Stokes' Season-High 28 Points Leads Men's Basketball to Best Eight-Game Start in ECC Play Since 2007-08 With Win at UDC
Box Score WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 16, 2016) – Powered by a season-high 28 points from senior Shaquille Stokes (Harlem, N.Y./College of Saint Rose) off the bench and 17 points from senior Tyseem Lyles (Brooklyn, N.Y./Tompkins Cortland CC), the Mercy College men's basketball team took down East Coast Conference (ECC) playoff contender the University of the District of Columbia on the road, 94-84, on Saturday afternoon at the UDC Sports Complex.
The Mavericks (5-8, 3-5 ECC) snap a four-game losing streak with the win and earn their second straight win at UDC. Mercy is off to their best eight-game start in conference play since the 2007-08 season when they also started 3-5. The 2007-08 season is also the last time the Mavericks had three conference wins before January 17th. The Firebirds (7-9, 5-3 ECC) have now lost two in a row after winning six of their previous seven games.
Stokes went 9-of-17 from the field and added six assists and three rebounds, while Lyles finished 5-of-12 from the field with seven rebounds and two steals. Junior K.J. Rose (Binghamton, N.Y./Fairfield University) tallied a double-double by way of 12 points and 10 rebounds and junior Isaiah Cosbert (Queens, N.Y./Sullivan CC) continued his strong play with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting.
Erin Senegal led UDC with a team-high 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting, while Kasim Chandler added 15 points.
Mercy entered today's contest looking to snap their four-game losing streak at a place they are accustomed to winning at after defeating the Firebirds on the road in the season finale last season, 79-77. UDC entered today's matchup as one of the top teams in the ECC, but the Mavericks came out and showed that they can play with the conference's elite as they led for 33 minutes on their way to the double-digit win.
The Firebirds jumped out to an early 8-3 lead at the 17:42 mark and Mercy looked to have their hands full. UDC once again took a five-point lead, 15-10, at the 14:31 mark, but the Mavericks immediately responded with a 10-0 run capped off by five straight points from Stokes to give Mercy the lead for good at 20-15 with 13 minutes left in the half.
UDC got within a point, 28-27, at the 8:59 mark but the Mavericks answered with a 14-7 run over the next five minutes to take a 42-34 advantage. Jayone Troutman answered with a jumper to make it 42-36, but Mercy closed the frame on a 9-0 run over the final 2:56 to increase the lead to a game-high 15 points, 51-36, heading into the locker rooms.
The Mavericks got off to their quick start aided by 58.8 percent (20-of-34) shooting, while the hosts shot 53.6 percent (15-of-28).
The second stanza saw the Mavericks stay in control as they led 64-51 with 12 minutes left after a Gerald McClease (New Haven, Conn./Sullivan CC) layup. Mercy, who has had difficulties in the second half this season, looked to be cruising to a big ECC road win. However, the Firebirds would make a game of it as they responded with an 11-2 run over the next three minutes to cut the Mavericks lead to just four, 66-62. Mercy however would show that this was a different day than their past four games and immediately came back with five straight to take a 71-62 lead with eight minutes left.
UDC had one last run in them and cut the Mavericks lead to 72-69 with five minutes left but that would be the closest they would get as Mercy ensued with a 13-6 run to build a ten-point lead, 85-75, with 57 seconds left. The Mavericks held on as they went 10-of-11 from the charity stripe in the final minute to head back to Dobbs Ferry victorious.
Mercy ended the contest shooting 47.8 percent (32-of-67), while the Firebirds shot 47.7 percent (31-of-65). The Mavericks held a 43-36 edge on the glass and a 48-18 edge in bench points.
Head Coach Dr. Jody King and the Mavericks resume play on Wednesday, January 20th as they host Dowling College at the Westchester County Center at 7:30 p.m.
