boards in the final game of his career.

Senior guard Phil Henry scored all 14 of his points for Union (16-10) in the second half while freshman John Cangianello, who was voted the league's "Rookie of the Year," pulled down six of his eight rebounds. Cagianello finished with 10 points. Bruce, who missed the final three-games of the regular-season with lower back pain, finished with a game-highs in points (16) and rebounds (9).

The Saints outrebounded the Dutchmen by a two-to-one margin, 26-13. Union struggled with a 5-for-26 shooting performance in the first half, but the final 20 minutes saw the Dutchmen connect on 15 of their 32 field goal attempts while knocking down six of their 15 three-point field goals.

The St. Lawrence Men's Basketball Team finishes the year posting an overall record of 16-9 and a league record of 9-6.

SAINTS BEAT SKIDMORE, CLAIM THIRD SEED IN UCAA TOURNEY

February 22, 2003 - The St. Lawrence University men’s basketball team earned the No. 3 seed in next weekend’s Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament with a 75-59 win over Skidmore in Saratoga today.

Aaron Marshall led the Saints with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Ahmad Toussaint scored 18 points and added five steals and seven rebounds, while Dave Hannah scored 17 points. The trio took 39 of the Saints 59 shots, going a combined 22-for-39 from the field.

St. Lawrence held an 11-point halftime by holding the Thoroughbreds to under 32% shooting. Cortlandt Toczylowski led Skidmore with 18 points, and J.P. Corry added 11 points.

St. Lawrence finishes the regular season 16-8 overall, 9-5 in the UCAA. Skidmore fell to 12-12, 5-9.

The Saints will face Union in the UCAA Tournament semifinals. The tournament will be held at top-seeded Hamilton. St. Lawrence split their games with both teams this season, winning at home but losing on the road.

EIGHT-GAME WIN STREAK ENDS AT UNION

February 21, 2003 - The men’s basketball team’s hopes of hosting the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament ended on Friday night with a 81-60 loss to Union in Schenectady, NY.

The loss snaps an eight-game winning streak and drops the Saints two games behind Hamilton in the UCAA standings with just one game remaining. The Saints will make the UCAA Tournament as either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed depending on the outcome of tomorrow’s games.

Union’s shooters were hot the entire game, making over 58% of their shots from the field. John Cagianello led the Dutchmen with 20 points, while Ryan Freundlich added 13 points. Phil Henry scored 11 points, and Brian Scordato added 10.

Aaron Marshall and Ahmad Toussaint each scored 10 points to lead St. Lawrence.

The Saints, now 15-8 overall, 8-5 UCAA, will face Skidmore in Saratoga, NY, on Saturday afternoon to conclude the regular season.

SAINTS MAKE HOBART EIGHTH STRAIGHT VICTIM

February 15, 2003 - Joe Corbett poured in a game-high 27 points and 18 rebounds for Hobart, but it was not enough as St. Lawrence clipped the Statesmen 68-64 in men's basketball action Saturday afternoon. The Saints enter into an eight-game winning streak, currently posting a 15-7 overall record and 8-4 league status. Hobart evens out its conference record at 6-6 and drops to 9-13 on the season.

After a sluggish start, Aaron Marshall scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half to lead the Saints. Nick Laettner contributed 12 points, three assists, and three steals. Ahmad Toussaint also netted 10 points, while dishing out three assists and hauling down a team-high nine rebounds for St. Lawrence. Ronan McGarrity came off the bench to chip in 10 points.

For the Statesmen, Davidek Herron tallied eight boards and connected on 8-of-13 en route to 18 points in the effort.

Poor free throw shooting plagued both squads as St. Lawrence finished at 60 percent and Hobart posted a final percentage of 52 percent. Rebounding was fairly even with the Statesmen grabbing 40 boards to the Saints' 39, but Hobart turned the ball over 16 times compared to St. Lawrence's 10 mistakes.

The Saints held a 39-28 advantage at halftime.

St. Lawrence finishes the regular season with a couple of games on the road against Union and Skidmore on Friday, February 21st and Saturday, February 22nd. Those contests will commence at 6:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively.

DOWNS GETS 100th WIN AGAINST #1 HAMILTON

February 14, 2003 - Four of five starters scored in double figures tonight as Saints Head Coach Chris Downs marked his 100th win with a 78-75 upset over top-ranked Hamilton. St. Lawrence is now on an impressive seven-game winning streak that has moved the team into third place in the UCAA at 14-7 overall, 7-4 in the league. The Continentals fall to 8-3 in the conference and 15-5 on the season.

