Second Half Push Gives Men’s Basketball Victory Over Stonehill

NORTH ANDOVER, MASS.  – The Merrimack College men's basketball took down Stonehill College on Sunday afternoon in North Andover, 63-47. The Warriors held the Skyhawks to just 19 second half points on their way to a 16-point win. Devon Savage was the leading scorer for Merrimack after dropping 14 points. Jordan Derkack stuffed the stat sheet once again the the Warriors, scoring 12 points, dishing out 11 assists and grabbing eight rebounds. Samba Diallo was the third Merrimack player in double figures with 11 points. The graduate student also grabbed 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.

The Essentials
Score: Merrimack 63, Stonehill 47
Records: Merrimack (10-10, 4-2 NEC) | Stonehill (2-19, 0-6 NEC)
Location: Hammel Court

Rapid Recap

• After both teams traded buckets to start the afternoon, the Warriors went on a six-point highlighted by a three from Diallo and Savage. The Skyhawks got the lead down to five after two free throws. Savage then hit back-to-back threes to put Merrimack up by 10. Bryan Etumnu then scored to put the Warriors up 12. Stonehill then went on a 17-point run to flip the game and go up by five. Derkack would stop the run with a dunk. Three free throws by Derkack would tie the game at 21 with eight minutes left in the first half. The Skyhawks added five straight points to retake a five-point advantage. Merrimack then scored eight straight points to flip momentum back in their direction, giving them a two-point lead with 37 seconds to play. Stonehill would score before the end of the half to even the score at 28 heading into halftime.
• The Skyhawks opened the second half on a five-point run to go up two possessions. Etumnu knocked down two free throws to cut the lead to three. Both teams battled back and forth. The Warriors tied the game at 34 with 17 minutes left to play. Derkack got the ball on a fast break, drove the lane for an and one dunk, putting Merrimack up three. A jumper by Stonehill would get the lead back down to one. The Warriors then went on an eight-point run, highlighted by threes from Diallo and Jordan McKoy. The Skyhawks once again sliced into the lead, making it five. Jaylen Stinson hit a three to cut the lead back up to eight. The lead was six with eight minutes to play. The Warriors scored 12 unanswered points over a seven-minute span to go open the game up and take an 18-point advantage. Merrimack would end up winning the game by 16.  

 
Notes and Numbers

• The Warriors would force 22 Skyhawk turnovers, which is the most they have forced this season when playing a Division I opponent. Merrimack scored 15 points off the giveaways.    
• Diallo's 10 rebounds were a career-high.
• The Warriors had 17 assists on their 20 make buckets.

Up Next
Merrimack hits the road to take on Wagner College on Thursday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m.