Late Surge Cut Short for Men's Basketball in Loss to Sacred Heart

NORTH ANDOVER, MASS. – The Merrimack College men's basketball team lost its first home Northeast Conference contest to Sacred Heart University on Thursday night, 59-55. Jordan Minor sixth double-double of the season after scoring 18 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. Mykel Derring had 12 points after knocking down four shots from long range. Ziggy Reid was the third Warrior in double figures, he had 11 points in the loss.  

The Essentials
Score: Merrimack 55, Sacred Heart 59
Records: Merrimack (3-14, 1-2 NEC) Sacred Heart (8-9, 2-1 NEC)
Location: Hammel Court

Rapid Recap

• Reid got the Merrimack scoring going after a drive to the hoop in the first minute of the game. Both teams battled back and forth tying the game at six with 13 minutes to play in the first half. The Pioneers then went on a four-point run to go up by four. Minor had a dunk to cut it back to a one possession game. Sacred Heart then added seven points to go up nine. The Warriors responded by scoring seven in a row, capped off by a Javon Bennett three, cutting the lead back to two. Back-to-back threes by Reid with five minutes left in the half gave Merrimack a five-point advantage. The Pioneers battled back to cut the lead to three before halftime.
• A Minor layup to start the second half brought the lead back up to five points for Merrimack. Sacred Heart went on a run, tying the game at 35 with 17 minutes left in the game. Back-to-back threes by Derring brought the Warrior lead back up to six, their biggest of the game. The Pioneers then scored 18 unanswered points to flip the game and go up by 12. Derring stopped the run with a three. At the final media timeout of the game Merrimack was down six after a Jordan Derkack layup. Minor scored three straight to cut it to three. The Warriors had two looks down the stretch to tie it, but could not convert.

Notes and Numbers

• The Warriors forced 15 turnovers and scored 13 points off of the turnovers.
• Minor now has three double-doubles in a row.
• Derring's 12 points is a season-high for him.

Up Next
 
Merrimack stays home to play St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday afternoon. Game time is set for 3 p.m.