© Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Marist basketball season ended in controversial fashion following a chaotic finish to a conference tournament contest. The Red Foxes’ pursuit of March Madness is officially over.
After the game, head coach John Dunne pointed to a costly mistake on his team’s final possession. That gaffe followed a referee’s “judgement call” which sparked an online reaction.
Marist entered the MAAC Tournament as the No. 5 seed. It took down four-seed Quinnipiac in its first game to advance to the semifinals.
A win over Merrimack would put the Red Foxes in the championship game, where it could play for an NCAA Tournament invite. Instead, the year ended in heartbreaking fashion.
Marist’s basketball season is over.
The Red Foxes dropped an incredibly competitive game to top-seeded Merrimack on Sunday. Despite trailing for the large majority of the matchup, Marist would have a chance to win on the last possession.
Merrimack took a 5-4 lead with 17:37 left in the first half. It would not trail for the next 33 minutes of action.
Marist kept things close despite the deficit. Staying in striking distance, they’d grab a 57-55 lead inside the final two minutes of regulation.
That advantage would be short-lived.
Merrimack quickly responded with a go-ahead three-pointer. Marist would miss four shots on the next possession before turning the ball over.
That empty possession forced the coaching staff to make a decision. Foul down one or let it ride?
John Dunne made a mistake.
After gaining control of a steal, the Warriors called timeout. It would set up an inbound play with 12 seconds left in regulation.
There was a small six-second difference between the shot and game clocks.
Dunne could’ve fouled to preserve time and send Merrimack to the free throw line. He chose to instead play defense.
The tactic worked. His team forced a missed shot just as the shot clock buzzer sounded. That timing created some controversy.
Here is the end-of-game sequence to Marist’s MAAC Tournament loss to Merrimack.
Statement from the MAAC: “It was a judgment call. The officials chose to let the game play on.” pic.twitter.com/mUVh0gERTe
— Center Field (@CFMarist) March 9, 2026
Merrimack’s final try did not hit the rim. The shot clock expired. Had a violation been called, it would’ve stopped the clock while allowing Marist to set up a play off an inbound pass.
Officials opted to let it play out.
Official quote from the officiating crew on the potential for a shot clock violation on Merrimack’s last possession:
“It was a judgement call, the offical chose to let the game play on.”
— Sam Federman (@Sam_Federman) March 9, 2026
After grabbing the rebound, the Red Foxes pushed up court for a final shot. Unfortunately, they didn’t get one off.
Marist turned the ball over. John Dunne said he made a mistake. A timeout should’ve been called.
I asked John Dunne why he didn’t foul on that last possession and then why he didn’t call timeout.
Here was his answer, courtesy of @MAACHoops https://t.co/Ga1ZqNxz2P pic.twitter.com/rScYJUHQyY
— Sam Federman (@Sam_Federman) March 9, 2026
“That’s a tough one, man,” Dunne said when asked about the decisions not to foul or call timeout. “Just wanted to get the stop and try to get out in transition, and have a shot at the win…
“Those guys are really strong free throw shooters. Just didn’t want to go down by three… And the timeout, it was like, if we don’t get a clean outlet… we need to call a timeout, and I didn’t.
“I looked up. There were like three seconds… we weren’t across halfcourt. I should’ve called a timeout and didn’t do it.”
Had Dunne called a timeout, he could’ve set up a play for one final shot. Instead, Marist dribbled into trouble and turned the ball over.
Things might’ve gone differently had the shot clock violation been called. The head coach’s mistake might’ve impacted the final result, too. We’ll never know.
The loss ends the Red Foxes’ MAAC Championship pursuits. Instead, Merrimack will face Sienna in the final with a March Madness bid on the line.