NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (Interstat) — A pair of teams looking to build on recent momentum will meet Friday when the Merrimack Warriors host the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball matchup at Volpe Athletic Center.

The Warriors (7-7) enter on a four-game winning streak, most recently an 80-72 road victory over Sacred Heart on Monday. Guard Kevair Kennedy has been instrumental, averaging 18.2 points and 5.0 assists during the streak. In the win over Sacred Heart, he posted 18 points and seven assists. For the season, Kennedy is a consistent offensive engine, scoring 20 points in three of his last five contests.

The Mountaineers (5-9) snapped a two-game skid with a 66-59 home win over Iona on Monday. Forward Luke McEldon led the way with 18 points in 27 minutes, continuing a stretch of solid play. Over his last three games, McEldon is averaging 10.7 points.

Both teams have shown resilience in close games. Merrimack’s current streak includes three wins by six points or fewer, highlighted by a 59-56 upset at Princeton on Dec. 10. Mount St. Mary’s has struggled on the road, however, with an 0-7 record away from home this season, including losses at Cincinnati, Maryland and Ohio State.

The matchup pits Merrimack’s balanced attack, which features four players averaging double-figure scoring during its win streak, against a Mountaineers defense that held Iona to 59 points last time out. Mount St. Mary’s will need another strong performance from McEldon and center Justin Amadi, who added 14 points and two blocks against Iona, to challenge the Warriors.

This game opens the MAAC schedule for both programs. Merrimack will look to protect its home court, where it is 4-1 this season, while Mount St. Mary’s seeks its first true road win. The teams will meet again in Emmitsburg, Maryland, on Feb. 5.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.