LOWELL -- Sophomore Dee Mency scored 23 and
junior captain Darren Duncan added 22 more to lead
Merrimack College to a 95-66 win over Mercy College in day two
action of the UMass Lowell Tourney, at the Costello gym.
For the second night in a row, Merrimack broke open a close
halftime lead (39-34) with an early second half run that put the
game away. Freshman Wayne Mack (16 points) opened
the final 20 minutes with a 3-pointer to ignite a 25-3 run in the
first 7:31 of the final half. Mack had 10 points during the
burst.
The Warriors shot a blistering 70 percent (21-for-30) in the second
half to overshadow a tight first half that saw the Warriors (2-0)
trail early (10-6, with 13:03 to play in the first half) before
catching Mercy when Mency scored. A Craig Woehnker
jumper moments later gave Merrimack its first lead, at 16-14.
Merrimack closed out the first half shooting just 38 percent and
led 39-34.
Chris Winters added 10 points for the Warriors,
rounding out the field of four double figure scorers. Winters led
all rebounders with eight to help the Warriors own a 34-29
rebounding advantage. Woehnker and freshman Roland
Davis each had eight points.
Merrimack (2-0) opens its Northeast-10 and home schedule on
Wednesday (7:30 p.m.), at the Volpe Center against Assumption
College. The game will be preceded by a dedication ceremony
honoring former head coach Frank Monahan's (1970-1980) induction
into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.