Men's Basketball Scores Program's Most Points in Five Years in 107-87 Win vs. Concordia
Links: Box Score
WALTHAM, Mass. – Five players scored in double figures and the Merrimack College men's basketball team finished with the program's most points in five years during a 107-87 victory over Concordia (N.Y.) on Saturday night to conclude play at the Bentley Tip-Off Classic.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 107, Concordia 87
Records: Merrimack (2-0) | Concordia (0-2)
Location: Dana Center | Waltham, Mass.
What They Said:
Head coach Bert Hammel: "It was good to get out of the gates with two wins against two good teams. It was good to see us challenged early tonight, forcing us to comeback to get the lead and then not give it up. We still have a lot to improve on, especially defensively, but the offensive end helped us out tonight."
How It Happened
Things did not start so well for the Warriors as the Clippers jumped out to a 16-5 advance over the first seven minutes thanks to three three-pointers and an old-fashioned three-point play from Jalen Heath.
The Warriors answered with a 15-2 run to take their first lead of the night. Ten of the 15 points came from senior guard Gelvis Solano (Harlem, N.Y.), who started the run with a three-pointer and ended it with a dunk. Neither team led by more than three points over the next five minutes, with the Warriors holding a 44-41 advantage with less than four minutes to play in the half.
A layup from sophomore Kyle Howes (Maynard, Mass.) followed by a three-point jumper from freshman Ryan Boulter (Mansfield, Mass.) pushed the Warriors' advantage to seven, 49-42, with exactly three minutes to play. Fellow rookie Jordan Thornton (Dumfries, Va.) pushed it to an eight-point game after his first career field goal, but Peter Aguilar hit a trey as time expired to make it a 57-52 game entering halftime.
Another three-pointer from Aguilar made it a four-point game just 85 seconds into the second half, but the Warriors surged forward from there. Over the next five minutes, Merrimack embarked on a 19-4 run to distance themselves from the Clippers. Senior forward James Kennedy (Dorchester, Mass.) asserted himself for seven points including a three-point play and a dunk during that stretch. Point guard JT Strickland (Laurel, Md.) added a three-point play of his own as the Navy and Gold led, 81-62, with less than 15 minutes to play.
Concordia did not go away. Trailing by 17 points with 10:02 remaining, the Clippers scored 11 of the next 13 points to make it 89-81 with 8:08 to play following a layup from Aguilar. After that shot, neither squad scored over the next three-plus minutes, the first extended offensive drought for either side on the night.
Solano ended that stretch with a three-pointer and Boulter followed that up with a trey of his own on Merrimack's next possession to push the lead back to 14 at 95-81. The lead did not dip below 12 the rest of the game. Boulter's fourth three-pointer of the night pushed Merrimack above the 100-point plateau for the first time this season.
The Warriors finished the night with 107 points, the most for the program in five years, and enter Wednesday's Northeast-10 opener against Bentley with a 2-0 record.
Inside The Numbers
- After only 10 points in the season opener, Solano burst out for a 30-point night against the Clippers. He finished 10-for-19 from the field, including six three-pointers. He also added seven rebounds and five assists
- Four of Merrimack's five starters finished in double figures, as Anthony Barry (Uxbridge, Mass.), Troy Hammel (Valencia, Calif.) and Strickland finished with at least 10 points. Strickland finished one assist shy of his second double-double in as many games, leading the team with nine helpers
- Even though he was the lone starter who did not finish in double figures, Kennedy certainly left his mark on the game. He led the Warriors with 12 rebounds, falling one board away from tying his career high of 13 set last season against Saint Michael's
- Boulter leaves Waltham giving the Warriors' two non-conference opponents a lasting impression on his shooting ability. The rookie hit eight three-pointers at the Bentley Tip-Off Classic, scoring 16 points off the bench against the Clippers
- Merrimack's 107 points is the most the program has scored in five years. The Navy and Gold totaled 110 points in a season-opening victory over Bloomfield during the 2010-11 season. It was the first time the Warriors reached the century since the one time they did last year, a 104-point outing against Saint Rose
Up Next
The Navy and Gold head back to campus for their home opener on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. against Bentley. The matchup pits the top two teams of the Preseason Coaches' Poll against each other in the NE-10 opener for both teams.
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