BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Feb. 11, 2023) – Powered by a game-high 24 points from graduate student Sean Smith Jr. (Yonkers, N.Y./University of New Haven), the Mercy College men's basketball team earned a 79-72 win at University of Bridgeport on Saturday afternoon at Hubbell Gym.
The Mavericks (4-18) snap a two-game losing streak with the win and sweep the season series with the Purple Knights (10-14) for the first time since the 2004-05 season when both teams were in the ECC. Mercy also won at Bridgeport for the first time since 2005.
Smith Jr. went 8-of-17 from the floor and had seven rebounds. Senior James Taylor Jr. (South Chesterfield, Va./Neosho County CC) recorded 13 points, six rebounds and a game-high five assists. Senior Jonathan Lapierre (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) scored a career-high 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting with five rebounds. Senior Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) netted eight points and junior Jayden Dewaal (Toronto, Canada/Trinidad State Junior College) produced six points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Graduate student Korey Lee (Huntington Station, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling) had six points and junior Braelon Joe (Houston, Texas/Monroe College) netted five points. Freshman Sean Conroy (Staten Island, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling) contributed three points and freshman Asa Kone (Bronx, N.Y./Eagle Academy for Young Men) chipped in two points.
Bridgeport was led by Mason Williams, D'Andre Collins and Ryo Kobayashi who each had a team-high 13 points.
The Purple Knights jumped out to a 7-6 lead with 14:25 left in the first half before Mercy answered with an 8-0 run, capped off by a Lee layup, to take a 14-7 lead with 11:54 left in the opening half. Bridgeport later made it a three-point game, 19-16, after a Joshua Dennis layup at the 8:15 mark.
The Mavericks stormed back on a 9-2 run to take their largest lead of the game, 28-18, after a pair of Smith Jr. free throws with 5:40 on the clock. Mercy later held a 31-21 lead before an 8-0 run by the Purple Knights cut the Mercy lead to two, 31-29, with 3:58 left in the half. A Wilson jumper would cap a 9-2 run that increased Mercy's lead to nine, 40-31, with two minutes remaining in the half.
Bridgeport followed with a 7-0 run to cut the Mavericks lead to two, but a Conroy three right before halftime gave Mercy a 43-38 lead at halftime.
The Purple Knights opened the second half on a 9-0 run to take a 47-43 lead with 16:55 left. Bridgeport looked to be pulling away but the Mavericks had other plans as they came back on a 12-3 run, finished off by a Smith Jr. three-point play, to take a 55-50 lead with 14:43 left. Bridgeport later made it 59-55 before Smith Jr. and Lapierre recorded back-to-back baskets to give Mercy a 63-55 lead with 10:42 remaining.
A Smith Jr. layup at the 7:23 mark later gave the Mavericks a 69-60 lead. Bridgeport followed with a 7-0 spurt to again cut the deficit to two, 69-67, with five minutes left. Taylor Jr. quickly answered with a layup and Smith Jr. added a jumper after a steal to put Mercy up, 73-67, with 4:30 on the clock. A Matt Turner three for Bridgeport made it 73-70 with three minutes left.
The two teams traded empty possessions before Lee drained a layup to put the Mavericks up five, 75-70, with one minute left. Mercy's defense withstood a Collins three-point attempt and Smith Jr. went 2-of-2 from the line to make it 77-70 with 15 seconds on the clock. A Turner layup made it 77-72 with nine seconds left and Taylor Jr. finished off the win by going 2-of-2 from the line to give Mercy the 79-72 win.
Mercy shot 48.5 percent (32-of-66) from the floor, 37.5 percent (6-of-16) from downtown and 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from the foul line. Bridgeport shot 37.5 percent (27-of-72) from the field, 30.0 percent (12-of-40) from beyond the arc and 75.0 percent (6-of-8) from the charity stripe. Mercy held a 45-36 edge on the glass.
Interim Head Coach Chris Watts and the Mavericks resume action on Friday, February 17th when they play at D'Youville at 8 p.m.
