DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 25, 2020) – Powered by five starters scoring in double figures, the Mercy College women's basketball team earned a 71-68 victory over ECC foe University of Bridgeport in a Coaches vs. Cancer game on Saturday afternoon at Victory Hall Sports Center.

The Mavericks (7-12, 1-7 ECC) snap a nine-game losing streak and pick up their first ECC win. Mercy also picks up their first home win over the Purple Knights (4-16, 2-6 ECC) since January 15, 2011. The Mavericks also sit just one game behind the sixth and final ECC Tournament spot.

Sophomore Taysha Bender (Glen Burnie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) led the way with a season-high-tying 19 points on 8-for-15 shooting. Freshman Katie Wall (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) added 16 points on 6-for-12 shooting and junior Amber Brown (South Brunswick, N.J./South Brunswick) netted a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Abigail Collier (Watertown, Conn./Watertown) also had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds and had a game-high three blocks and five steals. Senior Destinee Hall (Spring Valley, N.Y./Keystone College) rounded out five starters scoring in double figures with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Bridgeport was led by Kyle Felton who had a game-high 20 points.

The Purple Knights scored the game's first two points before the Mavericks rattled off an 11-3 run to take an 11-5 lead at the 6:02 mark of the first quarter. Bridgeport cut the lead to one, 11-10, after a Felton layup, but Mercy ended the quarter on a 13-0 run to head into the second quarter up, 24-10.

Mercy held a 26-12 lead after two Collier free throws before Bridgeport went on a 7-2 run to trim the Mavericks lead to 28-19 with 6:22 remaining in the half. A Bender three gave Mercy a 31-19 lead, but the visitors answered with a 7-1 run to cut the Maverick lead to six, 32-26, with 3:32 on the clock. Mercy finished the quarter on an 8-2 run, capped off by a Brown three-pointer, to take a 40-28 lead at halftime.

Bridgeport started the third quarter on a 9-3 run to get within six, 43-37, with seven minutes left in the third quarter. A Wall three and Bender layup put the lead back to 11, 48-37. The Purple Knights ended the frame on a 14-4 run to cut the Mercy lead to one, 52-51, after three quarters.

The Purple Knights opened the fourth quarter with a Samirah Henderson three to take the lead at 54-52. An Alexis Lake layup tied the game up at 54-54 and the game was later tied at 56-56 and 58-58. Bridgeport followed with a 10-4 spurt to take their largest lead of the game, 68-62, with 3:14 left to play. The Mavericks defense held its own the rest of the way and did not allow a point the rest of the way. Mercy would end the game on a 9-0 run with Bender tying the game up on a layup at the 1:54 mark and Wall putting the Mavericks ahead for good with a free throw with 49 seconds left. Bender drained two more free throws with 37 seconds on the clock to help preserve the win for Mercy.

Mercy shot 37.0 percent (20-for-54) from the floor, 31.3 percent (5-for-16) from downtown and 78.8 percent (26-for-33) from the foul line. Bridgeport shot 39.4 percent (26-for-66) from the field, 35.0 percent (7-for-20) from beyond the arc and 64.3 percent (9-for-14) from the charity stripe. Mercy held a 45-35 edge in rebounds.

Head Coach Scott Lagas and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, February 1st when they play at St. Thomas Aquinas at 1 p.m.