Minor double-double powers Warriors to NEC road win
Zegarowski notched his first Stonehill double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds (PHOTO BY Brian Foley) |
EASTON, Mass. (January 14, 2023) – Merrimack College held Stonehill College to just 25 points over the final 28-minutes, including 18 in the second half, to secure a 59-47 victory in Northeast Conference men's basketball action on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.
Senior Jordan Minor, the NEC Preseason Player of the Year, paced Merrimack with game-highs of 18 points and 14 rebounds for a double-double on 7-of-16 shooting, with two steals. Freshman Jordan Derkack was the only other Warrior in double-figures with 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting, converting 5-of-6 free-throws, with six assists, two rebounds and two steals.
Postgrad Max Zegarowski notched his first double-double at Stonehill (fourth career) with 17 points and a season-high ten rebounds as he connected on 6-of-9 shots, including 3-for-6 from long range, and added two assists. Fifth-year Andrew Sims added 12 points, pulling to within six points of the 1,000-point plateau, and nine rebounds, while classmate Shamir Johnson chipped in nine points on 3-of-9 shooting from three off the bench with three boards.
Stonehill jumped out to an 11-point lead (18-7) less than eight minutes into the game as fifth-year Isaiah Burnett capped an 18-5 run with three free-throws. He scored six points during that stretch, and was joined in canning three-pointers by Zegarowski (five points) and Johnson as well.
Sims moved within six points of the 1000-point plateau, adding 12 points and nine rebounds today (PHOTO BY Brian Foley) |
While Stonehill would be held to just 11 points over the remainder of the half, it still held a five-point edge (22-17) following a Sims turnaround with nine minutes to play. The Skyhawks lead was six (29-23) after Johnson's second three of the half with 5:36 on the clock, but Merrimack scored the final five points of the frame, including three by Minor, to trim its deficit to a point (29-28) at the break.
Zegarowski opened the second half with a three-pointer, but Merrimack followed with the next 20 points to take control of the game. Minor scored the first five points of the run and had six points in all during the run, while Derkack netted six for the Warriors as well. Stonehill closed the gap to eight twice down the stretch, but could get no closer as the Skyhawks were limited to the 18 second half points on 5-of-19 shooting (26.3%), including 3-for-11 (27.3%) from three.
Noteworthy
- This afternoon marked the 120th meeting all-time between these two programs, but the first at the NCAA Division I level for the two former Northeast-10 Conference members.
- Stonehill held its third-straight opponent under 40-percent shooting, dropping its first game this season (3-1) when doing so. The Skyhawks are now 1-6 when being held under 40-percent after finishing at 33.3% (15-45) today.
- Zegarowski scored in double-figures for the 11th time this season (46 career), and notched his first double-double in a Stonehill uniform after posting three during his time at Franklin Pierce. He has now scored 921 points in 79 career games played in his collegiate career, including his time at Franklin Pierce and Lynn University.
- Burnett, the NEC leader in steals with 2.7 per game, has recorded a steal in 25-straight games dating back to last season, after adding one this afternoon.
- Sims finished in double-figures for the 17th time in 18 games played this season and will enter Monday night's matchup with FDU needing just six points to become Stonehill's 43rd 1,000-point scorer with 994 points in 91 career games played.
Up Next
Stonehill (7-12, 3-2 NEC) is right back in action here at Merkert Gym on Monday night, when it hosts Fairleigh Dickinson University for an NEC "Speaks Up' Martin Luther King, Jr., Day matchup at 7 p.m. Merrimack (5-14, 3-2 NEC) hosts Wagner College on Monday at 7:30 p.m.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
