Kevair Kennedy and the Merrimack men’s basketball team overcame a slow start to secure an 81-56 win against Marist at Lawler Arena on Thursday night. This result keeps Merrimack at the top of the MAAC standings with a 17-9 overall record and a 13-2 mark in conference play.
Coach Joe Gallo addressed his team’s response to an early 20-10 deficit, stating, “We took that first punch,” and added, “We kept defending. The ball wasn’t going in even though I thought we were getting great shots. And the way we closed out that half to go up five (points) was huge. We kind of just keep the train rolling from there.”
Merrimack finished the first half strong, leading 35-30 after ending the last 12 minutes on a 25-5 run. Over a span of 24 minutes, they outscored Marist by 28 points.
Guard Tye Dorset commented on the team’s reaction following their initial struggles: “I thought we took it upon ourselves to challenge each other to play harder after that first 10 minutes,” he said. “I think we responded.”
Kennedy was the game’s top scorer with 22 points on six-of-twelve shooting and contributed seven assists. Four Warriors reached double figures, including Dorset with 15 points and four rebounds, Andres Marrero with 13 points and three three-pointers, and Ernest Shelton who added 12 points. Defensively, Todd Brogna recorded five blocks as Merrimack forced Marist into committing thirteen turnovers, resulting in twenty-one points for the Warriors.
Merrimack’s next game is scheduled at Quinnipiac on Sunday afternoon.
