SPARKILL, N.Y. (Feb. 6, 2021) – Despite a game-high 28 points and 10 rebounds from freshman Kerwin Prince (Waterbury, Conn./Notre Dame West Haven Prep) in his collegiate debut, the Mercy College men's basketball team opened their 2021 season with a 119-77 setback to No. 14/19 St. Thomas Aquinas in their ECC opener on Saturday afternoon at Aquinas Hall Gymnasium. The game was the first Mercy sporting since women's lacrosse played at Florida Tech on March 11, 2020 due to COVID-19.

The Mavericks (0-1, 0-1 ECC) fall in their first game in 343 days, while the Spartans (2-0, 2-0 ECC) remain unbeaten on the season.

Prince went 9-for-13 from the floor and 9-for-12 from the line in 30 minutes off the bench. He exploded for 21 points in 14 minutes in the second half and added three steals. Junior James Taylor Jr. (South Chesterfield, Va./Neosho County CC) had 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in his Mercy debut and sophomore Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) had nine points and six rebounds. Junior Elijah Mitchell (Edison, N.J./Monroe College) poured in eight points in his debut and sophomore Garrett Kirkland (Springdale, Md./Bishop McNamara) netted eight points off the bench.

St. Thomas Aquinas was led by Grant Singleton who had a team-high 21 points.

The Spartans opened the game with seven straight points. Mercy responded with an 8-5 run, capped off by a Kirkland three, which cut the St. Thomas Aquinas lead to 12-8 at the 15:56 mark of the first half.

The hosts ended the half on a 52-20 run to take a 64-28 lead at halftime.

St. Thomas Aquinas increased the lead to a game-high 52 points, 105-53, with 7:38 remaining. Mercy continued to battle and came back on a 22-8 run, finished off by a Prince layup, to make it 113-75 with 2:37 left in the game. The Spartans finished off the game on a 6-2 run to secure the win.

Mercy shot 41.3 percent (26-for-63) from the floor, 31.8 percent (7-for-22) from downtown and 64.3 percent (18-for-28) from the foul line. St. Thomas Aquinas shot 64.0 percent (48-for-75) from the field, 56.0 percent (9-for-16) from beyond the arc and 56.3 percent (9-for-16) from the charity stripe. The Spartans held a 42-35 edge on the glass and held a 31-13 edge in points off turnovers.

Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action on Monday, February 8th when they play at No. 14/19 St. Thomas Aquinas at 7 p.m.