WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 26, 2022) – Despite senior Taysha Bender (Glen Burnie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) and sophomore Maria Tedesco (Ocean Township, N.J./St. Rose) scoring in double figures, the Mercy College women's basketball team dropped a 65-51 decision to ECC foe University of the District of Columbia on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (11-15, 9-9 ECC) end their regular season with a loss, while the Firebirds (13-14, 9-9 ECC) earn a split of the season series. Mercy has earned the No. 5 seed in next week's ECC Tournament and will play at No. 4 seed Roberts Wesleyan on Wednesday, March 2nd at 7 p.m. The Mavericks end the regular season with their most overall wins and most ECC wins since the 1996-97 season.
Bender had a team-high 16 points going 4-of-8 from downtown. Tedesco added 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting with six rebounds. Junior Kellie Nudd (Colchester, Conn./Bacon Academy) chipped in eight points and junior Asha Talib (Allentown, Pa./University of Bridgeport) netted seven points and a team-high eight rebounds. Sophomore Jamie Waldron (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe Woodbury) had six points and junior Katie Wall (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) recorded two points, six rebounds and a game-high eight assists.
UDC was led by Latavia Jackson who had a game-high 21 points.
Mercy jumped out to an 8-4 lead with 6:14 left in the opening quarter after a Tedesco jumper. UDC followed with a basket to make it 8-6. However, the Mavericks answered with a 10-1 run, finished off by a Tedesco free throw, to take their largest lead of the game, 18-7, with 1:34 on the clock. The Firebirds ended the quarter on a 7-2 run to head into the second quarter down, 20-14.
A Bender three to open the second quarter gave Mercy a nine-point lead, 23-14, with 8:24 remaining in the half. UDC came back on a 9-0 run to tie the game at 23-23 with 5:15 left in the half. Mercy regained the lead at 26-23 after a Nudd free throw and jumper. The Firebirds went on a 5-0 run to take the lead at 28-26. Talib recorded a jumper before halftime to send the teams into the break tied at 28-28.
UDC opened the third quarter on a 14-2 run to take a 42-30 lead with 4:35 on the clock. The Mavericks stormed back with four straight points to cut the deficit to eight, 42-34. Mercy later made it a seven-point game, 44-37, after two Bender free throws, but two Jackson free throws gave the Firebirds a 46-37 lead after three quarters.
Back-to-back baskets from Waldron to open the fourth quarter got Mercy to within five, 46-41. UDC ensued with a 6-0 run to increase the lead back to 11, 52-41, with seven minutes left. A layup from Wall cut the Firebirds lead to eight, 54-46, with 4:50 left. That would be the closest Mercy could get as UDC ended the game on an 11-5 run to come away with the win.
Mercy shot 30.5 percent (18-of-59) from the floor, 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from downtown and 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from the foul line. UDC shot 34.3 percent (23-of-67) from the field, 21.4 percent (3-of-14) from beyond the arc and 84.2 percent (16-of-19) from the charity stripe. UDC held a 50-39 edge on the glass.
