VALHALLA, N.Y. (Dec. 9, 2017) – Despite a team high 16 points from senior Marko Kozul (Astoria, N.Y./Felician University), the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped a 72-67 decision to ECC foe LIU Post on Saturday afternoon at Westchester Community College.

The Mavericks (5-3, 1-1 ECC) see their four-game winning streak come to an end, while the Pioneers (3-6, 1-1 ECC) earn their first ECC win.

Kozul added four rebounds and went 8-of-12 from the foul line. Junior Sal Barbetto (New City, N.Y./Rockland CC) added 14 points and five rebounds on 5-of-10 shooting, while junior Chris Myers (Hackensack, N.J./Southeastern CC) contributed 12 points.

LIU Post was paced by Jared Rivers who had a game high 23 points along with six rebounds.

The Pioneers got off to a strong start as they opened the contest with 11 straight points to build an 11-0 lead at the 17:43 mark. Myers ended the run with a layup, but LIU Post answered with five more points to build the lead to 16, 18-2, with 15:08 left in the half.

LIU Post held a 31-15 lead at the 10:18 mark of the opening half and looked to be in complete control until the Mavericks followed with a 10-1 run that got them to within seven, 32-25, with 7:50 left in the half. The Pioneers would then go on a 17-6 run over the next seven minutes that increase their lead to 18, 49-31, with 33 seconds left. Barbetto connected on a layup at the buzzer to send Mercy into halftime down, 49-33.

The Pioneers maintained an 18-point lead, 56-38, with 14:05 remaining and looked to have the game well in hand. However, the Mavericks were not going down without a fight and followed with a 15-4 run over the next four minutes to get within seven, 60-53, at the 10:53 mark.

LIU Post increased the lead back to ten, 70-60, with two minutes left before Mercy came right back on a 6-1 run that cut the Pioneers lead to four, 70-66, with just 47 seconds left. The Mavericks would have a couple of chances to get closer but were unable to do so and were forced to foul with 16 seconds left. Rivers drained a pair of free throws to make it 72-66 and LIU Post would escape with their first ECC win.

Mercy shot 32.2 percent (19-of-59) from the floor, 30.0 percent (9-of-30) from downtown and 69.0 percent (20-of-29) from the foul line. LIU Post shot 44.8 percent (26-of-58) from the field, 39.3 percent (11-of-28) from long distance and 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from the foul line.

Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they play at Wagner College at 4 p.m.