Atlantic City, N.J. (March 14, 2025)—Sixth-seeded Mount St. Mary's moved one win away from the team's first-ever Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship with a 57-55 victory over second-seeded Merrimack on Friday night at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.  The Mountaineers are making their MAAC championship debut just three years into their MAAC tenure.

Arlandus Keyes hit the go-ahead free throws with 34.8 seconds remaining to put the Mount ahead, 56-55.  The Mount defense got a stop on a Sean Trumper missed three-pointer, and Dallas Hobbs was fouled with 12.4 seconds on the clock. Hobbs hit 1-of-2 at the line with Merrimack calling timeout.  On the ensuing possession, Matt Becht's long three-pointer was off the mark with the Mount's Dola Adebayo securing the rebound and the win.

Keyes led the Mountaineers with 13 points off the bench while Jedy Cordilia chipped in nine points and 10 boards.  Patrick Haigh added a career high eight points while Malcolm Dread added a career-best seven points in the win.  The Mount held a 28-to-2 edge in bench scoring in the game.  Adebayo finished with seven points and nine boards while Hobbs had eight.  Trumper led Merrimack (18-15) with 20 points while Adam "Budd" Clark finished with 13 points, seven assists and five boards in the loss.

The Mount saw Merrimack build a seven-point lead, 41-34, with12:31 left in the game. The Mount answered with the next six points on a Hobbs triple, and three Keyes free throws after he was fouled on a three-point attempt.  The game remained tight with a Dread three-pointer with 5:38 left putting the Mount on top, 50-49.  Xavier Lipscomb then hit a three-pointer to give the Mount it's biggest lead of the game at 53-49.  Clark countered with a three, and after Adebayo hit 1-of-2 at the line, Devon Savage nailed a triple from the corner to put Merrimack ahead, 55-54, setting up the tense conclusion.

Merrimack jumped out to the early lead, building an 11-4 advantage over the first seven minutes before a pair of three-pointers from Keyes made it a one-point game.

Trailing 18-14, the Mount took the lead on five consecutive points from Haigh.  The Warriors answered with the next six points, all from Trumper, before Haigh hit another three for the Mount and Adebayo scored in the paint to even the score at 24-24.  Cordilia gave the Mount a one-point halftime lead when he hit 1-of-2 at the line.

Haigh surpassed his previous career high of six points with eight in the opening half for the Mountaineers.  Keyes also added eight points with Cordilia chipping in seven points and eight boards.  Trumper led all scores with 17 of Merrimack's 24 first-half points.

NEWS AND NOTES

• The Mount will be looking for its seventh NCAA Division I Tournament appearance on Saturday night.The Mount won six titles as members of the Northeast Conference from 1989-2022.
• The Mount's last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2021.The Mount also won NEC titles in 1995, 1999, 2008, 2014 and 2017.
• With the victory, the Mountaineers improve to 21-12 this season, matching the program record for wins in a season at the NCAA Division I level.The Mount moved to Division I in 1988-89. The 21 victories are the most since the 1955-96 team finished with a 21-8 mark..
• The Mount is now 8-1 all-time against Merrimack with a seven-game win streak in the all-time series.
• The Mount led for just 7:33 of the contest.

UP NEXT:  Mount St. Mary's will face fourth-seeded Iona in the MAAC title game on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.  The Mount was edged by Iona, 70-67, in overtime on a Dujour Reaves three-pointer at the buzzer in the team's only meeting this season.