Saturday, February 17th, 7:30 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: McCann Center (3,944) -- Poughkeepsie, New York. Television: Local. Home Record: Colgate 4-9, Marist 11-1. Away Record: Colgate 5-6, Marist 7-5. Neutral Record: Colgate 0-1, Marist 2-1. Conference Record: Colgate 4-8, Marist 12-4. Series Record: Marist leads, 6-2.

GAME NOTES: Back on the floor after their game against Manhattan two nights ago here at the McCann Center, the Marist Red Foxes take part in the fifth annual BracketBuster as they entertain the Colgate Raiders. Despite having to postpone their Valentine's Day outing against the Jaspers for a day due to inclement weather, the Red Foxes still stepped up and took care of business on Thursday night with a 73-57 victory. The triumph was the fifth in a row for the program and pushed them to the top of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings at 12-4, not to mention making them the first 20-game winners in the MAAC as well. As for the Raiders, members of the Patriot League, they've fallen in back-to-back games against the likes of American (64-58) and Lehigh (56-53), both at home and both in overtime. At this point three of the team's four conference win have been by four points or less and with only Holy Cross and Navy remaining on the schedule before the Patriot League Tournament commences in 11 days, there's little room for error. With respect to the all-time series between these two schools on the hardwood, the Red Foxes hold a 6-2 edge over Colgate heading into this meeting. The most recent contest took place in 2002 when Marist opened the season with a 72-65 victory against the Raiders at home.

Willie Morse came off the bench to record a career-high 18 points on 4-of-7 shooting from three-point range, but it simply wasn't enough as the Raiders fell in overtime for the season time in as many games. Morse added six rebounds, while Kyle Chones checked in with 17 points and six rebounds of his own, as he too found success out on the perimeter with 5-of-8 shooting. Oddly enough Colgate shot better from three-point range (.435) than it did the field (.352) and also did as well at the free-throw line (5-of-11) which was critical in the three-point decision. Colgate is still the lowest-scoring program in the conference right now with just 57.4 ppg, with that lack of production pushing the squad to 320th in the nation heading into this week. Jon Simon, a 39.2 percent shooter from three-point range but just 37.3 percent from the floor, is the only double-digit scorer for the group with his 13.2 ppg and is currently second on the team with 46 assists. With an average of less than 10 dishes per game, Colgate is not only last in the Patriot but also 318th nationally.

Will Whittington knocked down 5-of-9 shots behind the three-point line to finish with a team-high 27 points, leading four players in double figures as the Red Foxes dismissed Manhattan on Thursday night. Wilfred Benjamin added 19 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the group and Ryan Stilphen 11 points, while Jared Jordan recorded his 11th double-double of the season with 10 points and a game-high 10 assists. At this point in the season Jordan is the only player in Division I averaging better than eight assists per game with 8.6 apg to his credit. Of the team's 409 dishes, Jordan has been responsible for more than half and still has just 90 turnovers charged to him. But more than just a passer, Jordan has made himself into a complete player who is also leading the team in scoring (18.1 ppg) and steals (37) and is close to also pacing the group on the glass with his 6.1 rpg. Whittington, who has benefited from more than his share of Jordan passes, is up to 17.2 ppg, having made a team-best 104-of-255 behind the three-point line for a squad scoring an even 75 ppg.

Although the Red Foxes had to delay their win over Manhattan by a day, you can be sure the team will still be hitting on all cylinders tonight if Jordan has anything to say about it.

Predicted Outcome

Marist 82, Colgate 67