Links: Box Score
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior
Jaleel Lord scored 15 points to reach 1,000 for his career on Tuesday evening, but the Merrimack College men's basketball team dropped a 61-52 Northeast Conference (NEC) decision at Bryant University.
Merrimack owned a one-point lead at halftime and held a 10-point advantage in the early portion of the second half before the host Bulldogs mounted a comeback. Bryant used a 14-0 second-half run to turn the game in the Bulldogs' favor, taking the lead for good with 10 minutes left in the game.
The Warriors fell to 18-10 (12-3 NEC) on the season while Bryant improved to 13-14 (5-9 NEC). Merrimack maintained its one-game lead in the NEC with three games left in the regular season. The squad will next be action on Friday evening at 5 p.m. at Hammel Court when the Warriors host Sacred Heart University in a nationally televised contest on CBS Sports Network.
The Essentials
Score: Bryant 61,
Merrimack 52
Records: Merrimack (18-10, 12-3 NEC) | Bryant (13-14, 5-9 NEC)
Location: Chase Athletic and Wellness Center | Smithfield, R.I.
Rapid Recap
- Lord reached the 1,000-point marker as part of a back-and-forth start the game; his triple at the 11:36 mark tied the score at 13-all, which was already the third tie of the night
- The Warriors used a 9-2 run to take a 19-15 advantage, but saw Bryant tie the game at 19 points apiece with 6:44 remaining.
- Sophomore Mikey Watkins scored five straight points in the half's final four minutes, while senior Idris Joyner followed with a turnaround jumper to stake Merrimack to a 29-25 edge with only six seconds remaining. Bryant, however, sank a 25-footer as time expired to close within one, 29-28, at the half
- Merrimack raced out of the gates to start the second half, using an 8-0 to force a Bryant timeout. Lord converted an and-one opportunity a couple minutes later, giving the Warriors their first double-digit lead of night, 42-32, with 15:37 to play. Bryant responded, scoring eight unanswered over the next three-plus minutes to make it a one-possession game, 42-40, with 11:55 remaining
- Bryant took three separate four-point leads midway through the second half, including a 50-46 margin with under eight minutes to play. The hosts' lead grew to nine, 56-47, but senior Juvaris Hayes nailed a triple to bring Merrimack within two possessions at the 3:57 mark. After the make, the Warriors called timeout and scored out of the stoppage to climb within four, 56-52
- The rally ended there, however, as Bryant held Merrimack scoreless over the final three minutes of the game
Notes and Numbers
- Lord became the 46th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. He ended the night with 1,012 career points
- The Warriors are one game ahead of both Robert Morris and Saint Francis in the NEC standings. The Colonials and Red Flash are tied with an 11-4 record
- Hayes finished the night with five steals, bringing his career total to 442. He needs seven more to become the NCAA's all-time steals leader
- Watkins led all scorers with 16 points, shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc
- Merrimack shot 32.8 percent (20-61) from the field while Bryant made 47.5 percent of its attempts (19-40) on the night
Up Next
The Warriors host Sacred Heart University on Friday evening at 5 p.m. on campus. The contest will air nationally on CBS Sports Network.
