BUFFALO, N.Y. (Feb. 27, 2021) – Despite three Mavericks scoring in double figures, the Mercy College women's basketball team dropped a 78-70 decision to ECC foe D'Youville College in their regular season finale on Saturday afternoon at College Center Gym.
The Mavericks (1-7, 1-7 ECC) drop their second straight game and await their opponent on Tuesday in the ECC Tournament. The Saints (2-6, 1-5 ECC) pick up their first ECC win of the season.
Sophomore Katie Wall (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) recorded a career-high 26 points with seven rebounds, five steals and three assists. Freshman Jamie Waldron (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury) added a double-double by way of a career-high-tying 13 points and career-high 18 rebounds with three blocks. Freshman Asya Brandon (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) rounded out three Mavericks scoring in double figures with 13 points.
D'Youville was led by Sara Pfeiffer who had a team-high 23 points.
Mercy held a 3-2 lead at the 5:53 mark of the first quarter after a Taysha Bender (Glen Burnie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) free throw. The Saints closed out the quarter on an 11-5 run to take a 13-8 lead after one quarter of play.
The Saints opened the second quarter on a 6-2 spurt to increase the lead to nine, 19-10, with eight minutes left in the half. D'Youville later held a 33-28 lead, but the Mavericks continued to battle and ended the half on a 7-0 run, finished off by a Wall three, which gave Mercy a 35-33 lead at halftime.
D'Youville started the third quarter on a 19-5 run to retake the lead and built it to 12, 52-40, with 3:30 left in the period. Mercy cut the deficit to eight twice, but the hosts would head into the fourth quarter with a 60-49 lead.
The hosts began the fourth quarter by increasing their lead to a game-high 14 points, 68-54, with 7:57 left to play. Mercy made it a six-point game, 74-68, following a Wall jumper with 19 seconds left, but time would run out on the comeback and D'Youville emerged victorious.
Mercy shot 38.5 percent (25-for-65) from the floor, 29.2 percent (7-for-24) from downtown and 50.0 percent (13-for-26) from the foul line. D'Youville shot 39.7 percent (31-for-78) from the field, 29.6 percent (8-for-27) from beyond the arc and 72.7 percent (8-for-11) from the charity stripe. Mercy held a 51-44 edge on the glass.
Head Coach Scott Lagas and the Mavericks resume action on Tuesday, March 2nd when they play in the ECC Tournament against an opponent to be announced.
