DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 30, 2022) – Despite three Mavericks scoring in double figures, the Mercy College men's basketball team suffered an 85-79 setback to ECC foe University of Bridgeport on Sunday afternoon at Victory Gymnasium.
The Mavericks (2-16, 2-9 ECC) have dropped four straight games, while the Purple Knights (8-12, 5-6 ECC) sweep the season series with Mercy.
Junior James Taylor Jr. (South Chesterfield, Va./Neosho County CC) led Mercy with 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting with three assists. Sophomore Jayden Dewaal (Toronto, Canada/Trinidad State Junior College) added a double-double by way of 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds on 7-of-9 shooting with a game-high three blocks. Junior Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) netted 16 points and six rebounds and sophomore Jay Turner (Waterbury, Conn./Notre Dame West Haven Prep) contributed eight points.
Bridgeport was led by Mason Williams who had a game-high 24 points.
Mercy jumped out to a 15-14 lead with 11:23 left in the first half after two Wilson free throws. Bridgeport answered with a 10-0 run to take a 24-15 lead with eight minutes left in the half. A Wilson jumper at the 7:20 mark got Mercy to within seven, 26-19.
The Purple Knights responded with a 16-4 run to take their largest lead of the game, 42-23, with 2:12 remaining in the half. Mercy came back on a 9-2 run, capped off by a Taylor Jr. layup, to cut the Bridgeport lead to 12, 44-32. However, a late Nemanja Zubac layup gave Bridgeport a 46-32 lead at halftime.
The Mavericks opened the second half on a 16-8 run, finished off by a Taylor Jr. three, to cut the Bridgeport lead to six, 54-48, with 14:23 left. The Purple Knights built the lead back to nine, 61-52, with 11:26 remaining before back-to-back threes from Taylor Jr. and Elijah Mitchell (Edison, N.J./Monroe College) made it 61-58 with just over 10 minutes left.
Zubac followed with a layup to give Bridgeport a five-point lead but back-to-back baskets from Dewaal got Mercy to within one, 63-62, with seven minutes left. Bridgeport ensued with a mini 7-1 run to increase the lead back to seven, 70-63, with 5:52 remaining.
A Turner three-point play at the 1:36 mark got Mercy within two, 76-74. A Williams three on the next Bridgeport possession gave the Purple Knights a 79-74 lead and Bridgeport increased the lead back to eight, 85-77, with 13 seconds left after Taj Chiles went 6-of-6 from the line down the stretch. A late Mitchell jump shot would not be enough and Bridgeport came away with the win.
Mercy shot 47.5 percent (29-of-61) from the floor, 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from downtown and 59.3 percent (16-of-27) from the foul line. Bridgeport shot 38.7 percent (29-of-75) from the field, 33.3 percent (8-of-24) from beyond the arc and 70.4 percent (19-of-27) from the charity stripe. Mercy held a 45-42 edge on the glass.
Head Coach Michael Maczko and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, February 2nd when they play at St. Thomas Aquinas at 7:30 p.m.
