Saturday, February 21st, 7:30 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: McCann Center (3,944) -- Poughkeepsie, New York. Television: None. Home Record: Hartford 4-7, Marist 6-7. Away Record: Hartford 1-14, Marist 1-11. Neutral Record: Hartford 1-1, Marist 1-2. Conference Record: Hartford 2-12, Marist 4-12. Series Record: Series is tied, 1-1.

GAME NOTES: A couple of teams suffering through tough seasons meet tonight as part of the BracketBusters event when the Marist Red Foxes entertain the Hartford Hawks at the McCann Center in Poughkeepsie. The Hawks have been beaten and bruised the entire campaign and have won just twice in 14 attempts versus the rest of the American East Conference. Since beating Maine by five points more than a month ago, Hartford has fallen in 11 consecutive games, the most recent of which was a 62-44 setback versus Binghamton on Wednesday. As for the Red Foxes, a team representing the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference these days, they too have had a rough time of it over the last month or so, having recorded just a single win since the second week of January. On Monday night, the team was treated to a 72-62 loss at the hands of Saint Peter's on the road, a defeat that now has Marist at 8-20 overall this season and 4-12 in MAAC contests. In terms of the all-time series between these two teams, this is the third meeting and each program has won one previous contest. Both of those contests were decided by just a single point, Marist grabbing a 61-60 victory at home during the 1990-91 campaign and Hartford a 68-67 triumph two years earlier.

Hartford stayed relatively close to Binghamton in the first half of their meeting three nights ago, but then the Hawks made a mere six field goals over the final 20 minutes to leave the home team with the lopsided loss. Michael Turner finished up with a team-best 13 points, shooting 2-of-7 behind the three-point line as the rest of the group finished a combined 0-of-12 out on the perimeter. Turner, the leading scorer in three of the last five games for the program, is currently ranked second among active scorers with his 11.6 ppg, boosting that number to 13.7 ppg when it comes to American East opposition. Jaret von Rosenberg has managed to get beyond his mere 28.1 percent shooting behind the three-point line and come up with 12.5 ppg, adding a team-high 107 assists to his efforts as well. After 28 games, the Hawks are being outscored by 9.5 ppg.

The Peacocks held Marist to just nine total field goals in the first half of their meeting earlier this week, outscoring the Red Foxes at the free-throw line in the period by 12, leaving the visitors to fight from behind the rest of the way. Javon Parris and Ryan Schneider both tallied 15 points for the program, while David Devezin added 12 and Lawrence Williams tallied 10 points and eight rebounds in the losing effort. Having started all 28 games for the Red Foxes, it only makes sense that Schneider is also the leading scorer for the unit with his 16.4 ppg. Just a 38.6 percent shooter from the floor, Schneider has taken more than half his shots behind the three-point line where he has made 37.6 percent. Schneider is also the leader on the glass for the group with his 8.3 rpg, having spent almost 38 minutes per game on the floor for Marist.

With only one road win in 15 tries this season, it is obvious that the Hawks don't travel well, which is enough of a reason to lean in favor of Marist tonight.

Predicted Outcome

Marist 68, Hartford 63