DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 21, 2023) – Despite a game-high-tying 16 points from senior Garrett Kirkland (Springdale, Md./Bishop McNamara), the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped an 82-56 decision to ECC foe Queens College on Saturday afternoon at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.
The Mavericks (2-14, 1-7 ECC) have dropped 10 games in a row, while the Knights (6-12, 3-5 ECC) win at Mercy for the third straight time.
Kirkland had a season-high 16 points going 6-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-9 from downtown and senior James Taylor Jr. (South Chesterfield, Va./Neosho County CC) had 11 points. Senior Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) netted 10 points, six rebounds and three assists and senior Jonathan Lapierre (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) had a career-high-tying eight points on 4-of-6 shooting with a team-high seven rebounds. Graduate student Korey Lee (Huntington Station, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling) had four points and six rebounds and freshman Asa Kone (Bronx, N.Y./Eagle Academy for Young Men) recorded four points. Freshman Sean Conroy (Staten Island, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling) netted three points and a team-high four assists.
Queens was led by Tyler Carey who had a game-high-tying 16 points and a game-high 20 rebounds.
Mercy took an early 6-4 lead at the 17:59 mark of the first half after a Wilson jumper. The Knights followed with a 12-2 run to take a 16-8 lead with 14:30 left in the half. The Mavericks rallied with a 17-9 run to even the score at 25-25 after a Conroy three with 8:47 on the clock.
Queens answered with a 12-0 run to take a 37-25 lead with 5:13 left in the half. A Kirkland three cut the deficit to nine, 37-28, with less than five minutes remaining in the half. The Knights closed the half on a 10-2 run to head into halftime with a 47-30 lead.
The Knights opened the second half on a 17-9 run to increase the lead to 25, 64-39, with 14 minutes remaining. Taylor Jr., Kirkland and Kone followed with baskets to cut the Queens lead to 19, 64-45, with 11:25 left. However, the Knights went on a10-2 run to take their largest lead of the game, 74-47, with 8:33 on the clock. Queens led by double figures the rest of the way to earn the win.
Mercy shot 35.4 percent (23-of-65) from the floor, 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from downtown and 62.5 percent (5-of-8) from the foul line. Queens shot 42.3 percent (30-of-71) from the field, 41.4 percent (12-of-29) from beyond the arc and 83.3 percent (10-of-12) from the charity stripe. Queens held a 56-30 edge on the glass.
Interim Head Coach Chris Watts and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, January 25th when they host Staten Island at 7 p.m.
