The debut of the Mike Maker era at Marist College included fast-paced play, numerous runs by both teams, and high production from the Red Foxes' star scorers.
What it didn't include, was a victory. The Red Foxes dropped a 75-72 season-opening decision to host Bucknell on Friday in their new head coach's first game since joining the program in June.
Trailing by three points with less than 10 seconds to play, Marist grabbed a defensive rebound and advanced the ball into the frontcourt, but could not get off a shot.
Maker called it "a step in the right direction" for his team.
"I'm not discouraged," Maker said, "I'm disappointed we didn't get the result we want.
"We're a work in progress. We just played a program that has had it going for an awfully long time."
Redshirt sophomore point guard Khallid Hart scored a career-high 33 points for Marist, and senior wing Chavaughn Lewis scored 18.
However, it was on the defensive side that Maker said his team "lacked discipline," committing 22 fouls to Bucknell's 11, which led to 24 free-throw attempts for the Bison.
Marist was also out-rebounded 40-26, though Maker said he was more disappointed in his team's ability to grab its share of the loose balls.
"We're not a physical team," the coach said. "That was last year's team, with (Adam) Kemp protecting the glass. ... We're a different team than that.
"As the year progresses, and we get more comfortable in our style of play and a little tougher defensively in our belly, I think we're going to be fine."
A back-and-forth game throughout, Marist surged ahead midway through the second half with an 11-0 run, capped by a Phillip Lawrence 3-pointer, to take a 52-48 lead. Lawrence ended with nine points and three rebounds.
Bucknell, though, mounted its own 10-0 rally soon after to lead 64-58 with 3:03 left to play.
Hart knocked down three 3-pointers in the final minute to bring Marist to within 74-72, but the Red Foxes could not complete the comeback.
"Khallid is a special talent," Maker said. "I've said it several times, I think we have two of the premier players in our conference. We're going to highlight them.
With his 16th point of the game Lewis passed Jared Jordan for sixth place on Marist's all-time scoring list.
Five players scored in double figures for the Bison, led by Dom Hoffman's 14.
Neither team able to build a double-digit lead in the first half. After T.J. Curry hit a 3-pointer to pull Marist to within a point early on, the Bison mounted a 7-0 spurt and led, 17-9 at the 11:22 mark of the first half.
The Red Foxes responded with six unanswered points, and extended the rally to 11-3 on a Khallid Hart 3-pointer with 8:10 left in the half, tying the game at 20.
Marist took a 31-25 lead on a 3-pointer by Lawrence. The Bison, however, made the final run of the half to lead 37-33 at the break.
Marist has a week off before hosting Army on Nov. 22.
What it didn't include, was a victory. The Red Foxes dropped a 75-72 season-opening decision to host Bucknell on Friday in their new head coach's first game since joining the program in June.
Trailing by three points with less than 10 seconds to play, Marist grabbed a defensive rebound and advanced the ball into the frontcourt, but could not get off a shot.
Maker called it "a step in the right direction" for his team.
"I'm not discouraged," Maker said, "I'm disappointed we didn't get the result we want.
"We're a work in progress. We just played a program that has had it going for an awfully long time."
Redshirt sophomore point guard Khallid Hart scored a career-high 33 points for Marist, and senior wing Chavaughn Lewis scored 18.
However, it was on the defensive side that Maker said his team "lacked discipline," committing 22 fouls to Bucknell's 11, which led to 24 free-throw attempts for the Bison.
Marist was also out-rebounded 40-26, though Maker said he was more disappointed in his team's ability to grab its share of the loose balls.
"We're not a physical team," the coach said. "That was last year's team, with (Adam) Kemp protecting the glass. ... We're a different team than that.
"As the year progresses, and we get more comfortable in our style of play and a little tougher defensively in our belly, I think we're going to be fine."
A back-and-forth game throughout, Marist surged ahead midway through the second half with an 11-0 run, capped by a Phillip Lawrence 3-pointer, to take a 52-48 lead. Lawrence ended with nine points and three rebounds.
Bucknell, though, mounted its own 10-0 rally soon after to lead 64-58 with 3:03 left to play.
Hart knocked down three 3-pointers in the final minute to bring Marist to within 74-72, but the Red Foxes could not complete the comeback.
"Khallid is a special talent," Maker said. "I've said it several times, I think we have two of the premier players in our conference. We're going to highlight them.
With his 16th point of the game Lewis passed Jared Jordan for sixth place on Marist's all-time scoring list.
Five players scored in double figures for the Bison, led by Dom Hoffman's 14.
Neither team able to build a double-digit lead in the first half. After T.J. Curry hit a 3-pointer to pull Marist to within a point early on, the Bison mounted a 7-0 spurt and led, 17-9 at the 11:22 mark of the first half.
The Red Foxes responded with six unanswered points, and extended the rally to 11-3 on a Khallid Hart 3-pointer with 8:10 left in the half, tying the game at 20.
Marist took a 31-25 lead on a 3-pointer by Lawrence. The Bison, however, made the final run of the half to lead 37-33 at the break.
Marist has a week off before hosting Army on Nov. 22.