St. Lawrence forward Aaron Marshall led all scorers with his 22-point performance, on 10-for-16 shooting, while also tearing down eight rebounds. Marshall is currently leading the league in field goal shooting percentage at 70 percent. Senior guard Dave Hannah had 19 points, including three trifectas. He nailed 6-of-10 from the floor and connected on 4-of-4 at the line. Sophomore guard Jimmy White threw in 15 points and grabbed six boards, while junior guard Nick Laettner poured in 12 points and dished out six assists for the Saints.

Pacing the Continentals was Joe Smith who ripped down a game-high 10 rebounds to compliment his 16 points in the game. Joe Finley hit 9-of-10 field goals to capture top scoring honors with 19 points. Kevin Yanni went 4-for-8 from behind the arc to contribute 18 points, while teammate Greg Leone also tallied 18 including a 6-for-6 effort at the free throw line.

The Saints held the scoring edge for seven minutes in the beginning of the second half, but a jumper by Smith put Hamilton ahead by one at the 12-minute mark. The two teams exchanged leads several times until the Saints tied the game at 67 with five minutes to go. The Continentals fought back to within one with 34 seconds remaining, but a couple of free throws by Laettner and Ahmad Toussaint placed the Saints in front 78-75 as time ticked off the clock.

It was a close game from the tip-off, tied at 2 just over a minute into the contest. The Saints and Continentals battled to six ties in the first period with the sixth one coming at the close of the half, 36-36.

The Saints will host Hobart at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 15th.

SAINTS BEAT CLARKSON IN FINAL THREE MINUTES THANKS TO TOUSSAINT

February 11, 2003 - Trailing by three points with 2:35 to play, Ahmad Toussaint took control and scored seven of St. Lawrence’s final nine points to lead the Saints men’s basketball team to a 76-71 win over Clarkson in an Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association game in Burkman Gymnasium on Tuesday night.

The win, St. Lawrence’s sixth in a row, keeps the team in a tie for third in the UCAA standings with Hobart, a 103-101 double overtime winner over UCAA leader Hamilton. Both teams will visit Burkman Gymnasium this weekend.

Toussaint, who found himself in foul trouble throughout the game, had scored just four points in 13 minutes when he hit a 3-point shot to tie the game with 2:21 remaining. After missing a shot on their following possession, St. Lawrence’s Jimmy White stole the ball and hit a jump shot to give the Saints a 72-70 lead.

Nick Laettner had a steal in Clarkson’s next possession, and Toussaint went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final 30 seconds of the game to ice the game.

White led all scorers with a career high 18 points, going 8-for-11 from the field. Ronan McGarrity added 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting, and Aaron Marshall scored 12 points for the Saints. Toussaint finished with 11 points for the Saints, an honorable mention team in the most recent East Region rankings.

St. Lawrence tied a season high with 13 steals. The Saints had just 10 turnovers compared to 18 for the Golden Knights.

Kevin Williams and Russ Vitallo each scored 17 points for Clarkson, while Josh Harner added 13 points.

The Saints improved to 13-7 overall, 6-4 in UCAA games, while Clarkson fell to 9-12, 4-6. St. Lawrence faces Hamilton and Hobart this weekend for their final home games of the season.

SAINTS RETURN HOME ON FIVE-GAME WINNING STREAK

February 8, 2003 - Sophomore forward Aaron Marshall scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead St. Lawrence past Vassar, 86-76 in men's hoops Saturday afternoon. The Saints (12-7, 5-4) currently hold a five-game winning streak with only five games remaining in the regular season.

A balanced scoring attack staked the Brewers (5-14, 0-9) to a 34-30 halftime lead. However, the Saints' strong inside play was a factor as the game wore on. St. Lawrence outscored Vassar 28-16 in the paint during a second-half surge that put the game away. The Saints also grabbed a total of 45 rebounds while the Brewer squad managed 39.

Sophomore guard Jimmy White scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half and grabbed nine rebounds for St. Lawrence. Senior Dave Hannah netted 12 points while teammate Nick Laettner contributed 10.

Five Brewers finished the game in double figures, led by senior guard Brian Snodgrass who had 18 points and six rebounds. Also chipping in were Jud Winton with 15 points and five rebounds, Seth Taft with 15 points, Matt Parker with 11 points and seven rebounds, and finally Dan Trigub with 11 points and ten boards.

