ROCHESTER, N.Y. (Feb. 14, 2020) – Despite redshirt junior Bryan Griffin (Pomona, N.Y./Saint Joseph Regional) recording his 1,000th career point, the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped a 78-75 decision to ECC foe Roberts Wesleyan College on Friday night.
The Mavericks (5-17, 3-9 ECC) fail to build off their win over New York Tech and sit two games behind Queens and Molloy for the sixth and final ECC Tournament spot with four games left to play. The Redhawks (4-19, 1-11 ECC) pick up their first ECC win of the season.
Griffin becomes the 14th Maverick to record 1,000 points and ended the game with a game-high 27 points and 18 rebounds. Freshman Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) netted 17 points and senior Lamont Williams Jr. (Irvington, N.J./County College of Morris) had 13 points, nine assists and five rebounds. Freshman Garrett Kirkland (Springdale, Md./Bishop McNamara) added 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting from downtown.
Roberts Wesleyan was led by Reggie Clark who had a game-high-tying 27 points.
Mercy took a 16-7 lead at the 12:35 mark of the first half after a Williams Jr. three. A Shane Fanning jumper made it 16-9 before the Mavericks went on a 6-0 run, capped off by a Wilson three, to take their largest lead of the game, 22-9.
The Mavericks held a 12-point lead, 26-14, at the 6:10 mark after two Wilson free throws. The hosts followed with an 8-0 run to get within four, 26-22, with 3:45 on the clock. Mercy answered back with a 13-4 run, finished off by a Griffin layup, to build a 13-point lead again, 39-26. An Amari Lee layup at the buzzer cut the Mercy lead to 39-28 at halftime.
The Redhawks started the second half on a 10-2 run to cut the Mercy lead to three, 41-38, with 18:11 remaining. A Williams Jr. three put the lead back to six, but the hosts scored four straight points to make it a two-point game, 44-42, with 15:58 left.
Mercy held a 50-48 lead with 11:43 on the clock before the hosts scored four unanswered to take a 52-50 lead. The Mavericks battled back and retook the lead at 59-55 with 8:05 remaining after a Wilson layup. The Redhawks ensued with a 9-0 run to take their largest lead of the game, 64-59, with 4:58 on the clock.
The Mavericks continued to battle and followed with a 6-2 run to cut the Roberts Wesleyan lead to one, 66-65. The Redhawks scored four straight points to put the lead back to five, 70-65, with one minute left. A Korey Lee (Huntington Station, N.Y./Trinity Pawling) layup made it 70-67, but Armon Nasseri went 2-for-2 at the line to give the Redhawks a 72-67 lead with 54 seconds left. A Kirkland three on the next Mercy possession made it 72-70 before Fanning drew a foul and went 2-for-2 at the line to make it 74-70 with 43 seconds on the clock. Kirkland drained another three to make it a one-point game, 74-73, before Amari Lee made two more free throws to give the hosts a 76-73 lead with 28 seconds remaining. After a Mercy timeout, Griffin recorded a dunk to get the Mavericks back within one, 76-75. Reggie Clark then went to the line and went 2-for-2 to put Roberts Wesleyan back up three, 78-75, with 11 seconds left. Following a Redhawk timeout, a Kirkland three from top of the key would not fall, giving the Redhawks the win.
Mercy shot 46.8 percent (29-for-62) from the floor, 45.0 percent (9-for-20) from downtown and 88.9 percent (8-for-9) from the foul line. Roberts Wesleyan shot 36.1 percent (22-for-61) from the field, 22.2 percent (6-for-27) from beyond the arc and 93.3 percent (28-for-30) from the charity stripe. Mercy held a 38-32 edge in rebounds.
Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday, February 16th when they play at Daemen at 3 p.m.
