ALBANY, NY - The MAAC leading Merrimack men's basketball team, off to a perfect 5-0 start to league play, travels to the state capital of New York to play Siena on Friday at 7 p.m.
THE LATEST
• First-place Merrimack is off to a 5-0 start to MAAC play for the second time in as many seasons in the league and are 19-6 in conference play since joining the league. The Warriors opened 2024-25 league play 5-0 on the way to a 2nd place finish and reached the conference semifinals. Merrimack is impressive 77-33 (.700) in conference play since moving to D-I for the 2019-20 season, including five seasons in the NEC.
• The Warriors have won seven of the last eight games and is 9-4 in the last 13 games.
• The Warriors #MakeChaos zone defense has been causing problems for opponents, especially in the last 8 games. Merrimack has allowed over 66 points only once in the last 8 games and is holding opponents to 64.25 points per game in that stretch.
• 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 3rd in the MAAC in scoring at 16.2 points per game, having scored in double figures in 15 of his 16 collegiate games - including 14 straight. He leads the MAAC in scoring in conference games at 20.2 ppg. He leads Merrimack and is 6th in the conference in assists (4.6 apg) and ranks 7th in the league in steals (1.8 spg). Kennedy has been huge in the Warriors nine victories, averaging 18.8 ppg. Shelton, a Division II transfer from Gannon University in Erie, PA, is second on the team in scoring and is 5th in the MAAC (15.4 ppg). He has scored 20 or more points four times, and in double figures in 13 of the 16 games. He has made a 3-pointer in every game and multiple 3-pointers in 14 of the 16 games, and made three treys in each of his last four games. Shelton is averaging 19.0 points per game in his last three games.
• Andrés Marrero made 4-of-9 3-pointers on his way to 14 points in the win at Sacred Heart. He scored a career-high 23 points against Rider, making 9-of-14 field goals and 4-of-9 3-pointers. Marrero has made a 3-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 8 of his last 9 games.
• KC Ugwuakazi leads the MAAC in blocks per game (2.1 bpg) with 11 blocks in the last four games..Ugwuakazi is averaging 7.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game in the last four games. He has blocked at least three shots in 7 games this season.
• Merrimack players four of its next five games on the road. The Warriors have won 3 of their last 4 games away from home. Merrimack has travelled over 14,000 miles this season and this is the Warriors 12th time playing away from home in 17 games.
