MAAC QUARTERS Marist71 Iona69
BUFFALO – These teams had played a thriller just two weeks earlier, with Iona getting a last-second 3-pointer to escape Marist. But last night it was the Red Foxes who got a clutch 3-pointer by Bo Larragan – and a last-second block by Bobby Jo Hatton – to upset the Gaels 71-69 in front of 4,425 fans at Marine Midland Arena.
Sixth-seeded Marist had trailed by 11 with eight minutes to play, but stormed back to score 19 of the last 25 points – none more dramatic than Larragan’s 3-pointer. Marist (16-11) called a timeout with 19.0 seconds left trailing 69-68, and as the original play broke down Larragan worked his way free at the top of the key and drained a clutch three with 5.3 seconds left.
They were the last of his team-high 17 points, but by far the most important. They sent the Red Foxes into today’s 2:30 p.m. semi against second-seeded Siena, and sent third-seeded Iona (16-14) headed home, hoping for an NIT berth.
“We set up a play for Bobby Jo [Hatton], with a safety of Bo coming off the high screen,” said coach Dave Magarity, chomping on a victory cigar. “And once he took the shot we knew he had it all the way.”
“Nobody talks about Marist,” Magarity added. “But they all gave a gutty effort. We were behind 11 in the second half. That tells you a lot about the character of these kids.”
They had to know it would come down to this. In their meeting earlier this month Iona needed a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Kashif Hameed to beat Marist, and this one went down to the wire as well.
The Gaels couldn’t pull away from Marist, primarily because of their own inability to hold onto the ball. Iona committed 22 turnovers. Hameed led Iona with 23 points.