Links: Box Score
RINDGE, N.H. – Sophomore point guard
Juvaris Hayes (Paterson, N.J.) hit a left-handed layup with 25 seconds remaining in Tuesday's game at Franklin Pierce, creating the night's eighth and final lead change as the Warriors overcame a second-half deficit to win, 60-59. With the victory, the Navy and Gold snapped a six-game losing streak at the FPU
Fieldhouse, which dated back to the 2010-11 season.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 60, Franklin Pierce 59
Records: Merrimack (7-3, 4-1 NE10) | Franklin Pierce (3-5, 1-5
NE10)
Location: Hammel Court | North Andover, Mass.
Marquee Moments:
- The Warriors faced a 53-46 deficit with 8:09 to play, but proceeded to go on a 10-1 run to pull ahead, 56-54, with 2:34 remaining on a layup from sophomore Idris Joyner (Plainfield, N.J.)
- The Ravens took one more lead, converting a baseline jumper with 75 seconds left to make it a 59-58 game. Franklin Pierce got the ball back up one, only to see Hayes steal the ball and race down the court to hit the game-winner with less than 30 seconds to play
Rapid Recap
- Neither team shot better than 35.7 percent from the field in the opening half. With the score tied at five-all, the Warriors used a 7-0 run capped off by a three-pointer from freshman Khalief Crawford (Linden, N.J.) to jump ahead at the 12:54 mark
- Later in the half, sophomore Jaleel Lord (Jersey City, N.J.) hit a triple, but it was immediately answered to keep the game squared at 21-21 with 7:12 remaining
- The final seven minutes of the half saw each team score nine points apiece, with the Ravens scoring four points in the half's final 10 seconds to make it 30-all entering the locker room
- The Ravens took a brief lead at the start of the second half, but the Warriors answered with an 8-2 run featuring three straight buckets for Hayes to take a 38-34 lead at the 16:53 mark
- Coming out of a Merrimack timeout at the 11:04 mark, the Ravens used a 9-2 run to take their largest lead at that point, 51-44, with 8:58 to play.
- The Warriors' 10-1 stretch that allowed Merrimack to claw back into the game started with a triple from senior Kyle Howes (Maynard, Mass.) with 7:12 on the clock. Joyner added two more to pull Merrimack within one possession, 54-51, before a corner triple by Crawford tied the contest at 54-all with four minutes to go
Notes and Notables
- Hayes tied for the game high with 15 points, while adding nine assists, six rebounds and four steals. Ten of his 15 points came in the second half, on 5-of-9 shooting
- Crawford scored a career-high 13 points off the bench, playing in a season-high 29 minutes. The rookie made three triples, shooting 4-of-8 overall
- Merrimack offset a 16-4 Ravens' advantage in second-chance points by getting 19 bench points compared to just six for the hosts
- The Warriors' defense held the Ravens to 32.3 percent shooting, with Franklin Pierce making only 3-of-16 from distance
- The game featured 11 ties and eight lead changes
Up Next
The Navy and Gold travel to Saint Michael's on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. tip-off in Colchester, Vt.
