BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Feb. 23, 2019) – Powered by a career-high 33 points and 23 rebounds from redshirt sophomore Bryan Griffin (Pomona, N.Y./Saint Joseph Regional), the Mercy College men's basketball team earned a 90-66 victory over ECC foe LIU Post on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (8-16, 6-10 ECC) have won two games in a row and sit 1.5 games behind District of Columbia for the sixth and final ECC Tournament spot, while the Pioneers (0-24, 0-17 ECC) remain winless on the year. Mercy sweeps the season series with LIU Post for the first time since 1991-92.
Griffin went 14-of-22 from the floor and tied the single-season school record for rebounds in a season. Senior Sal Barbetto (New City, N.Y./Rockland CC) finished with 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting and a game-high nine assists. Junior Lamont Williams Jr. (Irvington, N.J./County College of Morris) posted a season-high 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting with four assists.
LIU Post was led by Alonzo Ortiz-Traylor who had a team-high 30 points.
The Pioneers jumped out to a 13-10 lead at the 15:13 mark of the first half. The Mavericks responded with an 18-4 run, capped off by two Griffin free throws, to take a 28-17 lead with 9:08 left in the half. LIU Post made it an eight-point game, 30-22, after an Ortiz-Traylor three at the 6:20 mark.
Mercy answered back by building the lead to 12, 38-26, following two Matthew Alectus (Hollywood, Fla./Hallandale) free throws with 4:05 remaining in the half. The Mavericks held a 43-31 lead late in the half before a Liam Kunkel jumper sent Mercy into the locker rooms up ten, 43-33.
The Mavericks lead was ten, 45-35, with 19:21 remaining before Mercy went on an 18-7 run over nine minutes to build the lead to 21, 63-42, with ten minutes left to play. LIU Post made it an 18-point game, 65-47, at the 8:31 mark, but the Mavericks put the game away with a 17-5 run that increased their lead to 30, 82-52, with 5:14 left. Mercy led by more than 20 the rest of the way in securing the win.
Mercy shot 53.6 percent (30-of-56) from the floor, 44.0 percent (11-of-25) from downtown and 95.0 percent (19-of-20) from the foul line. LIU Post shot 30.7 percent (23-of-75) from the field, 22.2 percent (8-of-36) from beyond the arc and 92.3 percent (12-of-13) from the charity stripe. Mercy held a 42-35 edge on the glass and a 19-2 edge in fast break points.
Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action on Friday, March 1st when they play at Daemen at 8 p.m.
