BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Feb. 29, 2020) – Despite redshirt junior Bryan Griffin (Pomona, N.Y./Saint Joseph Regional) setting a new school record for career rebounds, the Mercy College men's basketball team concluded its season with a 100-85 setback to ECC foe No. 12/16 University of Bridgeport on Saturday afternoon at Hubbell Gym.
The Mavericks (5-21, 3-13 ECC) end their season with five straight losses, while the Purple Knights (23-3, 15-1 ECC) sweep the season series.
Griffin finished with 17 points and a game-high 21 rebounds. The forward now has 708 career rebounds, surpassing the previous school record of 703 set by Frank Bailey. Griffin also finishes the season with a school-record 347 rebounds. Junior Dayvon Cuffey (Baltimore, Md./Anne Arundel CC) had a team-high 19 points along with seven rebounds on 7-for-8 shooting and freshman Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) had 12 points and six rebounds. Sophomore Dondre Barnes (Atlanta, Ga./South Atlanta) had 12 points and five rebounds on 5-for-7 shooting and sophomore Korey Lee (Huntington Station, N.Y./Trinity Pawling) had 11 points and six rebounds. Senior Lamont Williams Jr. (Irvington, N.J./County College of Morris) had 10 points and five assists and junior Amadou Camara (Harlem, N.Y./Monroe College) had a game-high nine assists with six rebounds.
Bridgeport was led by D'Vonne Trumbo and Bakary Camara who both had a game-high-tying 20 points.
Mercy opened the game on a 6-0 run before Bridgeport rallied with a 10-2 run to take a 10-8 lead with 17:06 left in the first half. The Purple Knights later built the lead to five, 32-27, with 8:04 on the clock after a Trumbo three.
The Mavericks battled back against the nationally-ranked Purple Knights with a 10-0 run, capped off by a Cuffey three, to take a 37-32 lead with 6:27 left in the half. Mercy increased the lead to seven, 43-36, after a Barnes layup before the hosts rattled off five straight points to make it 43-41. The Mavericks followed with a 7-0 run, finished off by a Williams Jr. layup, to take a 50-41 lead with 1:16 remaining in the half. Bridgeport closed the half on a 5-0 run to head into halftime down, 50-46.
A three from Williams Jr. at the 17:54 mark of the second half gave Mercy a 57-51 lead. Mercy later held a 59-55 lead following a Griffin jumper with 14:56 remaining. The hosts stormed back on a 9-0 run to take a 64-59 lead. A Griffin free throw made it a three-point game, 69-66, with 10:58 left. However, Bridgeport answered with a 16-2 run to increase the lead to 17, 85-68, with 7:13 remaining.
The Purple Knights increased the lead to a game-high 21 points, 100-79, before Mercy ended the game on a 6-0 run to make the final score 100-85.
Mercy shot 48.6 percent (34-for-70) from the floor, 45.5 percent (10-for-22) from downtown and 70.0 percent (7-for-10) from the foul line. Bridgeport shot 39.4 percent (39-for-99) from the field, 26.1 percent (12-for-46) from beyond the arc and 71.4 percent (10-for-14) from the charity stripe. Bridgeport used 35 Mercy turnovers to hold a 43-14 edge in points off turnovers. Mercy held a 58-43 edge on the glass and had a season-high 25 assists.
