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Video: Highlights |
Idris Joyner Comments
NORTH ANDOVER, MASS. – The Merrimack College men's basketball team saw three players score in double figures including a team-best 12 points from senior
Idris Joyner, guiding the Warriors to a 64-61 win over Mount St. Mary's on Thursday night at Hammel Court. The triumph gave Merrimack its first-ever Northeast Conference (NEC) win on campus. The hosts improved to 8-8 (2-1 NEC) with the victory while the visitors dropped to 5-11 (1-2 NEC).
Freshmen
Jordan Minor and
Mykel Derring contributed 11 points each off the bench; Derring tied his career high in scoring and sank a career-high three triples, as well. The night featured 13 ties and 10 lead changes as the team's dueled throughout the second half. With the score tied at 51 with 8:33 remaining, Merrimack used a 7-0 run that featured five points from Derring that gave the Warriors the lead for good.
As a team, Merrimack shot 48.1 percent from the field highlighted by the quarter of Joyner, Minor, Derring and freshman
Ziggy Reid who combined to shoot 56.7 percent (17-30) from the floor. On the other end, Merrimack's defense totaled 12 steals as part of 17 Mountaineers turnovers. Merrimack turned those miscues into 21 points on the scoreboard
The Essentials
Score:
Merrimack 64, Mount St. Mary's 61
Records: Merrimack (8-8, 2-1 NEC) | Mount St. Mary's (5-11, 1-2 NEC)
Location: Hammel Court | North Andover, Mass.
Rapid Recap
- Senior Juvaris Hayes ignited Merrimack's start, totaling four steals over the first nine minutes. Hayes notched two thefts on back-to-back possessions, forcing an early Mountaineers timeout with the Warriors ahead, 12-8. After Mount tied things up at 12, Hayes posted another steal and added two assists during an 11-3 run that gave the hosts a 23-15 edge with 10:32 on the clock
- With the score at 25-17, the Mount used an 8-0 run to tie the game with 4:27 remaining. From there, the team's traded buckets until the visitors hit two straight to take a brief 31-29 advantage. Joyner brought Merrimack even at the half, sinking a layup with under one minute to play in the first stanza
- There were five separate lead changes during the second half's first five minutes, including one swing that saw junior Devin Jensen hit a corner trey to put Merrimack in front, 40-38. Minor then played his best stretch of the game, scoring five straight points for the Warriors to make it a 45-40 game with 12:51 remaining
- A 9-2 stretch for the Mountaineers enabled them to snatch a 49-47 lead with 11 minutes to play. The Warriors defense answered, holding Mount St. Mary's without a field goal for a near six-minute stretch to build the 58-51 lead they never relinquished. The Mountaineers made it a one-possession game on four occasions down the stretch, but Merrimack prevented any further comeback
Notes and Numbers
- Joyner led Merrimack in scoring for the second straight game after not doing so over the season's first 14 games; Merrimack has had eight different players lead the team in scoring this season
- Hayes increased his nation-leading steal total to 55 on the season, and moved his career total up to 391. He now needs nine more to become just the fourth player in NCAA history – across all divisions – with 400 career steals
- Merrimack's bench scoring was key, outscoring Mount St. Mary's in that area, 29-6. Derring, Minor and Reid scored all 29 bench points
- Derring posted her second game in double figures this season while Minor added his third. The former is shooting 41.7 percent from beyond the arc in NEC play
- The Warriors registered their seventh game this season with at least 10 steals, owning a 6-1 record in those games
Up Next
The Warriors return to action this Saturday when Merrimack will look to make it back-to-back road NEC wins at Central Connecticut. Tip-off in New Britain, Conn. is set for 4 p.m. Merrimack's next home game is on Wednesday night against Bryant University at 7 p.m.
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