DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Dec. 4, 2023) – The Mercy University men's basketball team hosts ECC foe College of Staten Island on Wednesday, December 6th at 7 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Wednesday, December 6th 7 p.m.
Records: Mercy (0-8, 0-1 ECC), Staten Island (5-3, 2-0 ECC)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Staten Island
Staten Island earned an 85-70 win over Mercy on January 25, 2023.
Scouting the Mavericks
The Mavericks are coming off an 106-74 loss to RV#16 St. Thomas Aquinas on Saturday. Mercy was led by senior Alex May who had a game-high-tying 20 points and by sophomore Sean Conroy who scored 15 points. 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 was named to the ECC Honor Roll on November 20th and averages a team-high 18.5 points and an East Region-best 11.0 rebounds per game on a team-best 57.7 percent shooting. Dewaal recorded his 500th career rebound against Goldey-Beacom on November 18th, becoming the 13th Maverick in program history to record 500 career rebounds. May was named to the ECC Honor Roll on November 13th and is second on the team with 14.4 points per game and averages 3.9 rebounds per game. Kirkland is tied for third on the team with 8.9 points per game and is making a team-high 2.8 three-pointers per game. Conroy averages 6.8 points per game and Kone is netting 5.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Chiles is posting 8.9 points per game and a team-high 2.5 assists per game. The Mavericks are 2-2 all-time against Staten Island.
Scouting the Dolphins
Staten Island is coming off a 78-62 win over Queens on Saturday. The Dolphins were picked tied for third in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 9-19 last season. Staten Island has been led by Bryce Waterman who averages a team-high 13.4 points per game on a team-high 26 three-pointers. Aaron Goldstein is second with 11.9 points per game and a team-high 27 assists and Jordan McAllister is netting 11.1 points per game on a team-best 51.4 percent shooting. Messiah Mallory is producing 10.2 points per game and a team-high 8.3 rebounds per game.
Next Game
Mercy plays at UDC on Saturday, December 9th at 7 p.m.
