DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 9, 2019) – Despite a game-high 26 points from redshirt junior Bryan Griffin (Pomona, N.Y./Saint Joseph Regional), the Mercy College men's basketball team opened up their 2019-20 season with a 94-70 loss to Southern New Hampshire University in the Mercy College Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Victory Hall Sports Center.
The Mavericks (0-1) start the season off with a loss, while the Penmen (1-0) open their season with a win. Dominican defeated Molloy, 95-75, in the first game of the day.
Griffin went 9-of-14 from the floor with six rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Junior Dayvon Cuffey (Baltimore, Md./Anne Arundel CC) had 12 points and seven rebounds in his Mercy debut. Junior Matthew Alectus (Hollywood, Fla./Hallandale) had eight points and sophomore Korey Lee (Huntington Station, N.Y./Trinity Pawling) and freshman Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) both netted seven points.
Southern New Hampshire was led by Corry Long who had a team-high 18 points.
The Penmen opened the game with a 13-9 lead at the 15:45 mark of the first half. Mercy ensued with an 8-0 run, capped off by a Dondre Barnes (Atlanta, Ga./South Atlanta) layup, which gave Mercy a 17-13 lead with 13:44 remaining in the first half.
The guests took the lead back with a 7-0 run before the Mavericks scored four straight to take a 21-20 lead following a Cuffey layup at the 10:51 mark. Southern New Hampshire answered back on a 22-3 run to build an 18-point lead, 42-24, with 2:14 left in the opening half. Mercy closed out the half on a 6-2 run to cut the deficit to 14, 44-30, at halftime.
A three-pointer from senior Lamont Williams Jr. (Irvington, N.J./County College of Morris) to open the second half made it 44-33. The Penmen increased the lead back to 18, 52-34, at the 15:17 mark following an 8-1 run. The Mavericks continued to battle and cut the deficit to 11, 62-51, after a Griffin layup with 10:21 remaining. The visitors came back on a 23-5 run to take their largest lead of the game, 85-56, with 3:57 left in the game. Mercy cut the lead to 22, but could not get any closer as the Penmen came away with the win.
Mercy shot 48.1 percent (25-of-52) from the floor, 31.8 percent (7-of-22) from downtown and 61.9 percent (13-of-21) from the foul line. Southern New Hampshire shot 47.7 percent (31-of-65) from the field, 54.3 percent (19-of-35) from beyond the arc and 61.9 percent (13-of-21) from the charity stripe.
Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they host Dominican at 2:15 p.m.
