BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Feb. 29, 2020) – Despite a career-high 17 points from freshman Kellie Nudd (Colchester, Conn./Bacon Academy), the Mercy College women's basketball team dropped a 76-62 decision to ECC foe University of Bridgeport in their season finale on Saturday afternoon at Hubbell Gym.

The Mavericks (8-19, 2-14 ECC) fall in their season finale and end the season with eight wins. Mercy won eight or more games in a season for just the fourth time since 2000-01. The Purple Knights (6-22, 4-12 ECC) earn the sixth and final ECC Tournament spot with the win.

Nudd went 6-for-10 from the floor and 5-for-7 from downtown with five rebounds. Freshman Katie Wall (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) had 14 points, three assists and three rebounds. Senior Abigail Collier (Watertown, Conn./Watertown) ended her career with 12 points on 5-for-11 shooting and sophomore Taysha Bender (Glen Burnie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) had ten points. Senior Destinee Hall (Spring Valley, N.Y./Keystone College) had a team-high ten rebounds.

Bridgeport was led by Samirah Henderson who had a game-high 21 points.

Mercy opened the game with a 4-2 lead after four points from Wall. Bridgeport ended the quarter on a 16-3 run to take an 18-7 lead after one quarter of play.

The Purple Knights started the second quarter by increasing the lead to a game-high 15 points, 32-17, with 2:52 left in the first half. The Mavericks continued to battle and went on a 10-0 run, capped off by a Nudd three, to make it 32-27. Bridgeport ended the frame on a 5-1 run to head into halftime up, 37-28.

Mercy began the third quarter on a 15-4 run, capped off by a Collier layup, which gave the Mavericks 43-41 lead with 4:55 left in the period. Bridgeport regained the lead at 48-45 before a Bender jumper and Nudd three put Mercy up, 50-48, with 2:18 on the clock. A Janiece Loney three gave the Purple Knights a 53-52 lead before Nudd drained a three at the buzzer to put Mercy up, 55-53, after three quarters.

A Wall jumper to open the fourth quarter gave Mercy a 57-53 lead with 8:38 remaining. Bridgeport responded with an 11-3 run to take a 64-60 lead before Collier made it 64-62 at the 4:10 mark following a layup. The Purple Knights would hold Mercy scoreless for the remainder of the game and end the game on a 12-0 run to secure the win.

Mercy shot 34.3 percent (23-for-67) from the floor, 32.0 percent (8-for-25) from downtown and 72.7 percent (8-for-11) from the foul line. Bridgeport shot 44.4 percent (24-for-54) from the field, 41.2 percent (7-for-17) from beyond the arc and 91.3 percent (21-for-23) from the charity stripe. Mercy held a 41-35 edge on the glass and Bridgeport used 17 Mercy turnovers to hold a 24-10 edge in points off turnovers.