NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Dec. 29, 2022) – Despite three Mavericks scoring in double figures, the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped an 84-57 decision to regionally-ranked Southern Connecticut State University on Thursday afternoon at the James W. Moore Fieldhouse.

The Mavericks (2-10) have dropped six games in a row, while the Owls (8-4) have won five games in a row. Southern Connecticut State entered the contest ranked ninth in the D2SIDA East Region Top 10 Poll.

Graduate student Sean Smith Jr. (Yonkers, N.Y./University of New Haven) had a team-high 13 points with four rebounds and senior Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) netted 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Freshman Sean Conroy (Staten Island, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling) recorded a career-high 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting with a team-high-tying three assists. Freshman Asa Kone (Bronx, N.Y./Eagle Academy for Young Men) added a team-high five rebounds.

Southern Connecticut State was led by Sean James who had a game-high 22 points.

Mercy took an early 3-2 lead after a Wilson three at the 19:15 mark of the first half. The Owls answered with a 21-4 run to take a 23-7 lead with 12:18 left in the half. Three straight baskets from the Mavericks made it 23-13 with 9:46 on the clock. However, the hosts followed with a 16-6 run to increase the lead to 20, 39-19, with 3:38 remaining in the half.

The Owls later built the lead to 21, 44-23, before a Smith Jr. jumper cut the Southern Connecticut State lead to 19, 44-25, at halftime.

Southern Connecticut State opened the second half on a 21-9 run to take their largest lead of the game, 65-34, with 10:56 left in the game. Mercy continued to battle and ensued with a 16-6 run, capped off by a Conroy three, to cut the deficit to 21, 71-50, with 5:55 left. The Owls quickly came back on an 11-2 run to put the lead back to 30, 82-52, with 2:34 to play and held on for the win.

Mercy shot 34.8 percent (23-of-66) from the floor, 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from downtown and 45.5 percent (5-of-11) from the foul line. Southern Connecticut State shot 45.9 percent (34-of-74) from the field, 40.6 percent (13-of-32) from beyond the arc and 75.0 percent (3-of-4) from the charity stripe. The Owls held a 49-37 edge on the glass.

Interim Head Coach Chris Watts and the Mavericks resume action on Friday, January 6th when they host Roberts Wesleyan at 7 p.m.