Links: Box Score
Video: Hayes' Game-Winner //
Joe Gallo Postgame Comments
LOWELL, Mass. – Senior point guard
Juvaris Hayes sank a 10-foot runner off the backboard as time expired on Saturday afternoon to beat the buzzer and give the Merrimack College men's basketball program a 60-58 victory at UMass Lowell at the Costello Athletic Center in Lowell, Mass. The Warriors played their second of three games this weekend at the River Hawk Challenge, and will return to Costello tomorrow to wrap up tournament play.
The Warriors held a 33-25 at halftime, but saw the host River Hawks climb back into the game in the second half. UMass Lowell hit a pair of free throws with 18 seconds to play to tie the game at 58, but Merrimack responded with a timeout to set up the game-winning effort from Hayes. picking up its second win of the year in the process.
The former local rivals in Division II met for the 60
th time in school history, but for the first time as Division I foes. It marked the first time that the Merrimack Valley program played since the 2012-13 campaign.
The Essentials
Score:
Merrimack 60, UMass Lowell 58
Records: Merrimack (2-2) | UMass Lowell (2-4)
Location: Costello Athletic Center | Lowell, Mass.
Rapid Recap
- The Warriors started the night on a 9-2 run, featuring one bucket each for sophomore Mikey Watkins and senior Jaleel Lord while Hayes added consecutive field goals. Merrimack's freshmen then turned things on as rookies Ziggy Reid and Mykel Derring connected on three balls while Jordan McKoy finished a layup to put Merrimack up 12 with under 11 minutes left in the half
- Merrimack's defense contained UMass Lowell throughout the half; despite a brief scoring drought, Hayes hit another layup at the 5:24 mark to keep Merrimack's lead in double figures, 27-15. The River Hawks chipped away in the final five minutes, however, trimming the lead to eight at halftime, 33-25
- Junior Devin Jensen began the second half with a triple, but the hosts responded with an 11-0 run to even the game at 36 points apiece with 16:01 remaining. The lead changed hands from there until UMass Lowell's Christian Lutete netted six straight points to give the River Hawks the lead, 44-40 with 11:06 to play
- A quick 5-0 spurt for Merrimack capped by a triple for Lord gave the Warriors the lead again as the back-and-forth play ensued. With the score at 50-49 in favor of Merrimack, freshman Jordan Minor and Reid hit the next three buckets for the Warriors, extending their lead to five, 56-51, with under three minutes left
- A 7-2 stretch for the hosts over the next two minutes created the theatrical finish for Hayes. Out of a Merrimack timeout, the point started his drive with seven seconds left, and kissed the game-winner off the top of the back bound and in for his first career buzzer-beating winner
Notes and Numbers
- The Paterson, N.J. native flirted with a double-double, totaling 10 points and a game-high eight assists. He added six rebounds and tied for the team lead with three steals
- Reid played in a season-best 25 minutes off the bench, scoring a team-leading 11 points to go along with career highs in rebounds (8) and steals (3)
- Minor enjoyed a strong performance as well, finishing the night with eight points and eight rebounds. Seven of his boards came on the offensive glass
- The night featured 12 lead changes and six ties
- Merrimack improved its all-time record against UMass Lowell to 32-28 and won at Costello for the first time since 2010
- Merrimack's reserves outplayed the River Hawks', outscoring UML by a 27-6 margin
Up Next
The Warriors complete play in the River Hawk Challenge tomorrow afternoon when Merrimack faces Jacksonville University at 1 p.m. at Costello. The program then has a quick turnaround as they'll then prepare to face Providence at 7 p.m. on Tuesday night for a matchup with the Friars out of the Big East.
