Hayes Ties Nation's High in Assists, Guiding Men's Basketball to 84-72 Win vs. LIU Post
Links: Box Score | Game Highlights
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Freshman point guard Juvaris Hayes (Paterson, N.J.) became the second player nationwide this season to record 16 assists, while adding 21 points, seven rebounds and a season-high six steals to lead the Merrimack College men's basketball program to a 12-point win over visiting LIU Post on Friday afternoon. The victory gave the Warriors nine wins to close out the calendar year, improving to 4-1 in non-conference play.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 84, LIU Post 72
Records: Merrimack (9-3) | LIU Post (4-8)
Location: Hammel Court | North Andover, Mass.
The Turning Point:
With the Pioneers clinging to a 53-52 lead with 13:42 to play in the second half, the Warriors embarked on a 11-0 run to pull ahead by 10 and complete the day's 15th and final lead change. Senior Riley Calzonetti (Neptune City, N.J.) started the stretch with a layup while freshman Devon Moore (Hanover, Pa.) contributed five of his season-high eight points during that span.
How It Happened (First Half)
- After LIU got out to a 7-4 advantage, the Warriors scored seven unanswered to pull ahead by four. The run featured points from graduate forward Anthony Barry (Uxbridge, Mass.), Hayes and junior Kyle Howes (Maynard, Mass.), with Howes' layup sinking with 15:22 remaining
- With 10:50 on the clock, reserve guard Kyle McLeggan hit a triple to put the Pioneers in front by five, 20-15. The Warriors responded with a 10-0 run that featured five points from Barry including a three-point play. Howes capped off the stretch with a triple at the 7:43 mark
- Despite seeing the game tied on three occasions over the final seven minutes of the opening stanza, the Warriors maintained their lead until less than two minutes to play, when a free throw followed by a lay-in from Hall Elisias gave the visitors at 40-37 lead. Sophomore Troy McLaughlin (Old Tappan, N.J.) failed to convert on a three-point play in the final minute, making it a one-point game after 20 minutes
How It Happened (Second Half)
- The Warriors netted three of the second half's first four field goals, including two layups from Barry and a 3-pointer from Hayes to make it a 46-42 game. The Pioneers answered with consecutive buckets to tie the game, 46-all, with 16:23 remaining in the game
- Following consecutive triples from Hayes and McLaughlin that turned a 48-46 deficit into a 52-48 lead, LIU Post scored five straight to take the lead back, 53-52. Merrimack's game-changing run occurred at that point, with a pair of free throw from Hayes at the 11:38 mark giving the Warriors' their first double-digit advantage, 63-53, since 13 minutes into the game
- The Navy and Gold's advantage never dipped below seven over the remainder of the game. Moore hit another crucial three with 4:12 to play to push Merrimack's eight-point lead to 11, 75-64. Hayes' nation-high tying 16th assist of the game came with 3:42 remaining, on a mid-range jumper from Calzonetti
Inside The Numbers
- Hayes increased his season high in helpers from 12 to 16, joining Drexler Clark of Belmont Abbey as the only players in the country to reach that number this season
- More on Juvaris: The 16 assists ranked among the most in program history, falling six short of Greg Herenda's single-game record of 22 dimes dished out during the 1982-83 season. The rookie floor general collected his fifth double-double of the season and second in as many games
- Hayes did all this by committing only one turnover in 36 minutes of action, registering a season low in miscues
- The Warriors totaled 26 assists on 31 made field goals on Friday, the second-most helpers on the year for the Navy and Gold. It marked the fourth time this season that Merrimack has reached at least 20 assists in a game, winning all four of those contests
- Not to be overshadowed by the distribution stats, Barry posted a career high in scoring with 27 points on 13 made field goals, which also marked a personal best. Sixteen of his game-high 27 came in the second, while he only missed four shots on the day
- Moore played in a season high 20 minutes, while Calzonetti was on the court for 18 minutes, his most in over five weeks. The duo combined for all 14 of Merrimack's bench points, shooting 5-of-11 from the floor
Up Next
The Navy and Gold hit the road on Monday for their first game of 2017 when the Warriors take on Dominican (N.Y.) from Orangeburg at 2 p.m.
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