Simone Williams Records Near Triple-Double in Close Loss to Bridgeport
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Dec. 17, 2011) – Senior point guard Simone Williams (Waldorf, Md.) posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds and senior forward Jasmine Williams (Stratford, Conn.) just missed another, but it was not enough for the Mercy College women's basketball team to pick up the win at the University of Bridgeport on Saturday afternoon.
Bridgeport improves to 2-8 overall and 1-1 in the East Coast Conference with the win while Mercy falls to 0-8 (0-2).
Mercy enjoyed one of its best shooting games of the season as the team hit 48 percent from the field and a season-best 63 percent on three-pointers (including 5-6 in the first half), but Bridgeport shot just as efficiently to down the Mavericks by 10.
Bridgeport stormed out to an 11-point lead within the first three minutes, but Mercy answered with a 12-1 run to pull level again. The Purple Knights held a slight edge until about eight minutes left in the half, when Mercy tied the game up again before taking the lead. Both teams traded buckets and the lead as the half wound down but the Purple Knights hit two layups just before the break to hold a one-point margin.
The Purple Knights came out strong again in the second half, riding a 16-4 run to take a 13-point lead. The Mavericks cut the deficit to four twice, but with just 1:37 left on the clock the Purple Knights drained the final six points to win by 10, 80-70.
Simone Williams fell just two assists shy of a triple-double while Jasmine Williams scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Sophomore guard Alexis Monserrate (Locust Valley, N.Y.) led the Mavericks from deep range, hitting three treys on four attempts off the bench.
All five Purple Knights starters scored in double-digits as only four points came from one player on the bench. Junior center Tanisha Carter (East Hartford, Conn.) led the charge with 21 points and 11 rebounds as senior guard Edna Marant (Philadelphia, Pa.) poured in 17 while adding five assists and a making a game-high seven steals. Sophomore guard Aziza Patterson (Teaneck, N.J.) added 16 points and led the team with six assists while also grabbing six boards.
Head Coach Kelli Dunlay and the Mavericks will return home to face Felician College (4-6) in the Mercy Gymnasium on Monday, Dec. 19 at 5:30 p.m. Students will have a chance to catch one of 24 free Coca-Cola T-shirts during the game.
