AMHERST, N.Y. (Mar. 1, 2019) – Despite a game-high 26 points from redshirt sophomore Bryan Griffin (Pomona, N.Y./Saint Joseph Regional), the Mercy College men's basketball team suffered an 89-69 loss to ECC foe No. 19/22 Daemen College on Friday night at Lumsden Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (8-17, 6-11 ECC) are eliminated from ECC Tournament contention with the loss, while the Wildcats (23-4, 15-2 ECC) remain atop the ECC standings.
Griffin went 11-of-19 from the floor with nine rebounds and added a game-high five blocks. The redshirt sophomore set a new single-season school record for rebounds in a season, surpassing the previous mark of 283 set in 1983-84 by James Harrison. Griffin currently has 292 rebounds with one game left to play. Sophomore Matthew Alectus (Hollywood, Fla./Hallandale) posted a season-high 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting and senior Amir Atkins (Alexandria, Va./Hagerstown CC) added 14 points and six rebounds. Senior Sal Barbetto (New City, N.Y./Rockland CC) netted eight points and six rebounds.
Daemen was led by Quinn Lee Yaw who had a team-high 23 points.
The Wildcats took an 8-7 lead at the 14:04 mark of the first half after a Lee Yaw layup. Mercy answered with an 18-4 run, capped off by an Alectus three, that gave the Mavericks their largest lead of the game, 25-12, with 10:47 remaining.
Daemen ensued with a 10-0 run to make it a three-point game, 25-22, with 7:30 left in the half. Mercy increased the lead back to eight, 34-26, following a Dondre Barnes (Atlanta, Ga./South Atlanta) three-point play at the 3:52 mark. The Wildcats responded with an 11-5 run to make it 39-37 with 37 seconds left, but Atkins followed with a three right before halftime to give Mercy a 42-37 lead at the intermission.
The hosts opened the second half on a 5-0 run to tie the game up at 42-42. Atkins and Griffin followed with back-to-back baskets to give Mercy a four-point lead, 46-42, with 17:46 remaining. Daemen had an answer again and went on a 9-0 run to take a 51-46 lead. Mercy made it a one-point game, 51-50, with 13:59 left after a free throw from Griffin, but the Wildcats came back on a 22-2 run to take a 21-point lead, 73-52, with 6:29 left in the contest.
Daemen later increased the lead to 22 and the Mavericks could get no closer than 16 points the rest of the way, giving the Wildcats the win.
Mercy shot 42.4 percent (25-of-59) from the floor, 48.0 percent (12-of-25) from downtown and 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from the foul line. Daemen shot 49.3 percent (35-of-71) from the field, 35.7 percent (10-of-28) from beyond the arc and 75.0 percent (9-of-12) from the charity stripe. Daemen held a 39-34 edge on the glass and a 15-5 edge in points off turnovers.
Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks conclude their season on Sunday, March 3rd when they play at Roberts Wesleyan at 4 p.m.