Catch the St. Lawrence Men's Basketball team in action at home on Tuesday, February 11th against the Golden Knights of Clarkson at 7:00 pm.

SAINTS ERASE 17-POINT DEFICIT TO EDGE RPI IN OVERTIME

February 7, 2003 - Junior Ahmad Toussaint netted a career high 27 points and ripped down seven rebounds as the Saints erased a 17-point deficit early in the second half and went on to defeat Rensselaer 92-89 in overtime Friday night. St. Lawrence and RPI both even out their league records at 4-4 but the Saints improve to 11-9 overall while the Red Hawks drop to 10-9 on the season.

Ronan McGarrity came off the bench to score 13 points for St. Lawrence, shooting 5-for-8 from the field and 2-for-2 at the line. Aaron Marshall knocked down 6-of-7 to finish with 12 points, while teammate Jimmy White contributed 10 points in the win.

Jared Hite led the Red Hawks as he poured in 22 points and grabbed six boards in the effort. Also in double figures for RPI were John Van Schaick with 19, Tom Schneider with 16, Kevin Moore with 13, and Paris Moore following closely behind with 12 points.

The Red Hawks shot better overall, making 58 percent of their field goal attempts and connecting on 70 percent of their free throws to the Saints' 56 percent at the line. RPI scored 54 points in the paint while St. Lawrence only managed 36, but the Saints commanded the boards 36-25.

RPI took a 43-32 advantage at the half, but St. Lawrence would battle back from a 17-point deficit in the second half to push the game into overtime. The Saints outscored RPI 13-10 in the extra period.

The Saints will face UCAA opponent Vassar on Saturday, February 8th at 2:00 pm.

ST. LAWRENCE HOLDS OFF SUNY POTSDAM

February 4, 2003 - Ahmad Toussaint went 10-for-13 to score 23 points and lead the Saints to an 82-75 win over SUNY Potsdam at Jerry Welsh Gymnasium Tuesday night. With the non-league victory, St. Lawrence improves to 10-7 on the season. The Bears, who previously held an eight-game winning streak, now fall to 14-4 overall.

Senior Dave Hannah tallied 17 points, including a 4-for-5 effort at the free throw line. Aaron Marshall added 13 points and topped the St. Lawrence rebounders with seven boards. Nick Laettner added 11 points while handing out four assists in the contest.

Christian Turner connected on 6-of-8 to finish with 18 points and nine rebounds for Potsdam, while teammate Jeff Brady chipped in 17 points. Junior Clayton had 11 as the Bears' third double-digit scorer.

St. Lawrence led at the half, 44-41.

The Saints will be on the road this weekend, February 7th and 8th, as they challenge UCAA opponents Rensselaer and Vassar.

HANNAH HITS LAST SECOND FREE THROWS TO CLINCH 73-71 WIN

February 1 , 2003 - Senior Dave Hannah showed determination and composure as he stepped to the line and nailed one final free throw to seal the 73-71 St. Lawrence victory over Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association opponent Union College in men's basketball this afternoon. Hannah scored 20 points in the win, shooting 8-for-9 at the charity stripe. The Saints are now on a two-game winning streak as they improve to 9-7 overall and 3-4 in league play. Union picks up its second conference loss and slides to 5-2 in the UCAA and 10-7 on the season.

St. Lawrence erased a 10-point deficit in the final minutes with a 9-0 run that was capped off by a three-pointer from Kevin Eberz, making the score 71-70 in favor of Union with just over a minute to go in the game. As time ticked off the clock, a foul by Imbrie Packard sent Saints guard Dave Hannah to the line for two shots. With ice running through his veins, Hannah calmly sank both attempts to give his team a 72-71 lead with :34 remaining. Twenty seconds later, Hannah found success once again at the free throw line and the Saints went up 73-71. A desperate Union squad raced down the court and moved the ball to John Cagianello, but the three-point attempt was off the mark and the Dutchmen could only watch as the Saints celebrated the win.

In the first half, the Saints had difficulty penetrating a tough Union defense. St. Lawrence was scoreless until 17:23 when a jumper by Jimmy White put the Saints in the game for the first time. The Dutchmen hit six three-pointers in the first half and headed into the break with a 41-35 edge.

