Merrimack wins MAAC opener against Canisius
Budd Clark scored 22 points to help Merrimack defeat winless Canisius 60-52 on Friday night in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
Clark added five rebounds for the Warriors (3-6). Matt Becht scored 12 points, finishing 4 of 10 from 3-point range. Devon Savage shot 3 for 10 from beyond the arc to finish with 11 points.
Becht and Savage traded threes to start the second half, quickly getting a seven-point halftime deficit down to one. Three minutes into the second half, the Griffins were up by three. Clark then tied the game at 31. Both teams went back and forth for a few minutes, tying the game multiple times. A Becht three with eight minutes to play put the Warriors up by five. Canisius battled back to tie the game at 44 with six minutes left.
Free throws from both teams tied the game at 46. Becht found the bottom of the net with a three to put Merrimack up by five. Good free throw shooting down the stretch gave the Warriors their first MAAC win of the season.
Tana Kopa had 15 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks for the Golden Griffins (0-9). Jasman Sangha added 14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Paul McMillan IV scored 13.
The Warriors will stay on the road and take on Niagara Sunday afternoon.
