Jack Lawhorne & Anthony Borgonzi
Since we are back from break, it’s time to catch up with the Merrimack Men’s Basketball team, who currently is tied for first in the MAAC with an 8-1 record in conference play. Despite playing the most difficult non-conference schedule in the MAAC, the Warriors rank #22 in the NCAA in opponents points per game allowed. The signature Make-Chaos zone has been a nightmare for offensives in the MAAC as Joe Gallo has led the Warriors to be ranked the best college basketball team in the state of Massachusetts. Sophomore PG Budd Clark, leads the Warriors scoring 19.5 ppg ranking him the #29 highest-scoring player in the NCAA.
After finding their stride heading into Christmas break with 4 straight wins, Merrimack Men’s Basketball was on fire and traveled to California where they looked to extend their win streak.
The first task on hand in California was the Stanford Cardinal. In the matchup, Budd Clark was a force to be reckoned with, posting a lucrative 32 points on an efficient 14-21 shooting slate. However, Stanford dominated Merrimack from beyond the arc, knocking down 48% of their threes compared to Merrimack’s 28%. The Warriors battled from behind most of the game and in the end were unable to prevail, dropping a close one, 68-74.
Next, the Warriors headed north to Moraga where Saint Mary’s awaited. In a close contest, Malik Edmead finished with a season-high 10 points notching all 6 of his free throw attempts, and Devon Savage (4-5), Matt Becht (4-7), and Sean Trumper (3-6) led a 57% 3-point shooting effort for the Warriors. The Gaels, however, pulled through in the end, beating Merrimack by a final score of 73-68.
After the west-coast trip, the Warriors got some rest for Christmas before returning to Lawler after the New Year where they kicked off MAAC conference play for the rest of the season vs. Fairfield University. A 67-54 win got the Warriors back on track thanks to a dominant performance from Devon Savage who scored 21 points, knocking down 7 of 8 shots, all being three-pointers.
The Warriors won their next two games by a close margin against a familiar Sacred Heart team and the Manhattan Jaspers. The three-game win streak to begin January ended with a tough 81-76 loss against Quinnipiac in Connecticut, while the Warriors will look to defend home court against them at the end of the season. Merrimack took care of business in the next game against Siena with a 64-58 win, with a flurry of six three-pointers from Matt Becht.
Last weekend, the Warriors followed up with a game in Atlantic City, NJ to take on St. Peter’s. The Peacocks raced out to a 17-point lead early in the first half, however, the Warriors responded with a ridiculous 41-13 run that was able to put the Peacocks away. The Warriors won 48-37, allowing the fewest amount of points in a game in school history! The Warriors extended their winning streak to three games to close out the weekend with a dominant 75-54 win to sweep the season series with Fairfield. Matt Becht and Budd Clark combined for 42 points in the win to keep the Warriors rolling.
The MAAC is currently in a three-way tie for first place, with the clear favorites appearing to be Marist, Quinnipiac, and our Merrimack Warriors. The Warriors will look to build a winning streak heading into their much-anticipated matchup with Marist on February 16th. But as head coach Joe Gallo preaches to his team, “the most important game is the next one”, as the Warriors will look to defend home court this Friday at home in Lawler Arena against Mount St. Mary’s at 7 PM.