Sophomore Aaron Marshall led all scorers with 25 points as he connected on 9-of-11 from the field and 7-of-12 at the line. With a 72 percent field goal shooting percentage, Marshall is currently ranked second in the NCAA. Classmate Jimmy White, who has only started three games this season, worked for a career-high 11 points this afternoon. Junior guard Ahmad Toussaint came off the bench to dish out a game-high seven assists and chip in seven points.

The Dutchmen had three players in double figures. Phil Henry tallied a team-high 19 points, while Devon Bruce and John Cagianello added 13 and 10 points respectively.

Union out rebounded St. Lawrence 32-30 and also held a better shooting percentage from the floor and the free throw line.

The Saints bounce back into action on Tuesday, February 4th as they travel to Potsdam for a non-league battle with the Bears at 8:00 p.m.

SAINTS TAME THOROUGHBREDS OF SKIDMORE 90-79

January 31, 2003 - Sophomore Aaron Marshall tied his career high with 28 points, on 12-of-13 shooting, to help St. Lawrence upset Skidmore 90-79 in men's basketball action Friday night. With the win, the Saints improve to 2-4 in the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Conference and work their way to 8-7 on the season. Skidmore evens out at 3-3 in the league and now holds an overall record of 9-6.

The Saints jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first two minutes of play, but Skidmore's Cortlandt Toczylowski connected on a lay-up to tie the contest, 7-7, at 15:51. St. Lawrence promptly reestablished its lead and would maintain the scoring advantage for the remainder of the game. The Thoroughbreds fell behind by as many as 15 points in the first half and trailed 45-32 heading into the locker room.

St. Lawrence used consistent outside shooting, 57% from the field and 47% from behind the arc, to increase the scoring margin to 19 points three minutes into the second half. Skidmore bounced back to within nine points on five occasions, but every time, the Saints managed to stave off a lead change. St. Lawrence was ahead 90-74 entering the final minute, but a three-pointer by Keith Ganzenmuller and a bucket by Lucas Murray pulled the Thoroughbreds within eleven for a final score of 90-79.

For the Saints, senior guard Dave Hannah had 17 points, shooting 7-for-15, and junior Ahmad Toussaint chipped in 14 points and a game-high nine assists.

Freshman Cortlandt Toczylowski paced Skidmore and led all scorers with 29 points, hitting 9-of-12 from the floor and 11-of-14 at the charity stripe. Teammates JP Corry and Brendan Flynn contributed 11 and 10 points respectively, while Fran Murray ripped down a game-high 10 rebounds and dished out seven assists.

The St. Lawrence Men's Basketball Team will face Union in a UCAA contest at home on Saturday, February 1st at 2:00 p.m.

CLARKSON SECOND HALF RUN STUNS SAINTS

January 28, 2003 - Junior guard Josh Harner scored a game-high 22 points on 9-for-18 shooting to help lead a second-half charge for the Clarkson University Men’s Basketball team as they defeated St. Lawrence 59-56 in an Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association (UCAA) league match up Tuesday night.

In the first half, the Saints raced out to a 12-5 lead in the first five and a half minutes, but the Golden Knights cut the advantage to two points and then took the lead at 5:47 with a Kevin Williams lay up to make the score 19-18 for their first lead in 13 minutes. The lead lasted for just one minute as St. Lawrence came back to take a four-point advantage. The two teams exchanged baskets for the final four minutes and the Saints took a 29-25 lead into the locker room.

The Golden Knights, who improved to 7-9 overall and 2-3 in the UCAA, were down by 10 points just two minutes into the second half, but crawled back to within one point at the 9:28 mark and took the lead at the 7:51 mark. St. Lawrence rallied back to take a one-point advantage with two minutes remaining, but Clarkson’s Russ Vitallo made a lay up at the 1:35 mark as the Golden Knights took the lead for good.

Aaron Marshall led St. Lawrence, which fell to 7-7 overall and 1-4 in the UCAA, shot 8-for-9 from the floor and scored a team-high 16 points. Nick Laettner added 11 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and four blocks for the Saints. St. Lawrence, which averages over 75 points per contest, was held to 56 points in the game, their second-lowest output of the season.

Sophomore guard Matt Decker scored 13 points, added five assists and made four steals for Clarkson. Vitallo added seven points, a team-high six rebounds, and a career-high five blocks for the Golden Knights.

Catch the Saints in action against UCAA opponent Skidmore on Friday, January 31 at 6:00 p.m.

