DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 14, 2023) – The Mercy University men's basketball team hosts Southern Connecticut State University in their home opener on Wednesday, November 15th at 7 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 15th 7 p.m.
Records: Mercy (0-3), Southern Connecticut State (2-0)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Southern Connecticut State
Southern Connecticut State earned an 84-57 win over Mercy on December 29, 2022.
Scouting the Mavericks
The Mavericks are coming off a 124-98 loss at Felician on Monday. Mercy was selected ninth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 6-20 overall and 3-13 in ECC play last season. The Mavericks are looking to make their first ECC Championship appearance since 2021. Mercy has not qualified for the ECC Championship without every team making it since 2016. The Mavericks are looking to win their season opener for the first time since 2017. Leading the returners for second-year Head Coach Chris Watts is senior Jayden Dewaal who was named Third Team All-ECC, ECC Player of the Week once and ECC Defensive Player of the Week twice last season. Dewaal averaged 12.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game last season, leading the ECC in rebounds per game and ranking fifth with 1.5 blocks per game. Dewaal ranked fifth in Division II in rebounds per game and third in offensive rebounds per game a year ago. Also, returning is graduate student Garrett Kirkland who averaged 8.1 points per game last season in 16 starts. Senior Braelon Joe returns after averaging 5.1 points and 3.2 assists per game last season, leading the team in assists per game. Also returning for Watts are seniors Alex May and Jay Turner and sophomores Sean Conroy, Asa Kone and Robert Zmujdzin. The newcomers are led by junior Taj Chiles who joins the Mavericks from University of Bridgeport where he led the CACC in assists last season with 5.2 per game. Junior Max Mitchell joins Mercy from Roberts Wesleyan University where he averaged 3.3 points per game and shot 44.4 percent from downtown last season. Also, joining the Mavericks as transfers are sophomore Jamal Jacobs (West Virginia Wesleyan College), sophomore Thomas Mandell (Penn State-Berks) and junior Elijah Botnick (UConn Avery Point). Watts also welcomes a strong freshman class led by Zein Wahdan who joins the team from Egypt. Derek Long and Ashton Sannasi will also look to compete for time in their first season at Mercy. The Mavericks have been led by Dewaal who averages a team-high 20.0 points and 11.3 rebounds per game on a team-best 62.8 percent shooting. May was named to the ECC Honor Roll on Monday and is second on the team with 15.3 points per game and averages 4.0 rebounds per game. Kirkland is third on the team with 11.0 points per game and is making a team-high 3.7 three-pointers per game. Conroy averages 8.7 points per game and Kone is netting 7.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Chiles is posting 7.0 points per game and a team-high-tying 3.0 assists per game. Mercy is 2-2 all-time against Southern Connecticut State and is looking to win their home opener for the second straight year.
Scouting the Owls
Southern Connecticut State opened their 2023-24 season with wins over District of Columbia and Bridgeport. The Owls were picked third in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 18-12 last season, falling in the NE10 Tournament Quarterfinals. Southern Connecticut State is led by this week's NE10 Player of the Week Marty Silvera who is averaging a team-high 20.0 points per game on 73.7 percent shooting with 7.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. Josh McGettigan is second on the team with 18.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and Kazell Stewart is netting 15.5 points per game. Sean James is posting 14.0 points per game and Cherif Diarra records a team-high 10.0 rebounds per game.
Next Game
Mercy faces Goldey-Beacom at STAC on Saturday, November 18th at 3:30 p.m.
