ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey – The fifth-seeded Marist University men's basketball team was defeated by a score of 58-57 top-seeded Merrimack in the semifinal round of the Air Force Reserve Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Basketball Championship at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.
 

First Half

• There were three leads and two ties in the first 3:16.
• Merrimack took an 11-6 lead as Marist was held scoreless for 3:21.
• The Warriors' lead reached eight at the 12:35 mark, but Rhyjon Blackwell's three brought Marist to within one at 18-17 with 7:20 left in the half.
• Over the next six minutes, neither team scored more than three points in a row.
• With 50 seconds remaining in the first half, Blackwell's layup tied the score at 28. However, Todd Brogna hit two free throws on the ensuing possession, and Merrimack took a 30-28 lead to the locker room.

 

Second Half

• Blackwell hit a three on the first possession of the half to put Marist up 31-30, but Merrimack then scored eight in a row, forcing a Marist timeout at the 17:54 mark.
• Marist answered with a 6-0 run to get within one, which included four straight points from Jaden Daughtry.
• Blackwell's three tied the game at 40 with 15 minutes to play, but Merrimack responded with a 7-0 run.
• The Warriors tied their largest lead of eight with 9:02 to go, but the Red Foxes countered with five in a row to get within three at the 8:14 mark.
• Jadin Collins-Roberts' layup gave Marist a 53-52 lead with 4:45 to go, but Tye Dorset's three on the ensuing possession put Marist back in front.
• Justin Menard's layup tied the game at 55 with 2:40 to go, and Rhyjon Blackwell's floater in the lane put Marist up two with 1:50 left. Dorset's three on the next possession put Merrimack back up, 58-57.
• This proved to be the final score, as neither time was able to score in the final 1:25.

 

Stats

• Blackwell led Marist with 15 points. He shot 6-for-10 from the field and 3-for-4 from three-point range while also grabbing six rebounds.
• Marist had three double-digit scorers, as Collins-Roberts had 12 and Daughtry added 10.
• Collins-Roberts and Parby Kabamba tied for the team high with seven rebounds.
• Justin Menard had a team-high six assists.
• Dorset led all scorers with 23 for Merrimack.

 

Notes

• Daughtry tied Marist's all-time record with his 123^rd game played tonight. He shares the record with Chavaughn Lewis and Manny Thomas.
• Marist is the only team in the MAAC to reach the semifinal round of the championship in three of the last four years.
• Blackwell scored in double figures for a team-leading 20^th time this season.

 

Records

• Marist: 19-12
• Merrimack: 23-10