NYACK, N.Y. (Dec. 15, 2017) – Despite a game high 28 points and 12 rebounds from junior Dequawne Richards (Bronx, N.Y./Hostos CC), the Mercy College men's basketball team nearly overcame a 16-point second-half deficit before falling 86-82 to ECC foe Daemen College on Friday night at Nyack College.
The Mavericks (5-5, 1-2 ECC) have dropped three games in a row, while the Wildcats (5-4, 1-1 ECC) pick up their first ECC win.
Richards went 9-of-17 from the floor and 4-of-6 from downtown and added two blocks. Senior Marko Kozul (Astoria, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) contributed a season high 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting along with nine rebounds. Junior Chris Myers (Hackensack, N.J./Southeastern CC) rounded out three Mavericks scoring in double figures with 14 points and a team high six assists.
Daemen was led by Andrew Sischo who had 27 points on 12-of-14 shooting.
Mercy opened the contest with the first five points as Myers drained a three and Richards added a layup. The visitors responded with seven straight points of their own to take a 7-5 lead the 16:07 mark. The Mavericks retook the lead with 13:56 left in the first half after a Kozul three that made the score 12-11.
That would be the last lead for Mercy as the Wildcats ensued with an 18-5 run to take a 29-17 lead with 7:41 left in the half. Daemen would extend the lead to 14 and headed into halftime with a 42-28 lead after a Jeff Redband three.
The Wildcats opened began the second half with a layup to take their largest lead of the game, 44-28, and looked to be on their way to an easy win. However, Mercy would show some resiliency and came back with a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to seven, 44-37, with 16:12 left. Daemen then went on an 8-2 run to increase the lead back to 13, 52-39, at the 14:09 mark leading to a Mercy timeout.
The Mavericks would get within eight, 56-48, with 11:10 on the clock after a pair of Richards free throws, but Daemen answered right back by increasing the lead to 12, 62-50, with just under ten minutes left.
Mercy continued to battle and would follow with a 26-16 run over seven minutes that got the Mavericks within two, 78-76, with 2:54 left. Sischo answered with a layup on the other end to give Daemen a four-point lead, 80-76. Richards brought it to a three-point game, 80-77, with two minutes left, but the Wildcats went on a 4-0 run to take a seven-point lead, 84-77, with 25 seconds left. Daemen would hold on for the victory despite being outscored 54-44 in the second half.
Mercy shot 44.3 percent (31-of-70) from the floor, 33.3 percent (8-of-24) from downtown and 70.6 percent (12-of-17) from the foul line. Daemen shot 54.7 percent (35-of-64) from the field, 45.0 percent (9-of-20) from beyond the arc and 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from the charity stripe.
Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday, December 17th when they host Roberts Wesleyan College at 2:30 p.m. at Nyack College.
