Links: Box Score
SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. – The Merrimack College men's basketball program visited UC Santa Barbara on Sunday afternoon, facing the Gauchos in non-conference play from The Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, Calif. UCSB prevailed, 68-50, behind a 27-5 run the spanned the end of the first half and the start of the second, transforming a two-point contest into a 45-21 game at the 16:40 mark of the second half.
Senior
Idris Joyner gave Merrimack solid minutes, scoring nine points on 4-of-7 shooting while junior
Khalief Crawford played an efficient eight minutes, scoring seven points on 3-of-5 from the field, including one 3-pointer. The Gauchos controlled the paint, outscoring the Warriors by 20 (38-18) in the interior to control that game from the inside.
The Essentials
Score: UCSB 68,
Merrimack 50
Records: Merrimack (6-6) | UCSB (9-4)
Location: The Thunderdome | Santa Barbara, Calif.
Rapid Recap
- UCSB built a 9-2 lead to begin the game, aided by a 7-0 run to break a 2-2 deadlock. The Warriors responded with nine of the next 14 points, however, trimming their deficit to three, 14-11. Senior Jaleel Lord led Merrimack with five points in the early going, shooting 2-of-3 from the field
- With seven minutes to play, Lord hit his second triple of the half to make it a one-possession game, 18-16. UCSB surged forward at that point, holding Merrimack without a point over the next 5:40. The Gauchos ended the half on a 15-2 run, taking a 33-18 lead to the locker room
- Sophomore Mikey Watkins hit a corner three to get the visitors going in the second half, but UCSB used a 14-3 run over the half's first 4:06 to create a 47-21 advantage. The edge hovered between 25-29 points for the next five minutes until Crawford entered the game, drilling a right-win triple to make it a 55-32 contest nearing the midway point of the second stanza
- A three-point play from Joyner highlighted a 6-0 spurt that brought the Warriors within 20 points, 60-40, with under five minutes to play. Merrimack played well down the stretch as buckets from Crawford and freshman Ziggy Reid allowed the Warriors to close the night's final 6:29 on a 16-8 run
Notes and Numbers
- Sunday's game was Merrimack's first in the state of California in 24 year (1995), and the program's first-ever game against UCSB
- It was also the program's first game against a Big West foe
- Crawford established new season highs in both points and field goals. The third-year guard has played in four games since Nov. 22 after missing most of the season's first month due to injury
- Freshman Jordan Minor tied his season and career high with a game-high eight rebounds
Up Next
Merrimack hosts Boston University one week from today, welcoming the Terriers to Hammel Court for a 6 p.m. tip-off on campus.
