| Matchup |
Merrimack (3-0) at
LIU Post (0-2) // Bridgeport (2-0) |
| Date/Time |
Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017 (3 pm) // Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017 (1 pm) |
| Venue |
Pratt Recreation Center // Brookville, N.Y. |
| Multimedia |
Live Stats // Video // Twitter // Instagram |
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Fresh of its Northeast-10 Conference victory over Assumption on Wednesday, the No. 18/18 Merrimack College men's basketball program plays its second non-conference tournament in as many weekends when the Warriors head to LIU Post to play the host Pioneers on Saturday followed by a game on Sunday vs. the University of Bridgeport in Brookville, N.Y.
National Ranking Summary:
- With victories over Jefferson University and Holy Family University, the Warriors' maintained their No. 18 ranking in the latest D2SIDA National poll. Merrimack was ranked 18th in the National Association of Basketball Caches (NABC) Preseason Poll, while the first regular-season coaches' poll will be conducted next week
- The Warriors were also second in the second edition of the D2SIDA Regional Poll, totaling 54 points and finishing one point shy of first place
Last Time Out:
- The Warriors broke a 62-62 deadlock with a game-closing 9-3 run to knock off the Greyhounds Wednesday evening at Laska Gymnasium
- Sophomore Juvaris Hayes (Paterson, N.J.) nearly finished with the second triple-double of his young career, posting 18 points, nine rebounds and nine assists
- Junior Ryan Boulter (Mansfield, Mass.) led Merrimack in scoring with 20 points, and currently has a NE10-leading 15 three-pointers through three games. Senior Kyle Howes (Maynard, Mass.) added a near double-double of 11 points and nine caroms
- Coming off a quiet opening weekend, junior guard Troy McLaughlin (Old Tappan, N.J.) broke out with a 10-point performance including a game-icing triple in the final minute of Wednesday's contest
The Pioneers:
- LIU Post competed in the Wilmington Tip-Off Classic to open its season last weekend, losing games to the University of the Sciences and Wilmington University
- The Pioneers failed to reach 70 points in either games, falling by nine to the Devils before an 11-point defeat against the host Wildcats
- A pair of Pioneers are currently averaging in double figures, led by 11.5 points per game for Alonzo Ortiz-Traylor. Ortiz-Traylor is also the team's leading rebounder, pulling down 23 boards in their two games in Delaware
The Purple Knights:
- Not only did Bridgeport open its season with two wins over NE10 opponents (Pace, Adelphi), but upset Fairfield in a Division I exhibition in the preseason
- Bridgeport emerged from the weekend averaging 93.5 points per game, shooting 49.3 percent from the field and 40.0 perfect from beyond the arc
- Four Purple Knights are currently averaging in double figures led by 18.0 points per game off the bench for Eric Rankin. D'Vonne Trumbo currently boasts averages of 12.0 points, 8.5 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game
The Series:
- Merrimack played both teams at home last season, edging out Bridgeport by two points while beating LIU Post by 12
- The Warriors were up big on the Purple Knights at halftime, only to see Bridgeport rally to tie the game late. Hayes picked up a 21-point, 16-assist double-double as Merrimack outscored LIU by 13 in the second half to prevail
- Merrimack boasts a 13-9 all-time mark against the Purple Knights, while they have a chance to tie the all-time series with the Pioneers after winning its seventh of 15 all-time meetings last year
Up Next
Merrimack plays its second divisional game of the season on Tuesday night, traveling to SNHU to face the Penmen at 7:30 p.m. in Manchester.
