Preview: Merrimack hosts Mount looking to remain unbeaten in the MAAC

Merrimack and Mount St. Mary’s will meet Friday afternoon at Lawler Arena (3 p.m. tip) in a rematch of last season’s MAAC semifinal, the first time the programs have faced one another since that March meeting.

The Mountaineers brought Merrimack’s season to an end in Atlantic City last spring with a 57-55 victory. This time around, the Warriors come in with momentum, unbeaten in MAAC play at 3-0 and winners of five of their last six games.

Mount enters the matchup 1-2 in conference play but has quietly found some footing, going 3-1 over its last four games after opening the season 2-8. That early record came against a demanding non-conference slate that included West Virginia, Cincinnati, and Ohio State.

Game Details

When: Friday, 3 p.m.
Where: Lawler Arena (North Andover, Mass.)
TV/Stream: Watch (ESPN+)/NESN

Team Statistics

Notes

— The Warriors are just 1-7 all-time against Mount, with the lone victory coming Jan. 9, 2020. That game marked the first meeting between the programs as members of the NEC, and the Mountaineers have won seven straight in the series since.

— Junior forward Luke McEldon leads Mount in both scoring (11.3 points per game) and rebounding (5.8), while senior guard Xavier Lipscomb paces the Mountaineers in assists at 4.3 per game.

— ESPN Analytics gives Merrimack a 72.4 percent chance of winning Friday’s matchup. KenPom is slightly more conservative, projecting a 65 percent likelihood of a Warriors win and a 71-67 final score.