Men's Basketball Spars with Queens College in First ECC Action of Season
Box Score FLUSHING, N.Y. (Dec. 1, 2012) - On Saturday afternoon, the Mercy College men's basketball team traveled to Flushing, N.Y. to open up East Coast Conference action against Queens College at the Fitzgerald Gymnasium. The game remained close for the entire match, but the Knights pulled out a 72-68 victory at the end. With the win, Queens improved to 1-5 overall and 1-0 in the league. Following the defeat, the Mavericks fell to 0-6 overall and 0-1 in the ECC.
As late as 4:47 remaining in the opening stanza, the contest was tied at 22-22. Mercy rookie guard Nate Stitchell (Coventry, R.I.) then popped in a three-pointer to give his squad a brief lead, before the Knights reeled off a 14-0 run. At the conclusion of that run, Stitchell converted successfully on another shot from behind the arc. At halftime, the Knights led, 36-28.
With 15:46 left in regulation, the Mavericks had the golden touch from three-point land. Down 44-31, junior guard Chaz Morrish (Douglaston, N.Y.), junior forward Remi Mignott (Brooklyn, N.Y.), and graduate student Tracey Lewis (Bronx, N.Y.) poured in three consecutive three-pointers to cut Mercy's deficit to 46-40 over the span of one minute and 13 seconds.
Senior forward Joseph Pope (Akron, Ohio) then converted on two free thows, which was followed by graduate student Khiry Gordon (Philadelphia, Pa.) slamming down a dunk and driving in a lay-up to knot the score at 46-46.
Over the next 10 minutes, the Knights were able to find offensive consistency and mounted a lead again. With 50 seconds remaining in the game, however, Mercy cut Queens' lead back down to two points (68-66) when Gordon made good on a three-point play.
The Knights' Patrick Modzelewski hit a huge three-pointer 30 seconds later to give Queens a momentum swing and the Knights were able to hold on for the victory.
For Mercy, Mignott and Pope finished tied for the team lead in points with 14 each, while junior forward Kirk Bailey (Freeport, N.Y.) notched a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds). Gordon had three blocks and nine points.
For Queens, Modzelewski had a game-best 25 points, while Daniel Watson and Patrick Parker added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Head Coach Adam Parmenter and the Mavericks return to the hardwood on Saturday, Dec. 8 when they venture to Rochester, N.Y. to take on ECC-opponent Roberts Wesleyan College. Game time is slated for 8:00 p.m.
