POUGHKEEPSIE, NY - The first-place Merrimack men's basketball team plays back-to-back games in New York, beginning with a trip to Marist on Monday at 2 p.m.
The Warriors are 11-8 overall and 7-1 in the MAAC, tied with St. Peter's. Marist is 12-5 overall and 6-2 in the MAAC, one game behind Merrimack and St. Peter's.
THE LATEST
• Merrimack has been in first-place in the MAAC standings for all of conference play this season and has entered 22 of its 28 MAAC games in first place in the standings.
• Merrimack is off to a 7-1 start to MAAC play and is 21-7 in MAAC regular season play since joining the league last season. The Warriors opened 2024-25 league play 5-0 on the way to a 2nd place finish. Merrimack is impressive 79-34 (.699) in D-I conference play (since 2019-20), including 5 seasons in the NEC.
• Kevair Kennedy tied a career-high with 23 points, with his 6th 20-point game of the season to lead 5 players in double-figures as Merrimack defeated Quinnipiac 83-71 Saturday. Ernest Shelton (17), Tye Dorset (16), Todd Brogna (10) and KC Ugwuakazi (10) also reached double-figures. Shelton had 5 of Merrimack's 13 3-pointers in the game.
• The Warriors have won 5 of the last 6 and 9 of the last 11 games. Merrimack has won 3 of its last 5 games away from home and are 10-3 on the road in MAAC play over the last two seasons. Marist plays at Iona on Jan. 22 to end an opening stretch of just 7 home games in the first 22 games. After Iona, Merrimack will play 5 of 8 at home.
• The Warriors #MakeChaos zone defense has continued to cause problems for opponents. Merrimack has allowed over 66 points only 3 times in the last 11 games. Merrimack is holding opponents to 65.5 points per game in the last 11 games.
• Merrimack is led on offense by Philadelphia natives Ernest Shelton and Kevair Kennedy, who were teammates at Father Judge High School. Kennedy, a 3x MAAC Rookie of the Week, leads the team and is 2nd in the MAAC in scoring at 16.5 points per game. He leads the MAAC in scoring in conference games, averaging 19.4 points per game. Kennedy has scored in double figures in 18 of his 19 collegiate games - including 17 straight. He leads Merrimack and is 7th in the conference in assists (4.1 apg) and ranks 8th in the league in steals (1.7 spg). Shelton, a Division II transfer from Gannon University in Erie, PA, is 2nd on the team in scoring and is 4th in the MAAC (15.7 ppg). He has scored 20 or more points four times, and in double figures in 15 of the 18 games. He has made a 3-pointer in every game and multiple 3-pointers in 16 of the 18 games. Shelton has averaged 3.3 3-pointers made per game in the last 7 games and is averaging 18.2 points per game in his last 6 games.
• Among 10 new players, sophomore Tye Dorset is thriving as a returning contributor. Dorset is averaging 12.6 points per game in conference play. He has scored in double-figures in 10 of his last 12 games.
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KC Ugwuakazi had a career-high 12 points in the win at Siena. Ugwuakazi leads the MAAC in blocks per game (1.8 bpg) and is avg. 7.6 points, 7.0 rebs in last 6 games.
