DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 6, 2019) – Despite a game-high 17 points and nine rebounds from redshirt sophomore Bryan Griffin (Pomona, N.Y./Saint Joseph Regional), the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped an, 86-73, decision to ECC foe University of Bridgeport on Wednesday night at the Victory Hall Sports Center.

The Mavericks (6-14, 4-8 ECC) have dropped three games in a row and sit two games behind Roberts Wesleyan for the sixth and final ECC Tournament spot, while the Purple Knights (12-10, 7-5 ECC) move two games over .500 in ECC play.

Griffin went 7-of-14 from the field and added two blocks. Senior Amir Atkins (Alexandria, Va./Hagerstown CC) added 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting and graduate student Tawayne Anderson Jr. (Freeport, N.Y./Merrimack College) netted 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Senior Daquon Ervin (Brooklyn, N.Y./UMBC) finished with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting and junior Lamont Williams Jr. (Irvington, N.J./County College of Morris) contributed ten points and five rebounds.

Bridgeport was led by Bakary Camara who had a team-high 14 points.

The Purple Knights started the contest on a 9-0 run, leading to a Mercy timeout at the 18:16 mark of the first half. The Mavericks answered back with six straight points to make it a three-point game, 9-6, with 17:32 on the clock.

Mercy trailed by four, 14-10, with 15:29 remaining in the half after a Williams layup. Bridgeport responded with four straight points to take an eight-point lead, 18-10, at the 13:34 mark. The visitors held a 24-17 lead with 9:04 showing before the Mavericks answered back with an 8-2 run to make it 26-25 with just under six minutes left in the half.

A Matthew Alectus (Hollywood, Fla./Hallandale) jumper made it 33-32 in favor of the Purple Knights with 3:08 left in the half. Bridgeport concluded the half on an 8-0 run to take a 41-32 lead into halftime.

A Hashem Abbas layup to start the second half gave Bridgeport a 43-32 lead. Mercy came back on a 13-5 run to make it a three-point game, 48-45, with 15:41 remaining. The Purple Knights roared back on an 11-4 run to increase the lead back to double digits, 59-49, with 12:53 left to play.

The Mavericks cut the lead back to five, 61-56, after an Anderson layup. Bridgeport increased the lead back to ten, 68-58, after a Camara dunk with 8:50 left. A Griffin layup at the 5:27 mark made it a seven-point game, 72-65, but the visitors put the game away with an 8-2 run to take an 80-67 lead with 2:14 remaining. Bridgeport led by double figures the rest of the way to secure the win.

Mercy shot 47.5 percent (28-of-59) from the floor, 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from downtown and 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the foul line. Bridgeport shot 55.1 percent (38-of-69) from the field, 28.0 percent (7-of-25) from beyond the arc and 42.9 percent (3-of-7) from the charity stripe. Bridgeport used 25 Mercy turnovers to hold a 31-12 edge in points off turnovers. Mercy held a 38-29 edge on the glass, but the Purple Knights held a 62-44 edge in points in the paint and a 42-18 advantage in bench points.

Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, February 13th when they play at Queens at 5 p.m.