Robinson Secures Double-Double as Men's Basketball Battles LIU Post in ECC Opener
Box Score BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Dec. 5, 2015) – Despite a double-double from junior William Robinson (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Nyack College) and 20 points from senior Shaquille Stokes (Harlem, N.Y./University of Hawaii), the Mercy College men's basketball team led throughout before falling on a LIU Post second-half rally, 71-63, on Saturday afternoon in an East Coast Conference (ECC) matchup at the Pratt Recreation Center.
The Mavericks (1-3, 0-1 ECC) have now lost three in a row following their ECC opener, while the Pioneers (5-2, 1-0 ECC) have won three of their last four games.
Robinson picked up his second double-double of the season by way of a team-high 21 points and 10 rebounds on efficient 8-of-10 shooting. Stokes went 4-of-9 from downtown and added four rebounds and three assists. Senior Tyseem Lyles (Brooklyn, N.Y./Tompkins Cortland CC) added 12 points and five rebounds for his fourth straight game scoring in double figures.
LIU Post was led by Jared Hall who had a game-high 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting.
After taking Division I Norfolk State down to the wire on Wednesday, the Mavericks looked to build off that performance in their conference opener. After Hall opened up the scoring with a triple at the 18:36 mark, the Mavericks preceded to go on a 17-6 run to take a 17-9 lead with 13:21 left in the frame, forcing a Pioneers timeout.
A Greg Dotson layup out of the timeout cut the LIU Post deficit to six, 17-11, but a Lyles trifecta and Gerald McClease (New Haven, Conn./Sullivan CC) layup would increase the Mavericks lead to double figures for the first time at 22-11 with 11:52 left before half. A three from senior Jason Quijada (Monsey, N.Y./Rockland CC) and a pair of Stokes free throws less than a minute later increased the lead to 15, 27-12.
The Pioneers slowly crept back into the game and went on an 11-2 run over the next six minutes to get within six, 29-23, at the 5:43 mark. Mercy had an answer for the LIU Post run, going on an 11-0 run, capped off by a Stokes trey that increased the Mavericks lead to a game-high 17 points, 40-23, with three minutes left in the period.
The home team would end the frame on a 9-2 run to cut the deficit to ten, 42-32, at halftime. The opening half saw Mercy shoot 46.9 percent (15-of-32) from the field and an impressive 7-of-15 from downtown. The Mavericks also held a 23-13 edge on the boards and allowed the Pioneers to shoot just 37.9 percent (11-of-29).
After a strong shooting first half, Mercy struggled to shoot in the second half as they hit only 16.0 percent (4-of-25) of their attempts allowing the hosts to get back into the game.
LIU Post came out of the locker rooms with the first seven points to cut the Mavericks lead to three, 42-39, before a pair of Stokes free throws put an end to the run. The Pioneers would even the game up at 44-44 at the 13:38 mark before Stokes responded with Mercy's first field goal of the half with 12:21 remaining to put the Mavericks back up 47-44.
The Pioneers responded with a 9-1 run to take their first lead, 53-48, with 9:12 left since leading 5-3 early in the contest. Mercy continued to battle despite their shooting woes and cut the lead to two, 56-54, after more Stokes free throws with 7:14 showing on the clock.
However, LIU Post followed with an 8-1 run that would give them a 64-55 lead with 4:42 left and the Pioneers would hold on to secure the come-from-behind victory.
Mercy finished the afternoon hitting on 33.3 percent (19-of-57) of their attempts, while the Pioneers made 39.3 percent (22-of-56) of their attempts. The Mavericks outrebounded the home team 44-34, but 24 Mercy turnovers led to a 34-12 edge in points off turnovers for LIU Post.
Head Coach Dr. Jody King and the Mavericks will look to rebound as they host Molloy College on Wednesday, December 9th at 7:30 p.m.
