WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 26, 2022) – Despite three Mavericks scoring in double figures, the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped an 80-71 decision to ECC foe University of the District of Columbia on Saturday afternoon.
The Mavericks (6-19, 6-12 ECC) see their season come to an end despite ending the season 4-2 in their final six games. The Firebirds (9-19, 8-10 ECC) earn the sixth and final ECC Tournament spot with the win.
Senior Elijah Mitchell (Edison, N.J./Monroe College) had a team-high 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Junior James Taylor Jr. (South Chesterfield, Va./Neosho County CC) netted 15 points and sophomore Alex May (Englewood, N.J./St. Francis College (Brooklyn)) contributed 10 points. Sophomore Jay Turner (Waterbury, Conn./Notre Dame West Haven Prep) had eight points, six rebounds and four assists and senior Korey Lee (Huntington Station, N.Y./Trinity Pawling) added eight points and five rebounds. Junior Garrett Kirkland (Springdale, Md./Bishop McNamara) and senior Amadou Camara (Harlem, N.Y./Monroe College) both chipped in five points.
UDC was led by Kenyon Stone who had a game-high 23 points.
The Firebirds jumped out to a 12-8 lead at the 15:22 mark of the first half. The Mavericks stormed back on a 17-7 run, capped off by a Jonathan Lapierre (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) layup, to give Mercy a 25-19 lead with 9:50 left in the half.
UDC followed with a 14-4 run to take the lead back at 33-29 with 2:56 remaining in the half. Four straight points from Taylor Jr. tied the game at 33-33. A Tevin Curtis three before halftime gave UDC a 36-33 lead at the break.
A Turner layup at the 17:48 mark of the second half tied the game at 39-39. UDC scored the next four points to take a 43-39 lead, but Mercy went on a 6-0 run to take the lead back at 45-43 with 15:43 remaining.
The Firebirds took the lead again at 47-46 with 13:40 on the clock. A four-point play from May gave Mercy a 50-47 lead at the 12:19 mark. A jumper by Lee with 10:15 remaining gave the Mavericks a 55-51 lead. UDC ensued with an 8-0 run to take a 59-55 lead with 7:06 left.
Two Taylor Jr. free throws cut the UDC lead to two, 61-59, with six minutes left. The Firebirds scored the next 11 points to increase the lead to 13, 72-59, with 3:31 on the clock. UDC built the lead to a game-high 16 points, 78-62, with 1: 34 remaining and led the rest of the way to earn the win.
Mercy shot 39.7 percent (25-of-63) from the floor, 33.3 percent (6-of-18) from downtown and 71.4 percent (15-of-21) from the foul line. UDC shot 47.5 percent (29-of-61) from the field, 50.0 percent (6-of-12) from beyond the arc and 72.7 percent (16-of-22) from the charity stripe. UDC held a 44-35 edge on the glass.
