LAKEWOOD, N.J. (Nov. 24, 2021) – Despite a team-high 20 points from junior Garrett Kirkland (Springdale, Md./Bishop McNamara), the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped a 70-58 decision to Georgian Court University on Wednesday afternoon.
The Mavericks (0-4) have dropped four games in a row, while the Lions (1-3) earn their first win of the season.
Kirkland had a career-high-tying 20 points on 7-for-14 shooting overall and 6-for-12 shooting from downtown. Junior Elijah Mitchell (Edison, N.J./Monroe College) had 10 points and four assists and sophomore Jayden Dewaal (Toronto, Ontario/Trinidad State Junior College) had 10 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Justinas Norkus (Vilnius, Lithuania/Millbrook School) added six points and nine rebounds.
Georgian Court was led by Jelani Jackson who had a game-high 31 points.
The Lions opened the game on an 8-3 run and later held a 12-6 lead with 13:13 left in the first half. Mercy followed with an 8-2 run, capped off by a Kirkland three, to tie the game at 14-14 with 10:25 remaining in the half.
Georgian Court scored the next six points to make it 20-14 before back-to-back baskets from Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) and Jonathan Lapierre (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) cut the Lions lead to two, 20-18, with six minutes on the clock. Georgian Court ended the half on a 9-4 run to head into halftime with a 29-22 lead.
Mercy cut the deficit to six, 35-29, after an Alex May (Englewood, N.J./St. Francis College (Brooklyn) three-point play with 15:34 remaining. The Lions followed with a 6-0 run to build the lead to 12, 41-29, with 13:58 left. The Mavericks continued to battle and got within six, 52-46, after a Kirkland three with 6:36 on the clock.
The Lions came back on a 10-2 run to increase their lead to 14, 62-48, with 4:28 left. Georgian Court built the lead to a game-high 15 points with 27 seconds left before Kirkland's final three made it a 12-point game for the final margin.
Mercy shot 36.5 percent (23-for-63) from the floor, 26.9 percent (7-for-26) from downtown and 71.4 percent (5-for-7) from the foul line. Georgian Court shot 44.0 percent (22-for-50) from the field, 46.7 percent (7-for-15) from beyond the arc and 95.0 percent (19-for-20) from the charity stripe. Georgian Court held a 37-32 edge on the boards.
Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday, November 28th when they host Pace at 3 p.m.
