MEN'S BASKETBALL EDGED AT MERRIMACK 64-60
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (December 10, 2005) – Senior
Bobby Murgo scored 24 points and senior Bruno Zanotti knocked down
a pair of free throws with two seconds remaining to lift Merrimack
College to a 64-60 win over American International Saturday
afternoon at Volpe Athletic Center.
Senior Kent Leahy (Braintree, Mass.) and junior Kenny Jones (Norwood, Conn.) each scored 14 points for the Warriors, who won their third-straight game to improve to 5-2 on the season (4-1 Northeast-10). Alonzo Brown scored a team-high 17 points for the Yellow Jackets, who fell to 4-4 (3-3 Northeast-10) with the loss.
Merrimack built a 31-28 halftime lead behind 12 points from Murgo and eight from Leahy. The Yellow Jackets were paced by Brown, who had seven points, and six from Lucius Millinder.
In the second Half, American International built a 46-39 lead at 14:13 behind seven points from brown and held a 54-47 lead at 7:48 before the Warriors began their comeback. Zanotti (Asuncion, Paraguay) and Leahy made consecutive layups to cut the AIC lead to 58-55 before Murgo (Watertown, Mass.) knocked down a three-pointer with 1:37 remaining to tie the game at 58.
Jenar Harrison gave the Yellow Jackets a 60-58 lead with a jumper in the lane with 56 seconds remaining, but Jones knocked down two free throws to tie the game at 60 with 53 seconds remaining. AIC turned the ball over on its next possession and fouled Zanotti with just two seconds remaining. He made both free throw attempts and Murgo made two more after he was fouled following another Yellow Jackets’ turnover.
John Huggins was the only other AIC player in double figures as he finished with 12 points.
AIC returns to action Saturday, December 17 when
it hosts Post University at 3:30.