DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 3, 2023) – The Mercy College men's basketball team plays at ECC foe Roberts Wesleyan University on Saturday, February 4th at 4 p.m.

Who, When and Where

Date/Time: Saturday, February 4th 4 p.m.

Records: Mercy (3-16, 1-9 ECC), Roberts Wesleyan (7-11, 5-5 ECC)

Location: Rochester, N.Y.

Last Meeting vs. Roberts Wesleyan

Mercy dropped a 91-88 overtime decision to Roberts Wesleyan on January 6, 2023.

Scouting the Mavericks

Mercy is coming off a 95-51 win over Cheyney on Wednesday. The Mavericks were led by junior Jayden Dewaal who had 17 points and a game-high 15 rebounds and by senior James Taylor Jr. who had 14 points and a game-high 10 assists. Senior Brandon Wilson netted 14 points, graduate student Sean Smith Jr. had 12 points and senior Jonathan Lapierre recorded a career-high 10 points. Smith Jr. was named to the ECC Honor Roll on Monday and was tabbed Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) Division II-III Player of the Week Honorable Mention on Tuesday. Taylor Jr. was named to the ECC Honor Roll on December 5th. Dewaal was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week and freshman Sean 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. Mercy is 5-14 all-time against Roberts Wesleyan and have dropped the last four meetings. The Mavericks are looking for their first ever win at Roberts Wesleyan and are 0-9 all-time in Rochester. Leading the Mavericks so far this season is Smith Jr. who averages a team-high 15.6 points per game with 6.1 rebounds and a team-high 1.6 steals per game. Smith Jr. ranks fifth in the ECC in points per game. Taylor Jr. averages 11.4 points per game with 2.4 assists per game. Dewaal is third on the team averaging 10.6 points per game on a team-best 53.6 percent shooting and posts a team-high 8.9 rebounds per game. The junior ranks tied for second in the ECC in rebounds per game and is third in field goal percentage. Junior Braelon Joe posts 5.6 points per game with a team-high 3.5 assists per game and senior Brandon Wilson nets 7.7 points per game. Senior Garrett Kirkland is averaging 8.9 points per game and Conroy is posting 5.6 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 is coming off a 95-83 loss to St. Thomas Aquinas on Wednesday. The Redhawks were picked fifth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 12-13 overall and 9-9 in ECC play last season. The Redhawks are led by Malik Brooks who averages a team-high-tying 12.5 points per game on 53.5 percent shooting. Ja'Kair Sanchez also averages a team-high 12.5 points per game and is second with 6.4 rebounds per game. Sanchez also leads the team with 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Abou Gbane is third on the team with 11.2 points per game and averages 4.9 rebounds per game. Rian Carter pours in 10.7 points per game and one-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week Nicholas Johnson leads the team with 6.9 rebounds per game and averages 10.1 points per game.

Next Game

The Mavericks next game is on Wednesday, February 8th when they host St. Thomas Aquinas at 7 p.m.