Duncan and Mency combine to help Warriors snap three-game slide

Boxscore 

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (February 10, 2009) - Merrimack College ended a three-game slide with a commanding 86-47 victory over Franklin Pierce University in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action at the Volpe Complex tonight.

Junior Darren Duncan (Briarwood, N.Y./Christ the King) and sophomore Darin Mency (Hagerstown, Md./St. John's Catholic Prep) combined for 37 points to lead Merrimack to victory. Duncan led all scorers with 19 points to go with four assists and five steals, while Mency added 18 points (13 first half), seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. Freshman Aaron Strothers (Wareham, Mass./Marianapolis Prep) chipped in eight points, eight rebounds (six offensive) and two steals.

Sophomore Kinard Dozier (Dedham, Mass./The Winchendon School) led three Franklin Pierce players in double-figures with 14 points on 4-for-6 shooting from the field, including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc, three rebounds and two assists. Junior Terrell Ray (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fort Hamilton) added 11 points and four rebounds, while sophomore Andy Pelletier (Troy, N.Y./The Winchendon School) finished with a career-best 11 points, five rebounds and three assists. 

Merrimack took advantage of 31 Franklin Pierce turnovers to post a 45-7 advantage in points off turnovers. The Warriors finished shooting 47.8-percent (32-for-67) from the field, including 55.2% (16-29) in the second half. The Ravens made 35.6-percent (16-for-45) of their shots from the field, including only 1-for-13 (7.7%) from three-point range.

Merrimack never trailed, opening a 12-2 lead 3:10 into the contest after three's from Duncan and freshman Wayne Mack (Paterson, N.J./Paterson Catholic) and never looked back. The Warriors lead grew to 14 points (19-5) after a three by junior Craig Woehnker (Colts Neck, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) with 13:15 left in the half and was 15 (26-11) after a Mency three with 7:40 left in the frame.

Franklin Pierce scored six-straight points to draw within nine (26-17) after a lay-up from senior Rimas Varanauskas (Kaunas, Lithuania/The Winchendon School) with 5:49 remaining in the half, but Merrimack closed the half with a 17-2 run to carry a 24-point advantage (43-19) into halftime and the Warriors were never seriously threatened the rest of the way.

Franklin Pierce (10-13, 7-11 NE-10) returns to action on Saturday when it visits the University of New Haven at 4 p.m. The Ravens return home for their regular season finale against American International College on Saturday, February 21, at 3:30 p.m. Merrimack (16-7, 12-6 NE-10) travels to Pace University on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.