Kevair Kennedy scored 20 points to lift Merrimack past Iona, 88-86, in double overtime Sunday, extending the Warriors’ winning streak to eight games.
The win clinched the MAAC regular-season title outright for Merrimack and completed a spotless home campaign, with the Warriors finishing 11-0 on their own floor.
Kennedy’s influence was felt across the box score. He added seven assists, six rebounds, and five steals for the Warriors (20-9, 16-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference), then supplied the decisive sequence by calmly converting two free throws for an 82-80 lead with two minutes remaining in the second extra period.
The 20-point outing marked Kennedy’s fourth straight game reaching that mark and the sixth time he’s done so in his last seven appearances.
Ernest Shelton chipped in 18 points and six rebounds for Merrimack, while Tye Dorset added 15 in a balanced offensive effort.
CJ Anthony led Iona (16-13, 8-10) with 25 points and five assists. His step-back 3-pointer with two seconds left in regulation tied the game at 68 and forced overtime.
Merrimack needed one more escape to survive the first extra session, as Andres Marrero was fouled on a 3-point attempt and buried all three free throws with 28 seconds left to send the game to a second overtime tied at 77.
Merrimack will close the regular season with a road trip to Canisius and Niagara next weekend before turning its attention to the MAAC Tournament in Atlantic City.