Quijada Scores Team-High 24 Points as Men's Basketball Hosts Bridgeport on Senior Day
Box Score DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 27, 2016) – Despite a season-high 24 points from senior Jason Quijada (Monsey, N.Y./Rockland CC) and a late second-half rally, the Mercy College men's basketball team concluded its regular season with a 79-75 setback on Senior Day to the University of Bridgeport on Saturday afternoon at Mercy Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (12-14, 9-11 ECC) conclude the regular season with consecutive losses, while the Purple Knights (15-13, 12-8 ECC) earn a sweep of the season series. Despite the loss, Mercy clinched the sixth and final spot in the upcoming East Coast Conference (ECC) Tournament with Dowling's loss to St. Thomas Aquinas. The Mavericks will play at No. 3 seed District of Columbia on Wednesday, March 2nd in a Quarterfinal matchup at a time to be announced.
The 12 wins in the regular season are the most since the 2004-05 season and under the guidance of head coach Dr. Jody King the Mavericks have accumulated 20 wins over the course of the last two seasons. Mercy won a combined 22 games in the seven seasons prior to King's arrival.
Before the contest, seniors Jason Quijada, Gerald McClease, Lazaro Martinez, Shaquille Stokes, Tyseem Lyles, Jeremiah Brown and Joshua Thompson were recognized for their accomplishments during their time at Mercy College.
Quijada finished an impressive 7-of-12 from downtown in his final game, while Lyles added a double-double with 15 points and ten rebounds. Thompson had a strong game in his home finale, finishing with 11 points and six rebounds.
Bridgeport was paced by Devon Elliott who scored a game-high 32 points on 10-of-17 shooting.
The Mavericks looked to pick up a statement win on Senior Day and got off to a 6-2 lead at the 17:38 mark following a Quijada three. The visitors would responded back with an 18-8 run to take a 20-14 lead with 12:27 left in the first half.
The Purple Knights increased the lead to eight, 28-20, at the 7:06 mark before seven unanswered from the Mavericks got them within one, 28-27, with 4:50 remaining in the half. Bridgeport answered with a 13-2 run to increase the lead to double digits, 41-29, with just under two minutes left before half. Mercy closed the period on a 7-2 run, capped by a Quijada trifecta, to trail 43-36 at half.
The second stanza saw Bridgeport open the period on a 17-8 run to take their largest lead of the game, 60-44, with 11:44 remaining. The Purple Knights maintained a 67-55 lead with 5:18 left and looked to have the game well in hand, but the Mavericks had one last fight in them.
Mercy would cut the deficit to just three, 77-74, with 20 seconds left, capping a 19-10 run that finished off by a Thompson three-point play. The Mavericks fouled on the ensuing Bridgeport possession and Antoine Brown made 1-of-2 at the charity stripe to increase the lead to four, 78-74, with 13 seconds left.
Quijada drew a foul on the following Mercy possession and went 1-of-2 from the line to make it a one possession game, 78-75, with 10 seconds left. Brown went 1-of-2 again from the line to increase the lead back to four, 79-75, with seven seconds on the clock. Time would run out on the Mavericks in their comeback bid and the Purple Knights emerged victorious.
Mercy shot 35.1 percent (27-of-77) from the floor, while Bridgeport shot 47.4 percent (27-of-57). The Mavericks held a 55-29 edge on the glass and maintained a 36-9 advantage in second chance points.
Head Coach Dr. Jody King and the Mavericks will play at No. 3 seed District of Columbia in an East Coast Conference (ECC) Tournament Quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday, March 2nd at a time to be announcd.