SCORING DUEL PROVES FATAL FOR SAINTS

January 25, 2003 - Saints scoring leader Aaron Marshall poured in a career-high 28 points, making 12-of-13 shots from the field, but it was not enough to hold off the Red Hawks of Rensselaer (9-7, 3-2) who came away with an 80-74 win in men's basketball Saturday afternoon.

Pacing the Red Hawks was sophomore John Van Schaick as he pumped in a team-high 24 points, 21 of which came from behind the three-point arc. Paris Moore and Kevin Moore each added 15 points and combined for a total of 10 assists on the night. Jared Hite and Tom Schneider chipped in 12 and 10 points respectively with eight rebounds apiece.

Aaron Marshall led all scorers with his 28 points, while Dave Hannah shot perfectly from the free throw line (4-4) on his way to 16 points. Teammate Nick Laettner tied his career-high of nine assists and contributed 15 points in the loss.

The first period was a sophomore scoring duel as Saints forward Aaron Marshall worked for 24 points in the paint, while Rensselaer's Van Schaick lit up the court with seven three-pointers en route to his own 24 points in the half. The Red Hawks controlled the first five minutes of play, but Marshall laid the ball in at 14:16 to give the Saints the lead and spark a commanding 13-0 run in which he scored nine. Van Schaick drained five trifectas in the next seven minutes to put Rensselaer in front 36-33 with 3:52 to go. The Saints were down by only two when Keith Sullivan connected from behind the arc, putting St. Lawrence ahead 43-42 at the break.

St. Lawrence (7-6, 1-3) built its lead to eight points five minutes into the second half. Red Hawk Tom Schneider made a bucket to pirate the lead at 6:26, and just three minutes later Dave Hannah hit a three-point shot to move the Saints within one, 71-70. Kevin Moore and Jared Hite threw in a couple of baskets to lift Rensselaer to a 75-70 lead with 2:16 remaining. Hannah brought St. Lawrence within three on a jumper from the corner, but the Saints were forced to foul, setting up the Red Hawks for an opportunity at the line with only :25 left. Moore connected on the front end of a one-and-one to give Rensselaer a 78-74 advantage. Toussaint's three-point attempt at :17 was in vain as the Red Hawks quickly grabbed the rebound and moved the ball to Moore who slammed home a dunk to close out the 80-74 win.

The Saints travel down the road to Clarkson on Tuesday, January 28th for a UCAA contest that will begin at 7:00 p.m.

SAINTS PICK UP FIRST LEAGUE WIN

January 24, 2003 - Sophomore Aaron Marshall championed the Saints to a 77-56 win over Vassar in men’s basketball Friday evening as he shot 10 for 13 on his way to a game-high 20 points. With the loss, Vassar drops to 3-9 overall and 0-4 in the UCAA. St. Lawrence picks up its first league win improving to 1-2 in the UCAA and 7-5 on the season.

The Saints ripped through Vassar’s defense in the second half, embarking on a 10-3 run to open the period. The Brewers would battle back to within seven points at 13:14, but St. Lawrence steadily increased the scoring margin to lead by as much as 24 points as the final minute ticked off the clock.

Although St. Lawrence was first to find the bottom of the net, the lead changed hands eight times in the first five minutes of the game. Vassar’s Matt Williams nailed one of his four three-pointers in the first half at 10:59 to put his team in front by six, the biggest lead the Brewers could muster all night. Senior Dave Hannah sank a free throw to tie the game at 30 with a minute to go in the half. He then drained a trifecta with 30 seconds remaining to give the Saints a 33-30 edge at the break.

Senior forward J.J. DeMarco poured in 15 points, hitting 7-of-8 on the night, and grabbed seven rebounds for the Saints. Classmate Dave Hannah played with heart this evening as he dove to save a ball at 9:06 and a minute later scrambled after a loose ball to pick up a rebound for the Saints. He chipped in 14 points and five boards in the game.

Matt Williams was the only Brewer in double figures with 19 points, 12 of which came from behind the three-point arc.

The Saint squad shot 53 percent from the floor and an impressive 80 percent from the charity stripe, while the Brewers managed 79 percent shooting at the free throw line but only 32 percent from the field. St. Lawrence out rebounded Vassar 38-29.

St. Lawrence will defend the home court against Rensselaer on Saturday, January 25 at 2:00 p.m.

