CALDWELL, N.J. (Nov. 27, 2022) – Despite a team-high 17 points from graduate student Sean Smith Jr. (Yonkers, N.Y./University of New Haven), the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped a 91-74 decision to Caldwell University on Sunday afternoon at Corino Court.

The Mavericks (1-4) fail to build off their win on Tuesday, while the Cougars (3-3) have won three games in a row.

Smith Jr. went 7-of-12 from the floor and had a team-high-tying eight rebounds. Senior James Taylor Jr. (South Chesterfield, Va./Neosho County CC) had nine points and six rebounds and senior Garrett Kirkland (Springdale, Md./Bishop McNamara) had nine points. Freshman Sean Conroy (Staten Island, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling) and junior Jay Turner (Waterbury, Conn./Notre Dame West Haven Prep) each added eight points and graduate student Korey Lee (Huntington Station, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling) chipped in seven points. Junior Braelon Joe (Houston, Texas/Monroe College) netted six points and six rebounds and senior Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) recorded five points.

Caldwell was led by Mark Heber who had a game-high 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Mercy jumped out to a 6-2 lead after a Smith Jr. jumper with 16:48 left in the first half. Caldwell answered with a 14-4 run to take a 16-10 lead with 11:59 remaining in the half. A Conroy trifecta later got the Mavericks to within three, 18-15.

Caldwell would end the half on a 21-9 run to take a 39-24 lead at halftime.

The Cougars opened the second half on a 9-0 run to increase their lead to a game-high 24 points, 48-24, with 18 minutes left to play. Mercy rallied with a 21-10 run, finished off by a Lee layup, to cut the Caldwell lead to 13, 58-45, with 13:11 remaining.

The hosts responded with a 13-5 run to increase the lead back to 21, 71-50, with 7:35 on the clock. Caldwell later built the lead back to 24, 87-63, with three minutes left in the game. Mercy ended the game on an 11-4 run, but the deficit proved too much to overcome and Caldwell came away with the win.

Mercy shot 41.4 percent (29-of-70) from the floor, 25.0 percent (6-of-24) from downtown and 62.5 percent (10-of-16) from the foul line. Caldwell shot 53.1 percent (34-of-64) from the field, 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from beyond the arc and 68.0 percent (17-of-25) from the charity stripe. Rebounds were tied at 40-40. Caldwell held a 25-15 edge in points off turnovers.

Interim Head Coach Chris Watts and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, November 30th when they play at Staten Island at 7:30 p.m.