Men’s Basketball Begins Two-Game Week at Home Wednesday vs. Franklin Pierce

Matchup	Merrimack (5-4, 3-2 NE10) vs Franklin Pierce (3-4, 1-2 NE10)
Date/Time	Wednesday, Dec. 5 (7:30 p.m.)
Venue	North Andover, Mass. // Hammel Court (Tickets)
Multimedia	Live Stats // Watch // Twitter // Instagram

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College men's basketball program will look to get back into the win column against Franklin Pierce University on Wednesday night when the Ravens arrive at Hammel Court for a 7:30 p.m. divisional tip-off.

Five Things to Know:

• It will be a battle of grit on Wednesday night as Merrimack's fifth-ranked scoring defense (70.2 ppg allowed) faces the NE10's third-best scoring offense in Franklin Pierce (86.0 ppg). Saturday marked the Warriors' first double-digit loss of the season, and first lost by a margin more than six points, while the Ravens have scored north of Merrimack's defensive points average in all but one game, including a 100-point game in November against LIU Post.
• Merrimack's defense ranks fourth in the conference in turnovers, forcing 14.4 turnovers per game. The defense is also averaging 3.4 blocks per game which is third in the conference. Junior guard Juvaris Hayes leads the conference and the region in total steals (32) while also leading the conference and ranking second in the country in steals per game (3.56). Junior forward Idris Joyner leads the team in blocked shots (13) while averaging nearly two blocks per game (1.4).
• Offensively, Hayes has operated at a high level in every facet of the game. He leads Merrimack in scoring (22.4 ppg), assists per game (5.7), and leads the team, league and region in field goals made (80).
• Merrimack's offense also employs two of the top three-point threats in the region in junior Jaleel Lord and senior Ryan Boulter. The two have combined for 55 made threes, the most by a duo in the conference.
• Merrimack currently ranks 3^rd in the division standings while Bentley (7-0) and Saint Anselm (6-0) currently own the top-two records in the division. Bentley and Saint Anselm are both nationally ranked in the top 25.

Series History:

• On Wednesday night, Merrimack and Franklin Pierce will play for the 35^th time, with Merrimack hosting a 20-14 record
• In the last three seasons, Merrimack is 2-4 against Franklin Pierce, losing their previous matchup 92-74 last season at home.
• Merrimack's last two wins against the Ravens have been by a combined four points

Scouting the Opposition

Merrimack (5-4, 3-2 NE10)	Stat Category	Franklin Pierce (3-4, 1-2 NE10)
75.7	Points Per Game	86.0
70.2	Points Allowed Per Game	85.0
.460	Field Goal Percentage	.434
.354	Three-Point FG Percentage	.374
33.1	Rebounds Per Game	38.7
Juvaris Hayes (22.4 ppg)	Points Leader	Doyin Fadojutimi (19.0 ppg)
Idris Joyner (8.2 rpg)	Rebounds Leader	Fadojutimi (6.0 rpg)
Hayes (5.7 apg)	Assists Leader	Sam van Oostrum (3.0 apg)
Hayes (3.6 spg)	Steals Leader	Fadojutimi/Sean Fasoyiro (1.6 spg)
Joyner (1.4 bpg)	Blocks Leader	Fadojutimi (1.4 bpg)

 
Up Next:
The Warriors will be back at Hammel Court on Saturday afternoon as they host Saint Michael's in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.