HAMILTON PUTS SAINTS AWAY WITH DEFENSIVE SECOND HALF

January 18, 2003 - Leading by just one point at halftime, Hamilton turned up the defensive pressure against St. Lawrence, halving the Saints shooting percentage to beat Saints 84-67 in an Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association men's basketball game in Clinton, N.Y., on Saturday afternoon.

Five players scored in double figures for the Continentals, with Kevin Yanni and Joe Finley leading the way with 17 points apeice. Greg Leone added 16 points, Joe Smith had 15 and Staunton Peck scored 10. Smith (13) and Finley (12) also recorded double-doubles in rebounds, as the Saints were outrebounded 45-36.

Aaron Marshall to his hot shooting for St. Lawrence, going 9-for-12 from the field to lead the team with 21 points. Marshall is shooting nearly 66% from the field this season.

Ahmad Toussaint added 16 points, six assists and four steals for the Saints, while Dave Hannah scored 12 points.

The Saints return home for a weekend UCAA series with Vassar and Rensselaer this weekend.

HOBART TOO MUCH AS SAINTS OPEN UCAA PLAY WITH LOSS

January 17, 2003 - Four players scored in double figures and Hobart outrebounded St. Lawrence 36-24 to beat the Saints 79-66 in a men's basketball game in Geneva on Friday night.

The Statesmen held a six-point lead at halftime, and though St. Lawrence cut the lead to three early in the second, Hobart went on a 16-7 run and held their lead for the remainder of the game.

Aaron Marshall led the Saints with 14 points and 10 rebounds, his third double-double of the season. Nick Laettner added 10 points for the Saints, who had 13 first half turnovers.

Brad Strait led Hobart with 19 points, shooting 5-for-8 from behind the 3-point arc. Colby Feane added 18 points, and Joe Corbett had 17 points for the Statesment. Davidek Herron scored 12 points for Hobart.

The Saints, now 6-4 overall, 0-1 UCAA will face Hamilton on Saturday at 2 p.m. Hobart is now 3-7, 1-0.

MARSHALL LEADS SAINTS TO 79-60 VICTORY OVER PLATTSBURGH

January 14, 2003 - Sophomore Aaron Marshall poured in a game high 21 points, shooting 9-11 from the field, to secure a 79-60 win for the Saints as they battled Plattsburgh State at home Tuesday night.

Two minutes into the first half, Marshall threw down a dunk on a pass from J.J. DeMarco to complete an opening 8-0 run by St. Lawrence. The Saints continued to make their presence known on the court as they then went on a crushing 14-2 run, putting the Cardinals behind by 20 points half way through the first period. St. Lawrence was ahead 38-23 at the break.

The scoring margin hovered around a 20-point spread for much of the second half, and the Saints used consistent shooting from the field (53%) to finish on top at the final buzzer. St. Lawrence out rebounded Plattsburgh 38-24.

For the Cardinals, Brad Manor connected on 5-5 from the floor to lead his team with 10 points, while teammate Nate Bilow netted 9 points.

Kevin Eberz helped the Saints with 12 points, knocking down four trifectas in seven attempts from behind the arc. Showing an all around team effort, every St. Lawrence player appeared on the scoreboard in the win.

With the loss, Plattsburgh State falls to 3-7 on the season. St. Lawrence, now 6-3 overall, begins a two-game winning streak heading into a league match up with Hobart on Friday, January 17 at 6:00 p.m.

LAST MINUTE FREE THROWS CRUCIAL AS SAINTS DROP OSWEGO 85-81

January 8, 2003 - The St. Lawrence men's basketball team capped off its brief road series with an 85-81 victory over Oswego State on Wednesday night. With the win, the Saints improve to 5-3 on the season, while the Lakers drop their second straight game and slide to 5-3 overall.

Oswego State led by as many as 11 in the second half with 10:31 remaining. The Lakers maintained the lead into the final minute of play when Nick Laettner sank a pair of free throws to put St. Lawrence in front 82-81. After Ahmad Toussaint added two more foul shots for the Saints with 33 seconds left, Oswego had a chance to pull even in the final seconds, but Laker Michael O'Steen missed from long range. The Saints closed out the game as Laettner added another free throw making the final 85-81.

Nick Laettner led the Saints with 25 points on 9-13 shooting, while chipping in nine rebounds and dishing out four assists. Aaron Marshall pulled off a double-double, scoring 16 points and hauling down an impressive 13 boards on the night. Jimmy White and Dave Hannah also helped the Saints adding ten points apiece.

