Links: Box Score
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Facing a 16-point hole early in the second half, the Merrimack College men's basketball program cuts its deficit to as little as five late in the game, but the Warriors lost a 68-61 contest at Le Moyne College on Saturday in a battle of the Northeast-10 Conference's two division leaders.
The Basics
Score: Le Moyne 68, Merrimack 61
Records: Merrimack (12-5, 9-2 NE10) | Le Moyne (12-5, 9-1 NE10)
Location: Ted Grant Court | Syracuse, N.Y.
Marquee Moments:
- Le Moyne never trailed in the second half, using a scorching start to build a 14-point halftime lead
- The Dolphins shot 70.8 percent from the field in the opening stanza, hitting 17-of-24 field-goal attempts and 6-of-9 from three-point range
- Defensively, Le Moyne held Merrimack to two points over the final 5:15 of the half, turning a four-point game into a 43-29 advantage entering the locker room
Rapid Recap
- Merrimack got off to a hot start from beyond the arc, hitting 4-of-5 from three-point land including a pair of triples for senior Kyle Howes (Maynard, Mass.) to stake the Warriors to a 16-13 lead at the under-12 media timeout
- Out of the stoppage, Le Moyne used a 13-2 spurt highlighted by two three-pointers for Tom Brown to jump in front, 26-18, at the 8:39 mark of the opening half
- The Dolphins' advantage sat at 11 before a 7-0 Warriors run cut the deficit to four, 31-27, with 5:16 until halftime. Howes hit two free throws and sophomores Idris Joyner (Plainfield, N.J.) and Devon Moore (Hanover, Pa.) contributed one bucket apiece
- Le Moyne dominated the final five minutes, ending the half on a 12-2 run to take a 14-point lead at intermission. The Dolphins shot 70.8 percent from the field and made 6-of-9 from beyond the arc
- Merrimack's deficit hovered around 15 over the first eight minutes of the first half. Junior Troy McLaughlin (Old Tappan, N.J.) scored five points in a two-minute span followed by a bucket from redshirt-senior Tawayne Anderson Jr. (New York, N.Y.) brought the Warriors within 12, 52-40, with 12 minutes left in regulation
- The Warriors' run extended to a 13-4 stretch following consecutive layups for sophomore Juvaris Hayes (Paterson, N.J.), pulling the Warriors within seven, 56-49, with 6:56 to play
- Le Moyne responded by increasing its lead back to 10, only to see Howes and McLaughlin combine for five points on consecutive possessions to cut the Warriors' deficit in half. The hosts led, 63-58, at the 3:03 mark. Merrimack would score just three points over the remainder of the game, however, to see its comeback attempt expire there
Notes and Notables
- Howes set a season high with 16 points, knocking in a career-high four three-pointers. Over his last five games, Merrimack's senior is averaging 11.6 points per game
- After Le Moyne's strong first half, Merrimack held the Dolphins to 37 percent shooting over the final 20 minutes, which including just one triple
- The Dolphins received a majority of their offensive from the interior, scoring 36 points in the paint compared to 22 for Merrimack
- Le Moyne's Isaiah Eisendorf led all scorers with 17 points while adding nine rebounds
- The Dolphins were able to contain Hayes, who finished with 11 points, five boards, four assists and three steals
Up Next
Merrimack will look to avenge last season's loss in the NE10 Championship when the Warriors head to West Haven, Conn. on Wednesday night to battle the University of New Haven at 7:30 p.m. from Charger Gymnasium.
