Merrimack Holds Off Siena’s Late Surge in Road Win
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Merrimack entered Siena looking to control the tempo, and for much of the night, the Warriors did exactly that. A dominant first half built on defense and interior scoring proved just enough, as Merrimack withstood a late Siena push to secure a hard-earned road victory 63-59.
First-Half Control
The opening minutes were competitive, with Merrimack holding a narrow 10–8 edge early on. Siena found some success attacking the paint through No. 11, who scored consistently against Merrimack’s zone defense and accounted for the majority of Siena’s early points.
That early rhythm didn’t last. Merrimack’s zone began to disrupt Siena’s offense, forcing three turnovers and triggering a prolonged scoring drought. Siena went nearly six minutes without a basket, allowing Merrimack to take firm control of the game.
No. 23 was central to that run, repeatedly scoring inside and establishing a physical presence that Siena struggled to counter. With 5:22 remaining in the half, Merrimack had opened up a commanding 29–10 lead. Siena attempted to respond by switching to a zone defense, but Merrimack maintained its composure and carried momentum into halftime.
Siena’s Second-Half Push
Siena opened the second half with five quick points, showing renewed energy. On the Merrimack side, Antonio Chandler reached a career milestone, surpassing 1,000 collegiate points, a notable moment in the middle of a tightly contested conference match up.
With ten minutes remaining, Siena began to chip away at the deficit behind timely three-point shooting from No. 11. Merrimack responded in kind, answering Siena’s runs with perimeter shooting of its own to prevent the Saints from fully seizing momentum.
Despite Siena’s improved shooting, Merrimack continued to rely on its interior presence. No. 23 remained effective around the basket, reaching double figures and helping stabilize the offense as the game tightened.
Merrimack entered Siena looking to control the tempo, and for much of the night, the Warriors did exactly that. A dominant first half built on defense and interior scoring proved just enough, as Merrimack withstood a late Siena push to secure a hard-earned road victory.
First-Half Control
The opening minutes were competitive, with Merrimack holding a narrow 10–8 edge early on. Siena found some success attacking the paint through No. 11, who scored consistently against Merrimack’s zone defense and accounted for the majority of Siena’s early points.
That early rhythm didn’t last. Merrimack’s zone began to disrupt Siena’s offense, forcing three turnovers and triggering a prolonged scoring drought. Siena went nearly six minutes without a basket, allowing Merrimack to take firm control of the game.
No. 23 was central to that run, repeatedly scoring inside and establishing a physical presence that Siena struggled to counter. With 5:22 remaining in the half, Merrimack had opened up a commanding 29–10 lead. Siena attempted to respond by switching to a zone defense, but Merrimack maintained its composure and carried momentum into halftime.
Siena’s Second-Half Push
Siena opened the second half with five quick points, showing renewed energy. On the Merrimack side, Antonio Chandler reached a career milestone, surpassing 1,000 collegiate points, a notable moment in the middle of a tightly contested conference matchup.
With ten minutes remaining, Siena began to chip away at the deficit behind timely three-point shooting from No. 11. Merrimack responded in kind, answering Siena’s runs with perimeter shooting of its own to prevent the Saints from fully seizing momentum.
Despite Siena’s improved shooting, Merrimack continued to rely on its interior presence. No. 23 remained effective around the basket, reaching double figures and helping stabilize the offense as the game tightened.
Play Of The Game
Down to the Wire
The final ten minutes brought increased intensity. Siena’s Forefac made a key defensive stop on No. 23 with 9:44 remaining, cutting the Merrimack lead to eight and igniting the home crowd. With Merrimack in foul trouble, Siena sensed an opening.
Forefac continued to dominate the paint, pulling Siena within six points with 5:20 left and finishing with 22 points. During that stretch, Merrimack went cold offensively, allowing Siena to close the gap.
Out of a timeout, Merrimack delivered a timely response, executing a clean out-of-bounds set that resulted in a pick-and-roll dunk for No. 23, halting Siena’s momentum.
Late-game drama followed. Siena’s Doyle connected on a three-pointer with 25 seconds remaining after a Merrimack miss, trimming the deficit to two. Merrimack’s Kennedy then split a pair of free throws with 19 seconds left, leaving the outcome in doubt.
Siena drew a foul on a final three-point attempt, but Doyle missed all three free throws at the line.
Closing It Out
Ernest Shelton finished with 17 points for Merrimack and sealed the win by knocking down two clutch free throws in the closing moments. The Warriors’ early defensive discipline and interior dominance ultimately proved decisive, allowing them to escape with a critical road victory despite Siena’s late surge.
Post Game Interview With Merrimack MBB Coach
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