St. Lawrence shot 43 percent from the field and 74 percent from the charity stripe, while outrebounding Oswego 54-33.

The Lakers had two players in double digits as Michael O'Steen went 10-20 for a game high 28 points and Dave Ponza tallied 27 points.

The Saints men's basketball team returns Tuesday, January 14th to defend the home court in a match-up with Plattsburgh beginning at 8 p.m.

BROCKPORT TIPS SAINTS 96-89

January 7, 2003 - St. Lawrence senior Dave Hannah's team-high 18 points and nine rebounds were not enough to stave off the Golden Eagles of Brockport who escaped with a 96-89 victory in their home opener Tuesday night.

Brockport improves to 5-3 on the year while the Saints, who had a three-game win streak snapped, will take a 4-3 record into a Wednesday game at Oswego.

Saint forward Aaron Marshall scored 14 points and hauled down seven boards, while teammate Kevin Eberz contributed 13 points. Brandon Mills led Brockport with a game high 22 points while Kellan Skrine had 14 and Mike Medbury and Orlando Nazario added 12 each for the Eagles.

The Saints jumped out to a 29-19 lead with 7:37 to play in the first half and took a 43-40 lead into the intermission. Brockport opened the second half with eight unanswered points to pull ahead 48-43 just 1:06 into the half. Brockport led by as many as 10, 62-52 with 14:55 to go, but the Saints came back to tie the game at 81-81 with 3:40 to go. Mills and Medbury combined for seven points in the final three minutes to clinch the win for Brockport.

Brockport shot 52 percent from the field, managing an impressive 56 percent from the floor in the second half. The Saints, shooting 53 percent in the first half, finished the game with a 48 percent success rate for the game. The Saints had a 39-30 rebounding edge, but also committed 21 turnovers.

SAINTS ON THREE-GAME WINNING STREAK FOLLOWING VICTORY OVER ALFRED

December 14, 2002— Four St. Lawrence players finished in double digits as the Saints defeated the Saxons of Alfred, 80-62, on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore Aaron Marshall led the Saints with 15 points to help his team improve to 4-2 and embark on a three-game winning streak. With the loss, the Saxons fall to 3-2 on the season.

St. Lawrence took command of the court from the start with an opening 10-2 run. The Saints shot 90% from the line and 50% from the field in the first half, while the Saxons found success on only 5 of 21 attempts. Marshall scored 11 of his 15 points in the first half to put St. Lawrence ahead 41-22 at the break.

The Saints increased their lead throughout the second period of play. Alfred came within 18 points on three different occasions, but St. Lawrence used great shooting and a disciplined defense to hold a comfortable lead the rest of the game.

Ahmad Toussaint, Dave Hannah, and Nick Laettner contributed 14, 13, and 12 points respectively for St. Lawrence. Doug Baker netted a team-high 11 points for the Saxons, while teammates Bryan Crandall and Jeff Hopkins each added 10 points. The Saints finished the game shooting 52% from the floor and 73% at the charity stripe. Alfred sank 84% of its free throws, but managed just 35% shooting from the field.

The Saints will take a three week break, and then ring in the New Year with a pair of non-league contests on the road against Brockport and Oswego on January 7th and 8th, 2003.

ST. LAWRENCE EDGES ITHACA AT HOME, 73-62

December 13 — Ahmad Toussaint tossed in a game-high 21 points, shooting 9-13 from the field, to help the Saints triumph over the Bombers of Ithaca in men's basketball Friday night. St. Lawrence improves to 3-2 overall, while Ithaca falls to 2-4 on the season.

Two other St. Lawrence players were in double figures, as Aaron Marshall contributed 16 points and Dave Hannah netted 12. Marshall also led his team in rebounding with eight boards. The Saints shot 80% from the charity stripe and 55% from the field in the game. For the Bombers, Michael Kubera went 7-9 overall to finish with 14 points and Nate Thomas sank 8-8 free throws on his way to 12 points on the night.

Ithaca had an impressive 100% effort from the free throw line. The Saints scored the first two points of the game, but theBombers captured the lead for the first five minutes of the half. At the 14-minute mark, Toussaint connected on an assist from Keith Sullivan to put St. Lawrence in front for good. Ithaca only trailed by seven at the break, 31-24, but the Saints would increase the scoring margin to as much as 17 points in the second half.

