Who? The Red Foxes of Marist.
What? Shooter is also known as a reynard, a fox name perhaps more familiar from French folklore. (If you happen to be familiar with French folklore, I guess.) Marist's red and white colors are derived from this native of the Hudson Valley.
Where? Poughkeepsie, New York. Lovely place, and the arena is beautiful.
When? March 7th, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Why? Because they won the Metro Atlantic Athletic conference tournament.
How? Erica Allenspach had 21 points to help Marist overcome a slow start and knock off Loyola of Maryland, 63-45. You can read Ray Floriani's analysis here and see a photo gallery here.
Surprise? Not remotely. Marist only suffered two losses in the regular season and ran through the MAAC undefeated.
Who's driving this thing, anyway? Brian Giorgis, since 2002. Really doesn't like his players going baseline.
RPI: 52
SOS: 256
Record: 30-2
Best win: Louisville (N)
Worst loss: St. Bonaventure (H)
Notable results: They swept the Duel in the Desert against Louisville, Nebraska, and Houston.
Marist relies on good, sharp ball movement and exquisite balance. They're led by senior guard Erica Allenspach, a deadly shooter from everywhere on the floor (51% from the field overall, 43% from beyond the arc, 83.6% from the line) who averages 14.2 points per game. Junior forward Corielle Yarde also scores in double figures on a regular basis, with 11.4 per game, and leads the team in rebounding with 5.4- but all five Red Fox starters average over four boards a game. Nine players play over ten minutes per game for this team. Keep an eye on senior guard Élise Caron's lightning-quick hands and relentless drive.