Box Score WENHAM, Mass.(Jan. 21) — A three-pointer from Craig Merrick with just seconds left on the clock lifted the Nichols College men's basketball team to a 71-69 victory at Gordon Saturday afternoon in a Commonwealth Coast Conference game at the Bennett Athletic Center. The bucket capped a furious Bison comeback as Nichols trailed by as many as 13 in the game and nine at halftime. Nichols improves to 6-10 overall and 4-5 in conference games. The Scots fall to 6-10 overall, 5-4 in league play.

After the Scots started the game with an offensive fury to establish a seven-point lead (13-6) just four and a half minutes in, Nichols chipped away at the lead to bring the game to within three with 13:09 on the clock. The Scots' lead would accordion once again from seven to three before they went on a 12-2 run behind five points from Alex Carnes to widen the gap to 31-18 with five minutes to go. Both teams would trade baskets in the remaining ticks until the Scots headed to the locker room holding a nine-point advantage (37-28) at the half.

Although Gordon would maintain a healthy lead through the opening nine minutes of the second stanza, a determined Nichols squad battled on both ends of the court for key defensive stops and offensive conversions to cut Gordon's lead to one (51-50). The Bison then overtook the lead following a three-pointer from Jessy Michaud at the 7:56 mark and would trade leads with their hosts four more times in the waning minutes.
With the Scots up by one following a pair of clutch hits from the line from Park Thomas, the Bison were left with 13 seconds to complete the comeback win. Complete the win they did, as Merrick drained what proved to be the game-winning three with four seconds left to hand Gordon the heartbreak loss.

Nichols' win was paced by Matt Langadas with 17 points and four assists, Ryan Sheehan with 15 points and four steals, and Michaud, who finished with 13 points. Gordon's David Dempsey finished the effort with 16 points, while Carnes netted 15, Thomas booked 10 points and six assists, and Hans Miersma chipped in seven points and 11 boards.
The Scots return to the floor on Wednesday, January 25 as they travel to Western New England for a CCC matchup at 7:30p.m. Nichols travels to Curry on the same day for an 8:00p.m. start.

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