ARLINGTON, Va. - The Marymount men's basketball team earned their first conference championship in 23 years on Saturday afternoon, taking down the Knights of Neumann in a rematch from last season's championship. 

This is the first Atlantic East title for the Saints, a team that overcame a a slow start to the season, coming out on the top. 

Notable

• Ra'Shawn Cook earned the finals MVP in the contest, after providing quality minutes off the bench. He dropped 13 total points with three rebounds and two steals. A hot handed stretch was a large momentum shift in the contest. 
• Montell Cooper had 13 points, as well. He added seven rebounds, an assist, and a block. 
• Marcus Stubbs had five rebounds, adding six points, two assists, two blocks, and a steal. 
• Jack Bifano earned the Elite 20 Award, awarded by the Atlantic East for the highest GPA for a student-athlete competing in the championship contest. 

How It Happened

• The two teams kept each other slow on the offense to start out the game. Isaac Harris sank a jumper inside the paint to even up the tally 6-to-6 early on. 
• Down by five, Peja Boyd sank a three from the top of the key to put the Saints within two in the first half of play. Boyd would go on to sink a three in the final seconds of the first half to put the Saints down 27-to-24 heading into the half.
• Coming out of the half, the Knights got the score to 30-to-28, before a driving layup from Cooper evened up the mark at 30-30.
• Cook sank three-straight threes to put the Saints up 40-to-37 with just over 11 minutes left to play. 
• Both teams traded shots down the stretch, with Marymount edging out the offensive push to take the game and the trophy, 57-52. 

Up Next

• Marymount will learn their NCAA destination on Monday with the selection show, scheduled for 1 PM. 
• Stay tuned to all Marymount Athletics channels to learn their place.