Marist: MAAC champions

Who? The Red Foxes of Marist.

What? If we lived in a more literate world, Marist's teams would be the Reynards. Marist decided to go with Red Foxes instead, adding Shooter in 1979. (I liked him with the sailing hat.)

Where? Poughkeepsie, New York; it's on Metro-North.

When? March 11th, in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Why? They won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament.

How? Elizabeth Beynnon was one of four Marist players in double figures as the Red Foxes romped over Iona, 72-48. Casey Dulin flirted with a triple-double, compiling 12 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds.

Surprise? Predicted to finish first in the conference, they finished first and undefeated in MAAC play, five games ahead of Iona.

RPI: 48

SOS: 146

Record: 26-6 (18-0 Metro Atlantic)

Good wins: Either Princeton or Hofstra.

Bad losses: Boston University, maybe?

Who's running this show? Brian Giorgis, since 2002. Previously a highly successful high school coach of pretty much everything at Our Lady of Lourdes.

Extra, Extra!The Poughkeepsie Journal, which does a bang-up job covering Marist.

It's a team effort by the Red Foxes, more than ever without a single superlative player like Corielle Yarde. Senior forward Elizabeth Beynnon leads the way with 12.1 points per game, but with seven different scoring leaders in their 31 games, it's not a surprise if a three-point shooter like Leanne Ockenden gets hot from beyond the arc, or if Casey Dulin starts making those backdoor cuts.

This Marist team is a step or two behind the ones of previous years- not as talented, not as sharp- but a team that shows them weakness, gives them an opening, or gets sloppy around them will be dissected with cool efficiency, as if attacked by polite piranhas.