Merrimack Outshoots Men's Basketball, 91-79

Saturday, November 15

Boston, MA

1 PM

Boston University

2-2,0-0Patriot

Merrimack

1-3,0-0MAAC

Merrimack

Boston U.

Photo by: Dan Koerner

November 15, 2025 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Highlights/Coach Brady Postgame Coach Jones Postgame

BOSTON – With the help of a 19-11 advantage in made 3-pointers, Merrimack defeated the Boston University men's basketball team, 91-79, on Saturday afternoon at Case Gym.

Down by as many as 18 during the final minute of the first half, the Terriers (2-2) shot 60 percent from the field during the second to pull within six at 11:00 (65-59) and lastly at 1:36 (81-75). The Warriors (1-3) though seemed to have a response for every rally attempt.

Junior Michael McNair led BU with a career-tying 21 points by shooting 5-for-9 in 3-point territory, while freshman Sam Hughes had 17 points and four assists. Sophomore Ben Defty nearly had his first double-double behind 16 points and career-high nine rebounds, and freshman Chance Gladden neared a triple-double on 10 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

Ernest Shelton led the Merrimack offense on 33 points by shooting 9-for-13 in 3-point territory. Kevair Kennedy nearly had a triple-double as well, tallying 16 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. All three other starters finished in double figures too, combining for 38 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After Defty responded to Tye Dorset's 3-pointer with a layup for early 6-5 lead, Kennedy delivered one of his own to give the Warriors the lead for good at 16:59.
Shelton netted three of his nine treys as part of a 16-3 run to grab a 21-9 lead at 13:55.
Gladden followed senior Ben Roy's 3-pointer with a pair of free throws to pull within six, 30-24, at 8:28.
Andres Marrero though scored one of his four 3-pointers a minute later to spark an 11-2 spurt capped by Todd Brogna's trey at 4:12.
Brogna later drove to the hoop for Merrimack's largest lead, 47-29, at the 50-second mark.
Hughes came back on the next possession with a layup and followed Kennedy's one free throw at six seconds to beat the buzzer with a deep bomb to enter the locker room facing a 48-34 deficit.
The teams traded blows early in the second half with Dorset flushing a 3-pointer for a 59-43 lead at 16:06.
Still down 16 (63-47) three minutes later, McNair drained back-to-back 3-pointers to spark a 12-2 run capped by sophomore Azmar Abdullah's layup plus free throws with 11:00 left in regulation.
Shelton scored a corner 3FG while being fouled and added the free throw to push the Warriors back into double-digits and added another trey for the 75-62 lead at 7:55.
McNair responded with a 3-pointer, and BU drew a flagrant foul during the next possession trying to convert on a steal.
The Terriers though went 1-for-2 at the charity stripe and came up empty on the added possession.
Never giving up, BU pulled within six (81-75) one last time at 1:36 on Defty's dunk set up by Hughes' lob.
Marrero though scored from behind the arc, and the Warriors added seven free throws over the final 45 seconds to seal the victory.

GAME NOTES

McNair previously scored 21 points vs. Lehigh during his freshman season on Feb. 3, 2024.
Since starting the season 0-for-3 3FG at Northeastern, McNair has shot a combined 15-for-26 (.577) over the last three contests.
Defty's nine rebounds topped his previous best of eight set in the season opener against the Huskies.
Junior Quinn Nielsen scored his first bucket of the season and had three rebounds over a season-high nine minutes of action.
Now down to just eight players due to injury, BU used the same lineup in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Merrimack became the first opponent to out-rebound the Terriers this season, 33-25.
The Warriors earned their first win at Case Gym in three visits since the programs restarted the series during the 2019-20 campaign after they last met over four straight years from 1980-1984.

UP NEXT

BU will start off a four-game road trip by visiting Columbia on Tuesday (Nov. 18) at 7 p.m.
The two squads will meet for just the fourth time after the home team won in both 2001 (Columbia, 68-47) and 2002 (BU, 66-37).
They first faced off in 1992 on a neutral court in Worcester with the Lions prevailing, 83-80.
Currently in his 15th season with the Terriers, head coach Joe Jones led Columbia's program from 2003-10.