Five Mavericks Score in Double Digits as Women's Basketball Scores Season High 73 Points Against ECC Rival Bridgeport
Box Score
DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 5, 2013) – Senior guard Aysha Williams (New Rochelle, N.Y.) led five Mavericks to score in double digits as the Mercy College women's basketball team scored a season-high 73 points in hosting East Coast Conference rival the University of Bridgeport on Saturday afternoon.
Both teams shot well from the field as the Purple Knights hit 47 percent and the Mavericks sank 45 percent of their field goal attempts, including 42 and 31 percent from beyond the arc, respectively. Bridgeport sank 11 more free throws, however, which made the difference in the 10-point game. The Purple Knights improved to 7-5 overall and 2-2 in the ECC with the win while the Mavericks dropped to 0-10 (0-3).
Bridgeport held a slight edge through the opening five minutes, then used a 10-2 run to jump out to a 20-10 lead and scored another nine straight points shortly after to make it 31-17. Mercy did manage to score the final five points of the half, however, to cut the deficit back to single digits.
The Purple Knights' lead hovered around 10 points early in the second half until Mercy began a rally with 15:40 to play. Eventually, junior guard Maria Nardulli (Staten Island, N.Y.) hit a trey to bring the Mavericks within five and Williams converted a three-point play to make it a two-point game with 10:48 remaining. However, another nine unanswered points put Bridgeport back up by double digits, which the Purple Knights held for the 83-73 victory.
Williams' 18 points marked her eighth double-digit scoring game of the season and led the Mavericks as senior forward MarQuesha Moore (Bryans Road, Md.), sophomore forward Shaniqua Lewis (Staten Island, N.Y.), freshman guard Amber Harrison (Baldwin, N.Y.) and Nardulli all scored in double digits. Lewis added seven rebounds and three assists, both team highs, while Williams made a team-high four steals and added five rebounds. Nardulli and freshman guard Danielle Losee (Merrick, N.Y.) each hit a pair of three-pointers.
Junior guard Aziza Patterson (Teaneck, N.J.) poured in 28 points, going 4-5 from beyond the arc, to lead Bridgeport while senior forward Tanisha Carter (East Hartford, Conn.) recorded the double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Carter recorded team highs with five assists, five steals and three blocks while sophomore guard Jenna Hoffman (Manchester Center, Vt.) scored 12 points and sophomore center Vanessa Schindler (Leimen, Germany) grabbed 10 rebounds.
Head Coach Rashidi Aikens and the Mavericks will continue conference play as they head to undefeated NYIT (11-0, 3-0) on Wednesday, Jan. 9 for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.
