RIVERDALE, N.Y. (Jan. 20, 2018) – Despite a game high 18 points from junior Dequawne Richards (Bronx, N.Y./Hostos CC), the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped an 81-69 decision to ECC foe RV/No. 20 University of Bridgeport on Saturday afternoon at the Sharp Center.

The Mavericks (8-10, 4-5 ECC) have dropped two games in a row, while the Purple Knights (15-4, 8-1 ECC) remain in first place in the ECC standings.

Richards went 7-of-13 from the floor and had eight rebounds, while senior Marko Kozul (Astoria, N.Y./Felician University) added 14 points and nine rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting. Juniors Chris Myers (Hackensack, N.J./Southeastern CC) and Sal Barbetto (New City, N.Y./Rockland CC) and freshman Matthew Alectus (Hollywood, Fla./Hallandale) added seven points.

Bridgeport was led by Sam Joseph who had a double-double by way of 16 points and ten rebounds.

The Purple Knights got off to a good start, starting the game with an 8-3 lead at the 16:38 mark. The Mavericks rallied with an 11-4 run to take a 14-12 lead with 13:31 remaining in the half after an Alectus layup. Bridgeport answered with a 6-0 run to retake the lead at 18-14 with 12:04 left in the first half. Mercy cut the deficit to two on three occasions with Bridgeport answering on the other end. The Mavericks trimmed the Purple Knights lead to two, 24-22, for the fourth time on a Richards jumper.

Bridgeport came back with six straight points to take a 30-22 lead with 8:56 on the clock. Mercy continued to battle and would go on an 8-3 run to make it a 33-30 game with 3:57 remaining in the half. However, the Purple Knights followed with a 12-2 run to take their largest lead of the half, 45-32, with 41 seconds left in the half. The Mavericks headed into halftime trailing 45-34.

The visitors began the second half by increasing the lead to 13, 51-38, with 16:13 remaining in the contest. Bridgeport later increased the lead to a game high 16 points, 60-44, with 10:46 left. Mercy would not go down quietly and got within eight, 64-56, at the 8:09 mark after a 12-4 run, capped off by an Alectus three. The teams traded baskets three times with Mercy trailing 70-62 with 4:42 on the clock.

Bridgeport would put the game away with a 10-2 run that increased the lead back to 16, 80-64, with 1:47 remaining. The Purple Knights held on the rest of the way in securing the win.

Mercy shot 43.1 percent (25-of-58) from the floor, 35.3 percent (6-of-17) from downtown and 65.0 percent (13-of-20) from the foul line. Bridgeport shot 40.8 percent (31-of-76) from the field, 40.0 percent (8-of-20) from long distance and 57.9 percent (11-of-19) from the charity stripe.

Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, January 24th at 7 p.m. when they host Berkeley College at Nyack College.