St. Lawrence will compete at home against Alfred in a non-conference battle on Saturday, December 14, 2002.

SAINTS USE STRONG SECOND HALF TO DEFEAT ONEONTA STATE, 80-60

December 10 — Sophomore Aaron Marshall netted a team-high 20 points to help St. Lawrence, who outrebounded Oneonta 46-30, capture an 80-60 nonconference win on Tuesday night. The Saints move to 2-2 on the season, while the Red Dragons fall to 2-4 entering the break.

St. Lawrence held a five point halftime lead and quickly built it to 14 with a 16-7 run in the first seven minutes of the second half. The Red Dragons made a run at the Saints and actually cut the lead back to five points with just under 10 minutes to go. Junior Lesohn Reagans led the comeback with two three-point baskets and finished the game with 21 points to lead all scorers. Ten unanswered points by St. Lawrence put the game out of reach as they pulled away for the 20 point victory.

Dave Hannah chipped in 14 points for the Saints, while Shabron Bridges contributed the same for the Red Dragons.

St. Lawrence will take on the Bombers of Ithaca College on Friday, December 13 at 8:00 p.m.

SECOND HALF RUN GIVES WILLIAMS WIN OVER SAINTS

November 24 — Williams College, ranked 11th in the latest d3hoops.com national poll, shot a sizzling 63.3 percent in the second half to outdistance St. Lawrence University, 89-54, in Division III men's basketball action at Burkman Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. Michael Crotty led the way for the Ephs with an 8-for-11, 20-point, nine-assist performance.

Holding an 11-point advantage at the half, Williams went on a 21-6 run to open the second half. In that half, the Ephs hit 5-of-10 from beyond the arc and 19-of-30 from the field. In the game, Williams was 9-19 from three-point range and shot 54.1 percent (33-61).

Aaron Marshall was the only Saint in double digits with 12 points. St. Lawrence struggled shooting in their first home game, hitting at a 38.5 percent clip. Nick Laettner had a team-high seven rebounds for the Saints.

Drew DeMuth had a 7-for-9 performance for the Ephs, scoring 16 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Tucker Kain added 11 points off the bench for Williams, which improved to 3-0 with the win.

Saints head coach Chris Downs, who was an assistant under Williams' Dave Paulsen, will face another familiar foe in the Saints next game. The Saints, now 1-2 on the young season, will face Downs' alma mater Oneonta at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 10th in Oneonta.

ST. JOHN FISHER COMEBACK SINKS SAINTS

November 24 — Host St. John Fisher overcame a 17-point second half deficit to force overtime and outscored St. Lawrence 14-4 in the extra period for a 97-87 win Sunday and the championship in the Ramada Inn Invitational Tournament in Rochester.

The Saints, who led 42-34 at the half, sprinting to a 58-41 lead 5:08 into the second half, but Fisher worked its way back into the game and closed a ten point gap in the final 2:16, scoring nine unanswered points. The Saints went up by two with 14 seconds left on Aaron Marshall's free throw, but Matt St. Croix scored on a layup with two seconds left to tie the game and force overtime.

The two teams traded baskets early in the extra period, but St. John Fisher went on a six point run to take the lead for good and put it away with four foul shots in the final minute.

Tourney MVP Nick Ripple led St. John Fisher with 31 points while St. Croix finished with 13. Marshall scored 27 for the Saints, hitting 13 of 15 from the field and had six rebounds while Ahmad Toussaint scored 22 points and had eight rebounds. J.J. DeMarco and Dave Hannah chipped in 12 points each for the Saints.

Marshall and Toussaint were named to the all tournament team for the 1-1 Saints, who will host Williams College on Saturday at 4 p.m. in their home opener.

SAINT MEN OUT PACE OSWEGO, 83-72

November 23 — Nick Laettner scored 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting to pace the St. Lawrence University men's basketball team to an 83-72 win over Oswego in the season-opener for both at the St. John Fisher Tournament. Laettner went 4-4 from behind the three-point line and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Saints.

St. Lawrence jumped out to a 38-28 halftime lead thanks to 51.9 percent shooting from the field. The Saints shot even better in the second half, connecting on 16-of-24 shots, a 66.7 percent clip, and finished the game with a 58.8 shooting percentage.

Aaron Marshall had nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Dave Hannah and J.J. DeMarco had 14 points each.

St. Lawrence will play host St. John Fisher on Sunday.