Men’s Basketball Downed in Battle With Saint Mary’s

Moraga, Calif. –  The Merrimack College men's basketball team lost by five points to Saint Mary's College on Thursday night in California. Five Warriors finished in double figures. Sean Trumper led the way for Merrimack with 13 points on the night.

The Essentials
Score: Merrimack 68, Saint Mary's College 73
Records: Merrimack (5-8) | Saint Mary's College (10-2)
Location: UCU Pavilion

Rapid Recap

• The Gaels opened the game scoring the first eight points. David Murray stopped the run with a layup. The Saint Mary's lead swelled to 11 points with 10 minutes to go in the first half. Trumper found the bottom of the net with a three to cut it to eight. Malik Edmead went a perfect four-for-four from the line to get the lead down to just six with seven minutes to go in the first. After a flurry that gave the Gaels an eight-point advantage, Matt Becht knocked down his first three of the night, cutting the lead to five. Saint Mary's added four-points to go up nine. Becht then nailed another three to make it a two-possession game. Both teams traded buckets. Edmead converted on a layup with 30 seconds left in the first half to get the lead to just four. A late bucket from the Gaels gave them a six-point lead heading into halftime.
• Adam "Budd" Clark knocked down his first shot of the second half to make it a four-point game early in the second half. Trumper then hit a three to make it a one-point game. After a Saint Mary's layup, Clark scored again, keep the game at one. The Gaels converted on a jumper putting them up three. Devon Savage hit a three to tie the game at 36. Saint Mary's answered back with a jumper, putting them up two. Clark responded with one of his own, tying the game at 38. The Gaels hit a jumper giving them back the lead. Armandas Plintauskas drove the lane for two, tying the game at 40 with 13 minutes to play in the game. Saint Mary's scored four-straight to go up two possessions. Clark sliced in the lane for two, getting the lead down to two. Both teams battled back and forth. Saint Mary's found themselves up seven with eight and a half to play. Edmead hit a jumper getting it to five. With six minutes left in the game, Savage hit a three making it a two-possession game. After consecutive possessions with free throws, the Gaels were up eight. Savage hit another three cutting it to five. Tye Dorset found the bottom of the net with a three to make it a two-point game with three minutes to play. Saint Mary's answered with a three. Becht responded with a three of this own to keep the lead at two. The Gaels added four-points to go up six. Becht hit another three to get the lead down to three with a minute left. Two free throws down the stretch gave Saint Mary's the win by five.  

Notes and Numbers

• Clark finished the game with 12 points, eight assists, and four rebounds.  
• Becht and Savage both had four threes in the loss.
• Edmead finished with a season-high 10 points in 15 minutes.  

Up Next
Merrimack gets back to action after the holiday break on January 3 when Fairfield comes to Lawler Arena. Game time is set for 3 p.m.