BURLINGTON, VT - The Merrimack men's basketball team takes its four-game winning streak to Vermont for a 2 p.m. tipoff on Sunday.
THE LATEST
• Merrimack is on a four-game winning streak after a 59-56 victory at Princeton's Jadwin Gym on Wednesday. It's not a coincidence that in that four-game winning streak, the Warriors #MakeChaos zone defense has really started to gel. Merrimack is holding its last four opponents to 61.3 points per game. The Warriors held Princeton to a season low .298 shooting and a season-low 56 points. Princeton's previous season lows in shooting percentage (.310) and points (57) were at Kansas on Nov. 15. It was only the 4th time this season that Princeton made less than 8 3-pointers in a game.
• Merrimack is led by Philadelphia natives
Ernest Shelton and
Kevair Kennedy, who were teammates at Father Judge High School. Shelton, a Division II transfer from Gannon University in Erie, PA, is leading the team and is 7th in the MAAC in scoring (14.9 ppg). He has scored 20 or more points three times, and in double figures in 9 of the 12 games. He has made 3-pointer in every game and multiple 3-pointers in 10 of the 12 games. Kennedy has scored in double figures in 11 of his 12 collegiate games, including 10 straight. He leads Merrimack and is 11th in the conference in assists (3.2 apg) and ranks 7th in the league in steals (1.9 spg). Kennedy has been huge in the Warriors five victories, averaging 18.0 ppg. He came two assists shy of a triple-double in the win at BU (16 pts, 11 rebs, 8 assists). Kennedy had a career-high 23 points vs. Maine.
• Merrimack is allowing just 61.4 points per game in its last five wins.
• The Warriors are 3-0 vs. teams from New England this season (BU, Maine, Fairfield) and 4-0 playing in New England.
• Andrés Marrero scored a career-high 23 points against Rider, making 9-of-14 field goals and 4-of-9 3-pointers. Marrero has made a three-pointer in all but one game.
• With 10 new players, sophomore
Tye Dorset is thriving as a returning contributor from last season. Dorset has scored in double-figures in 5-straight games and has made 13 3-pointers in the last 5 games.
• The Warriors are back on the road having traveled over 13,000 miles this season. Vermont is the second shortest road trip so far this season for the Warriors. Merrimack faired well in its other New England road trip, at BU, tying a MAAC record with 19 3-pointers, led by
Ernest Shelton tying the school record with nine treys in the game.
• Freshman
Kevair Kennedy is the reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week after averaging 19.5 points per game as the Warriors won its first two conference games against Rider and Fairfield.
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