The Marist Red Foxes and the Iona Gaels meet Thursday in college basketball action from Hynes Athletic Center. Marist enters this game at 10-17 overall. The Red Foxes beat Manhattan in their last outing. As for Iona, they’re 22-7 on the year after a win over Siena on Sunday. Check back all season long for free college basketball picks at Sports Chat Place.
Marist Red Foxes
Marist started out the season on a 7-13 run through 20 games. In the seven outings since the Foxes are just 3-4 with losses to Quinnipiac, Saint Peter’s, Siena and Fairfield alongside wins over Canisius, Niagara and Manhattan.
In the Manhattan matchup on Friday, the Foxes were up 32-26 going into the break. Marist hit a 49-32 run the rest of the way and cruised to the win 81-58. Leading scorer Patrick Gardner put up 25 points with six rebounds.
Iona Gaels
Over on the Iona side, they hit a 15-7 run over their first 22 games this year. The Gaels have since kept the win streak going, taking out Fairfield, Canisius, Niagara, Manhattan, Saint Peter’s, Mount St. Mary’s and Siena in succession.
Back on Sunday versus Siena, Iona was way ahead 44-21 by halftime. The Gaels continued to roll in the second with a 49-39 edge in an eventual 93-60 victory. Both Walter Clayton and Daniss Jenkins led the team on 18 points apiece.
ANDREW’S FREE PICK
I’m going to stay with Iona. The line’s probably too thick to play around with, though. The Gaels are on a great run right now, and had zero issues with a decent Siena team in their last outing. That makes nine straight victories for Iona. The last time these teams met up, the Gaels didn’t have too much trouble in an 84-57 victory at McCann Arena on January 6. Iona kept the pressure up with a 46-31 second half in that one. Marist has been at 65 points or below in four of their last five games and I don’t see the Foxes putting up too much of a fight in this one.