First-Place Men's Basketball Plays At Sacred Heart Monday

FAIRFIELD, CT - The Merrimack men's basketball team returns to action after a 15-day break over Christmas, taking its undefeated conference record to Sacred Heart for a 2 p.m. tip-off Monday on ESPN+.

THE LATEST

• The Warriors won their first two MAAC games at home, defeating Rider and Fairfield as part of a four-game winning streak that was snapped at Vermont on Dec. 14.

• The first-place Warriors are looking to start MAAC play 3-0 for the second time in as many seasons in the league. Merrimack started MAAC play 5-0 last season.

• Merrimack took two of three meetings with Sacred Heart last season, winning at the Pitt Center and taking a 66-62 OT win in the MAAC Quarterfinals in Atlantic City.

• The Warriors #MakeChaos zone defense has been causing problems, especially in the last five games. Merrimack has not allowed over 66 points in the last 5 games (4 of them wins) and is holding opponents to 62.2 points per game. Merrimack is allowing just 61.4 points per game in its last five wins. In the win at Princeon on Dec. 10, the Warriors held Princeton to a season low .298 shooting and a season-low 56 points. 

• Merrimack is led on offense by Philadelphia natives Ernest Shelton and Kevair Kennedy, who were teammates at Father Judge High School. Kennedy leads the team and is 6th in the MAAC in scoring at 15.2 points per game, having  scored in double figures in 12 of his 13 collegiate games - including 11 straight. He leads Merrimack and is 9th in the conference in assists (3.5 apg) and ranks 10th in the league in steals (1.6 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). Shelton, a Division II transfer from Gannon University in Erie, PA, is second on the team in scoring and is 11th in the MAAC in scoring (14.6 ppg). He has scored 20 or more points three times, and in double figures in 10 of the 13 games. He has made a 3-pointer in every game and multiple 3-pointers in 11 of the 13 games.

• Merrimack is 4-1 playing in New England this season, 3-1 vs. New England teams.

• 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. 

• Among 10 new players, sophomore Tye Dorset is thriving as a returning contributor from last season. Dorset has scored in double-figures in 6-straight games and has made 14 3-pointers in the last 6 games.

• The Warriors are back on the road having traveled over 13,000 miles this season. This will be the 11th game away from home in 14 contests this season.