Turnovers key in Marist victory

Updated: March 23, 2011 9:40AM

Neither Marist girls basketball coach Mary Pat Connolly or sophomore JeTaun Rouse are surprised the No. 11 RedHawks are 19-4 after Saturday's 65-49 home victory over No. 23 Lincoln Park (19-3).

"We're playing some good basketball right now," Connolly said. "Our record doesn't surprise me. In fact, I'd like to have our four losses back because I think we're a better basketball team now than we were when we lost those games."

Marist, which starts three sophomores and two juniors, forced 25 turnovers and scored 23 points off the turnovers in winning its seventh straight game behind 20 points from Rouse and 16 from another sophomore, Leah Bolton.

"We're playing pretty good right now," Rouse said. "We know we still have some work to do and we're working hard at getting better."

The RedHawks closed out the first quarter on a 9-0 run to own a 20-12 lead at the stop. They also went on a 9-0 run late in the second quarter to go up 37-22 before settling for a 37-24 lead at the half. Lincoln Park never got closer than 11 in the second half.

"Our defense sets up everything for our offense," Connolly said. "We knew we had some talented girls offensively but we had to make sure they understood that our success was going to come from our defense. They're playing as a unit right now. For them being so young, they've been phenomenal."

Lincoln Park suffered its second loss of the week. Jasmine Williams scored 14 points and Tashea Smalls 10 for the Lions.

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