NORTH ANDOVER, M.A. - Felician men's basketball traveled to Massachusetts to battle with Division I Merrimack College Saturday evening. Throughout the entire contest, the Golden Falcons trailed by single digits and nothing more, however, with the nine lead changes and seven score ties, the Golden Falcons could not hold onto their advantage for the 85-89 loss. 

This is the Golden Falcons second meeting with the Warriors as the first time facing off was 20 years ago in the 2002-03 season when Felician dropped to the opposer by 10, 79-89. 

Here's How It Happened: 

• Felician opened up the event with an 6-0 run when Jaylen Colon (Paterson, N.J.) and Anas Amos (Newark, N.J.) netted points in the paint; eventually, as the hosts rose up, they snagged their first lead of the night, 8-9, as they went on their own 9-2 run. From there the lead would flop back-and-fourth until the Warrior's equalizing point at 22 from the line. 
• The Golden Falcons would end the first half of play trailing by eight, 35-43; the hosts converted 13 of their points in the first off Felician turnovers. 
• Jhonny Tovar (Caracas, Venezuela) and Colon set the tone for the second half of play when Tovar recorded four points at the rim and Colon bucketed a trey for another 6-0 opening minutes run to trail by one, 42-43.
• In the duration of the final stanza, the score was tied six times while the lead was changed four. 
• Jay'von Jackson (Plainfield, N.J.) would give the Golden Falcons their first lead of the second half, 49-47, but after Merrimack re-established themselves with the advantage, Jabri Fitzpatrick (North Brunswick, N.J.) shifted the score in favor of Felician on a three, 61-58.
• Felician appeared to run out of steam by the five minute mark as Merrimack edged the green-and-gold for an nine point advantage, 66-75. Points by Tovar, Colon, and Dee-End McRae (Newark, N.J.) put the team back in it and trailed by two with 19 seconds remaining.
• In a force foul situation for Felician, Merrimack went 4-4 from the line in the final seconds to run away with the 85-89 victory over the Golden Falcons.

Box Score Insights:

• Four Golden Falcons posted double figure points in the event. Colon led the way with 20-points with four assists and two steals, Amos had 18 points with three assists, Tovar had 11 points, and Abdul Shanunu (Accra, Ghana) had 12 points going 50% from behind the arc and 5-9 from the field. 
• McRae led the green-and-gold on the boards with nine and led the team with seven assists.
• The Golden Falcons shot 100% (5-5) from the charity stripe, there best performance there all season, and shot 55% from the field. 

The Golden Falcons will be back in action when they travel to #25 Bentley University on Tuesday for a 3:00pm match-up in Waltham, M.A.