FLUSHING, N.Y. (Feb. 13, 2019) – Despite redshirt sophomore Bryan Griffin (Pomona, N.Y./Saint Joseph Regional) and senior Sal Barbetto (New City, N.Y./Rockland CC) scoring in double figures, the Mercy College men's basketball team suffered a, 76-59, setback to ECC foe Queens College on Wednesday night at Fitzgerald Gymnasium.

The Mavericks (6-15, 4-9 ECC) have dropped four games in a row, while the Knights (7-17, 7-7 ECC) level their ECC record.

Griffin recorded his 15th double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds along with a career-high seven blocks. Barbetto posted 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists and sophomore Matthew Alectus (Hollywood, Fla./Hallandale) finished with eight points and seven rebounds.

Queens was led by Dwayne Henry Jr. who had a game-high-tying 19 points.

The Knights jumped out to an 8-2 lead with 16:47 left in the first half before the Mavericks battled back and cut the deficit to two, 12-10, after an Amir Atkins (Alexandria, Va./Hagerstown CC) three at the 12:52 mark. Queens increased the lead to eight, 19-11, with 10:25 on the clock, but Mercy roared back with a 14-2 run to take a 25-21 lead with 5:56 remaining in the half.

The hosts responded with a 15-0 run to take their largest lead of the half, 36-25, with 53 seconds left. Two free throws from Barbetto right before halftime sent Mercy into the intermission down, 36-27.

Mercy started the second half on a 16-4 run, capped off by a Barbetto three-point play, that gave the Mavericks a 43-40 lead with 13:53 remaining. A tip-in from Griffin gave Mercy their largest lead of the game, 47-42, at the 12:42 mark.

The Mavericks later held a 54-50 lead after a Barbetto layup with 7:54 left to play and was leading 56-53 with 7:23 left to play. Queens followed with a 21-0 run over nearly seven minutes to take a 74-56 lead with 42 seconds left. A Dondre Barnes (Atlanta, Ga./South Atlanta) three-pointer ended the scoring drought for Mercy at just under seven minutes, but it was not enough as Queens emerged victorious.

Mercy shot 38.6 percent (22-of-57) from the floor, 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from downtown and 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from the foul line. Queens shot 34.7 percent (26-of-75) from the field, 30.3 percent (10-of-33) from beyond the arc and 87.5 percent (14-of-16) from the charity stripe. Queens held a 48-41 edge on the glass and a 47-11 edge in bench points.

Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, February 16th when they host Molloy for Senior Day at 2 p.m.