The University at Albany men’s basketball team squandered a late-game surge on Sunday, falling 73-60 to Merrimack at Broadview Center. Despite clawing back from a 10-point second-half deficit to tie the contest, the Great Danes could not sustain their momentum against the Warriors’ aggressive defensive scheme. The loss snapped UAlbany’s early-season momentum, dropping their record to 2-1 after a road victory over Manhattan on Thursday.
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Merrimack’s vaunted zone defense was the primary catalyst for the upset, forcing UAlbany into 21 total turnovers, including 14 in the first half alone. The Warriors capitalized on these miscues with efficient scoring, led by A.J. Lesburt Jr. Lesburt Jr. delivered a game-high 25 points, draining seven 3-pointers to pull Merrimack away in the final minutes. The shooting disparity and ball security issues proved insurmountable for the home crowd.
Head coach Dwayne Killings acknowledged the team’s failure to capitalize on their home advantage, stating, “To be honest with you, I wanted the whole week. That was our goal, to have a complete week. We did not.” The result ends UAlbany’s bid to sweep the America East-Metro Basketball Challenge, highlighting the need for improved ball handling against defensive sets as the season progresses.
Source: Yahoo Sports
