Quijada Pours in Game-High 23 Points as Men's Basketball Celebrates Senior Night vs. STAC
Box Score DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 24, 2015) – Despite a game-high 23 points from junior Jason Quijada (Monsey, N.Y./Rockland CC) and 10 points from graduate student Terrance Murchie (Franklin Square, N.Y./H. Frank Carey) on Senior Night, the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped a 64-53 decision to first place St. Thomas Aquinas College on Tuesday night at Mercy Gymnasium.
In a ceremony prior to the game, Murchie and senior Adam Black (Oklahoma City, Okla./Pima CC) were recognized for their achievements as members of the Mercy College men's basketball program.
The Mavericks (7-18, 2-17 ECC) conclude their 2014-15 home slate 5-9, while the Spartans (19-10, 16-3 ECC) remain atop the ECC standings and have won three in a row.
Quijada went 9-of-16 from the field including 5-of-9 from downtown and had two rebounds and two steals. Murchie poured in 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting in his final home game as a Maverick.
Leading St. Thomas Aquinas was Shaquille McFarlan who dropped in a team-high 14 points.
With an electric crowd on hand to send off the seniors Mercy looked to upset the top team in the ECC. However, the guests got off to the quick start as they jumped out to a 20-5 lead at the 9:32 mark of the first half.
The Mavericks despite being undermanned once again without two key contributors would claw its way back into the contest with a 16-7 run that was capped off by a pair of baskets from Murchie to cut the deficit to 27-21 with 2:52 left before half.
Mercy was unable to build on that momentum as the Spartans scored seven unanswered to close the half and head into the locker rooms up 34-21.
The second half saw St. Thomas Aquinas build the lead to its largest margin of the game at 46-30 with 13:17 and looked to be running away with the contest. The Mavericks as has been the case all season wouldn't go down without a fight and ensued with a 19-9 run, helped by 13 points from Quijada, to cut the Spartan's lead to six, 55-49, with 4:46 left in regulation.
St. Thomas Aquinas responded by showing why it is the top team in the ECC with seven unanswered to build the lead back up to double digits, 62-49, with 2:09 left and would hang on for the victory.
Mercy was able to outshoot the Spartans 44.9 percent to 44.7 percent and hold a 32-30 edge on the glass. One of the largest differences in the game was the fact that St. Thomas Aquinas went 14-of-26 from the charity stripe while the Mavericks only went 3-of-5.
Head Coach Dr. Jody King and the Mavericks conclude the 2014-15 season when they travel to District of Columbia on Thursday, February 26th for a 5 p.m. tip.
