ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Jan. 10, 2022) – Powered by four Mavericks scoring in double figures, the Mercy College men's basketball team overcame a 12-point deficit to earn an 82-72 win over ECC Molloy College on Monday night at Quealy Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (1-11, 1-4 ECC) pick up their first win of the season and win at Molloy (3-10, 2-2 ECC) for the first time since February 23, 2005.
Junior James Taylor Jr. (South Chesterfield, Va./Neosho County CC) led the way for Mercy with 19 points on 5-of-8 shooting from downtown. Junior Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) had 17 points and five rebounds and sophomore Jay Turner (Waterbury, Conn./Notre Dame West Haven Prep) had a career-high 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Sophomore Jayden Dewaal (Toronto, Canada/Trinidad State Junior College) had 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting with nine rebounds and senior Amadou Camara (Harlem, N.Y./Monroe College) had eight points on 3-of-5 shooting. Junior Garrett Kirkland (Springdale, Md./Bishop McNamara) added six points and freshman Jaden Mclellan (Bridgeport, Conn./New York Military Academy) netted two points.
Molloy was led by Billy Muller who had a game-high 24 points.
Molloy took a 10-6 lead with 17 minutes left in the opening half before a 6-2 run by the Mavericks tied the game at 12-12. Molloy later took a four-point lead before Taylor Jr. drained a three to make it 20-19 in favor of the hosts at the 11:19 mark.
The Lions followed with a 13-4 run to take a 33-23 lead with 5:41 remaining in the first half. The Mavericks cut the deficit to eight, 38-30, after a pair of Turner free throws with 3:06 on the clock. Back-to-back baskets from Molloy gave the Lions their largest lead of the game, 42-30, at the 1:46 mark. A three from Kirkland and a layup by Wilson cut the Molloy lead to seven, 42-35, at halftime.
Molloy increased the lead back to 10, 50-40, with 17:20 remaining and later led 52-42 with 14:41 to play. Mercy trimmed the deficit to six at the 12:43 mark but three straight points from the Lions gave them a 56-47 lead with 12:29 left.
Molloy held a 58-49 lead with 11:17 left and looked to have the game in hand. Mercy followed with a 7-2 run to cut the Lion lead to four, 60-56, with 9:44 on the clock. The Lions regrouped and increased the lead back to eight, 64-56, with 8:43 remaining.
Molloy maintained a five-point lead, 68-63, at the 6:40 mark. Mercy stormed back on a 13-0 run, capped off by a Wilson three, to give the Mavericks the lead for good at 76-68 with 1:47 left. The Mavericks defense held the Lions to just four points in the final seven minutes of action and ended the game on a 19-4 run to earn their first win of the season. Mercy outscored Molloy 47-30 in the second half to complete the comeback.
Mercy shot 43.5 percent (27-of-62) from the floor, 55.0 percent (11-of-20) from downtown and 65.4 percent (17-of-26) from the foul line. Molloy shot 51.9 percent (28-of-54) from the field, 25.0 percent (4-of-16) from beyond the arc and 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from the charity stripe. Molloy held a 37-34 edge on the glass.
Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, January 12th when they play at Staten Island at 7:30 p.m.
