DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Nov. 15, 2023) – Despite senior Jayden Dewaal (Toronto, Canada/Trinidad State Junior College) and junior Taj Chiles (Harlem, N.Y./University of Bridgeport) scoring in double figures, the Mercy University men's basketball team dropped an 84-54 decision to Southern Connecticut State University in their home opener on Wednesday night at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.
The Mavericks (0-4) have dropped four straight games to open the season, while the Owls (3-0) remain undefeated.
Dewaal had a team-high 18 points and nine rebounds and Chiles had a season-high 13 points with five rebounds. Senior Alex May (Englewood, N.J./St. Francis College (Brooklyn) recorded six points and four rebounds and junior Max Mitchell (Westport, Conn./Roberts Wesleyan University) posted four points. Sophomore Asa Kone (Bronx, N.Y./Eagle Academy for Young Men) had three points and five rebounds and sophomore Sean Conroy (Staten Island, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling) had three points. Senior Braelon Joe (Houston, Texas/Monroe College) and graduate student Garrett Kirkland (Springdale, Md./Bishop McNamara) both contributed three points.
Southern Connecticut State was led by Josh McGettigan who had a game-high 27 points.
A Conroy jumper at the 18:51 mark of the first half gave Mercy a 2-0 lead. The Owls ensued with a 15-0 run to take a 15-2 lead with 12:54 left in the half. A Mitchell free throw ended the run and made it 15-3 with 11:57 remaining in the half.
Southern Connecticut State followed with a 29-11 run to increase their lead to 30, 44-14, with 3:32 left in the half. The Owls later increased the lead to 34, 52-18, before Mercy ended the half on a 5-0 run, capped off by a Chiles three-point play, to make it 52-23 at halftime.
A Dewaal layup with 14:23 remaining made it 61-32 before the Owls went on a 12-2 run to take their largest lead of the game, 73-34, with 10:12 left to play. Mercy came back on a 20-9 run to make it 82-54 after a Kone free throw with 1:48 on the clock. That would be the closest the Mavericks could get and the Owls scored the final two points of the game to earn the 84-54 win.
Mercy shot 29.0 percent (20-of-69) from the floor, 18.8 percent (3-of-16) from downtown and 52.4 percent (11-of-21) from the foul line. Southern Connecticut State shot 45.2 percent (33-of-73) from the field, 28.6 percent (10-of-35) from beyond the arc and 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from the charity stripe. The Owls held a 56-41 edge on the glass and a 23-12 edge in points off turnovers.
Head Coach Chris Watts and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, November 18th when they face Goldey-Beacom at St. Thomas Aquinas at 3 p.m.
