DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Dec. 8, 2021) – Despite a game-high-tying 16 points from junior James Taylor Jr. (South Chesterfield, Va./Neosho County CC), the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped a 93-63 decision to St. Thomas Aquinas College in their ECC opener on Wednesday night at Victory Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (0-7, 0-1 ECC) remain winless on the year, while the Spartans (7-3, 1-0 ECC) have won three straight games.
Taylor Jr. went 8-of-10 from the foul line and had two rebounds. Sophomores Jay Turner (Waterbury, Conn./Notre Dame West Haven Prep) and Justinas Norkus (Vilnius, Lithuania/Millbrook School) each had nine points and junior Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) had eight points. Sophomores Jayden Dewaal (Toronto, Ontario/Trinidad State Junior College) and Alex May (Englewood, N.J./St. Francis College (Brooklyn)) each netted seven points off the bench.
St. Thomas Aquinas was led by Luis Risquez who had a game-high-tying 16 points.
Mercy jumped out to an early 4-2 lead after a Norkus dunk a minute into the contest. The Spartans followed with a 19-3 run to take a 21-7 lead with 11:50 left in the opening half. A Wilson three cut the STAC lead to 12, 26-14, at the 9:59 mark. STAC scored on their next possession to take a 28-14 lead.
The Mavericks battled back with a 7-0 run, capped off by a Dewaal layup, to get within seven, 28-21, with 6:47 left in the half. Mercy later cut the deficit to five, 31-26, after a pair of Taylor Jr. free throws. STAC ensued with a 10-2 run to increase the lead to 13, 41-28, with 3:24 on the clock. Mercy ended the half on a 7-2 run, finished off by a Norkus jumper, to head into halftime down just eight, 43-35.
The teams traded two points to open the second half, bringing the score to 45-37 with 17:44 left. The Spartans went on a 22-2 to increase the lead to 28, 67-39, with 9:42 remaining. STAC increased the lead to a game-high 34 points, 87-53, with 3:07 to play and led by double digits the rest of the way to secure the win.
Mercy shot 36.5 percent (19-of-52) from the floor, 30.8 percent (4-of-13) from downtown and 75.0 percent (21-of-28) from the foul line. STAC shot 56.3 percent (40-of-71) from the field, 42.9 percent (9-of-21) from beyond the arc and 80.0 percent (4-of-5) from the charity stripe. STAC held a 37-30 edge on the glass and held a 29-6 edge in points off turnovers.
Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, December 11th when they play at Chestnut Hill at 3 p.m.
