Derkack and Clark Combine for 61 Points to Will Men’s Basketball to Overtime Victory Against Long Island

BROOKVILLE, N.Y – Sophomore guard Jordan Derkack scored a career-high 34 points in 42 minutes on Thursday night to help the Merrimack College men's basketball team beat Long Island University in overtime. Derkack knocked down eight shots from the field and hit 17 free throws in the win. Adam "Budd" Clark added 27 points in the victory. The freshman point guard hit 11 shots from the field and also had three assists. Down 10 with six and a half minutes to play, the Warriors scored nine straight points to get back in the game.

The Essentials
Score: Merrimack 82, Long Island 79
Records: Merrimack (14-10, 7-2 NEC) | Long Island (5-17, 4-6 NEC)
Location: Wellness Center

Rapid Recap

• The Sharks jumped out to a quick five-point lead out of the gate. Clark would hit a jumper to get Merrimack on the board. Five minutes into the game the Warriors were down by seven. Devon Savage then found the bottom of the net with his first three of the night to cut the lead down to four. Both teams then went back and forth for a number of minutes. Up one possession, the Sharks went on a six-point run to go up by nine. Derkack would knocked down a three to stop the run and make it a two-possession game. He added two free throws on the next possession to cut the advantage down to four points. Both teams battled, with four minutes to play the Sharks were up by four. The lead then swelled to nine with two minutes to go until halftime. Clark would hit a jumper with under 10 seconds to play in the first half to send the Warriors into the locker room down seven.
• After a Long Island bucket to start the second half, Samba Diallo scored his first points of the night to make it a seven-point game. After a Diallo free throw, Clark hit a jumper to make it a four-point game. The Sharks then got the lead back up to eight. Both teams traded buckets for a number of minutes, the lead was nine with 10 minutes to go in regulation. Derkack then scored four points on two possession for Merrimack to make it a five-point game. The Sharks then added six points to swell the lead to 11. The Warriors then scored nine unanswered points to cut the lead down to one point. A Long Island jumper found the bottom of the net with four minutes to play to make it a three-point game. Derkack then scored seven points in a row to give the Warriors their first lead of the game at four points. The Sharks hit two free throws to go down by two. Diallo then knocked down one of two free throws to make it a three-point game. With three seconds to play Long Island hit a three to hit the game at 73. The game would head into overtime.
• In overtime, Derkack would strike first with a jumper to put the Warriors up by two. The Sharks would answer with a jumper to tie the game at 75. Clark then found the bottom of the net from the mid-range to give Merrimack back the lead. The Sharks responded with just under two minutes to play, tying the game at 77. Clark would score again with a jumper, Long Island quickly responded with one of their own, tying the game back up. Clark would score the last three points of the game to give Merrimack a three-point win.

 
Notes and Numbers

• Savage only took three shots and knocked down two of them for six points.
• Merrimack scored 19 points off of 21 Shark turnovers.  
• Merrimack has now won four straight against Long Island.  

Up Next
The Warriors get back to action on Saturday afternoon back home in North Andover against Le Moyne. Game time is set for 3 p.m.