Derkack leads Merrimack against LIU after 22-point game

Wed, Feb 7, 2024
NCAAB News (AP)

Merrimack Warriors (13-10, 7-2 NEC) at Long Island Sharks (5-16, 4-5 NEC)

New York; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Merrimack faces the Long Island Sharks after Jordan Derkack scored 22 points in Merrimack's 71-68 victory over the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils.

The Sharks have gone 3-2 at home. LIU is 1-4 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 13.7 turnovers per game.

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The Warriors are 7-2 in conference play. Merrimack ranks eighth in the NEC with 21.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Derkack averaging 5.1.

LIU scores 64.9 points per game, 1.4 fewer points than the 66.3 Merrimack gives up. Merrimack averages 68.5 points per game, 9.3 fewer points than the 77.8 LIU gives up.

The Sharks and Warriors meet Thursday for the first time in conference play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tai Strickland is shooting 43.3% and averaging 15.1 points for the Sharks. Tana Kopa is averaging 15.0 points over the last 10 games for LIU.

Devon Savage averages 2.8 made 3-pointers per game for the Warriors, scoring 11.0 points while shooting 33.5% from beyond the arc. Derkack is averaging 17.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.7 steals over the past 10 games for Merrimack.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sharks: 4-6, averaging 67.7 points, 34.8 rebounds, 13.2 assists, 5.4 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 43.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.0 points per game.

Warriors: 7-3, averaging 67.4 points, 30.0 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 9.3 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 61.0 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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