DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 27, 2023) – The Mercy College men's basketball team plays at ECC foe University of the District of Columbia on Saturday, January 28th at 3 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Saturday, January 28th 3 p.m.
Records: Mercy (2-15, 1-8 ECC), Dist. Columbia (6-12, 4-5 ECC)
Location: Washington, D.C.
Last Meeting vs. Dist. Columbia
UDC earned an 81-69 win over Mercy on December 3, 2022.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy is coming off an 85-70 loss to Staten Island on Wednesday. The Mavericks were led by graduate student Sean Smith Jr. who had a team-high 22 points. Senior Brandon Wilson added 11 points. Senior James Taylor Jr. was named to the ECC Honor Roll on December 5th. Junior Jayden Dewaal was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week and freshman Sean Conroy was tabbed Rookie of the Week on November 28th. The Mavericks won their ECC opener for the first time since 2017 on November 30th against Staten Island. Mercy picked up their first win over Bridgeport since 2013 on November 22nd and the Mavericks also won their home opener for the first time since 2017. The win over Bridgeport gave Interim Head Coach Chris Watts his first win as a collegiate head coach. Mercy is 9-13 in their last 22 meetings against UDC. The Mavericks last won at UDC in 2018. Leading the Mavericks so far this season is Smith Jr. who averages a team-high 14.9 points per game with 6.0 rebounds and a team-high 1.7 steals per game. Taylor Jr. averages 11.0 points per game with 1.9 assists per game. Dewaal is third on the team averaging 10.4 points per game on a team-best 52.9 percent shooting and posts a team-high 8.7 rebounds per game. The junior ranks third in the ECC in rebounds per game and fourth in field goal percentage. Junior Braelon Joe posts 5.9 points per game with a team-high 3.5 assists per game and senior Brandon Wilson nets 7.5 points per game. Senior Garrett Kirkland is averaging 8.6 points per game and Conroy is posting 5.8 points per game. Mercy was selected eighth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 6-19 overall last season and 6-12 in ECC play. The Mavericks just missed out on qualifying for the ECC Championship and are looking to make the Championship for the first time since 2021. Mercy has not qualified for the ECC Championship without every team making it since 2016. The Mavericks will be led by Watts who returns eight student-athletes from last year's team. Leading the returners is Taylor Jr. who averaged a team-high 13.3 points per game and Wilson who posted 11.2 points per game. Dewaal netted 9.7 points and a team-high 8.8 rebounds per game last season and Kirkland also returns after averaging 10.1 points per game in 2021-22. Watts will also look to graduate transfer Smith Jr. who had 11 points in the Mavericks exhibition contest against Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday. Conroy had five points against Fairleigh Dickinson and Joe will also see action after posting three points and three assists in the exhibition.
Scouting the Firebirds
UDC dropped a 100-74 decision to St. Thomas Aquinas on Wednesday. The Firebirds were picked fourth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 9-20 overall and 8-10 in ECC play last season. UDC looks to sweep the season series with the Mavericks for the first time since the 2019-20 season. The Firebirds are led by Michael Aiken who averages a team-high 15.7 points per game on 50.9 percent shooting with 2.9 assists per game. Jahmir Marable-Williams nets 11.8 points per game on 51.8 percent shooting with a team-high 5.7 assists per game. Hartnel Haye posts 9.2 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game and Juanye Colon contributes 9.0 points per game. One-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week Micah Campbell records 8.5 points per game and a team-high 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game.
Next Game
The Mavericks next game is on Wednesday, February 1st when they host Cheyney at 7 p.m.
