DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 4, 2023) – The Mercy College men's basketball team hosts Roberts Wesleyan University on Friday, January 6th at 7 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Friday, January 6th 7 p.m.
Records: Mercy (2-10, 1-3 ECC), Roberts Wesleyan (4-7, 2-1 ECC)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Roberts Wesleyan
Mercy dropped a 94-74 decision to Roberts Wesleyan on January 26, 2022.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy is coming off an 84-57 loss at Southern Connecticut State on December 29th. The Mavericks were led by graduate student Sean Smith Jr. who had a team-high 13 points. Senior Brandon Wilson netted 11 points and freshman Sean Conroy recorded a career-high 10 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 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. The Mavericks are 5-13 all-time against Roberts Wesleyan having lost the last three meetings. Leading the Mavericks so far this season is Smith Jr. who averages a team-high 12.6 points per game with 6.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. Taylor Jr. averages 11.5 points per game with 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals per game. Dewaal is third on the team averaging 10.7 points per game on a team-best 53.6 percent shooting and posts a team-high 8.3 rebounds per game. Junior Braelon Joe posts 6.3 points per game with a team-high 3.2 assists per game and senior Brandon Wilson nets 7.3 points per game. Senior Garrett Kirkland is averaging 7.9 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 Redhawks
Roberts Wesleyan earned an 83-76 win over Molloy in their last game on December 17th. The Redhawks were picked fifth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 12-13 overall and 9-9 in ECC play last season. Roberts Wesleyan has won four of their last six games after starting the season 0-5. The Redhawks are led by Malik Brooks who averages a team-high 13.6 points per game on 52.7 percent shooting. Ja'Kair Sanchez is second on the team with 12.1 points per game and is second with 6.5 rebounds per game. Sanchez also leads the team with 2.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Abou Gbane is third on the team with 11.2 points per game and averages 5.0 rebounds per game. Rian Carter pours in 10.0 points per game and one-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week Nicholas Johnson leads the team with 8.2 rebounds per game.
Next Game
The Mavericks next game is on Wednesday, January 11th when they play at St. Thomas Aquinas at 7 p.m.
