ROCHESTER, N.Y. (Feb. 4, 2023) – Despite a career-high 26 points and 21 rebounds from junior Jayden Dewaal (Toronto, Canada/Trinidad State Junior College), the Mercy College men's basketball team dropped a hard-fought 84-83 decision to ECC foe Roberts Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon at the Voller Athletic Center.

The Mavericks (3-17, 1-10 ECC) fail to build off their win on Wednesday and drop both meetings to the Redhawks (8-11, 6-5 ECC) this season by a combined four points.

Dewaal had a game-high 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting with a game-high 21 rebounds. He also added two blocks and four assists. Senior James Taylor Jr. (South Chesterfield, Va./Neosho County CC) recorded 15 points and four assists and graduate student Sean Smith Jr. (Yonkers, N.Y./University of New Haven) netted 12 points and seven rebounds. Senior Jonathan Lapierre (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) had 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting with five rebounds. Junior Braelon Joe (Houston, Texas/Monroe College) produced seven points and four assists and freshman Sean Conroy (Staten Island, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling) chipped in five points.

Roberts Wesleyan was led by Ja'Kair Sanchez who had a team-high 22 points.

The game was close throughout featuring 13 ties and 20 lead changes.

Mercy jumped out to a 16-13 lead after a Taylor Jr. three with 12:42 left in the first half. The Mavericks later held a 24-21 lead at the 7:12 mark after a Conroy jumper. Roberts Wesleyan answered with a 7-2 run to take the lead back at 28-26 with just over six minutes left in the half.

The Mavericks regained the lead after a Dewaal layup with 2:26 on the clock to make it 31-30. A Max Mitchell three put the hosts up 33-31 before a Lapierre layup tied the game at 33-33 heading into halftime.

Mercy opened the second half on a 10-3 run, capped off by a Lapierre layup, to take their largest lead of the game, 43-36, with 17 minutes left. The Redhawks ensued with an 8-2 run to cut the Mavericks lead to one, 45-44, with 14 minutes remaining.

The Mavericks increased the lead back to six, 54-48, with 11:52 left after an Asa Kone (Bronx, N.Y./Eagle Academy for Young Men) jumper. Roberts Wesleyan stormed back on a 7-0 run to take the lead back at 55-54 with 10:17 left. The Redhawks would increase the lead to six, 77-71, with 3:17 remaining after a Sanchez jumper. Taylor Jr. followed with a three to make it 77-74 before Abou Gbane connected on a jumper to make it 79-75 with 2:39 on the clock.

Dewaal went 2-of-2 from the line and Smith Jr. drained a long two from the corner to cut the Redhawks lead to one, 79-78, at the 1:46 mark. Rian Carter went 1-of-2 from the line to put the hosts up two before Brandon Wilson (Farmingdale, N.J./Covenant College Prep) made a pair at the charity stripe to tie the game at 80-80 with 1:10 left. After a Roberts Wesleyan turnover, Joe drained a trifecta from the top of the arc to put the Mavericks up 83-80 with 21 seconds on the clock. Nicholas Johnson quickly followed with a dunk to cut Mercy's lead to one, 83-82, with 14 seconds remaining. A Redhawks foul sent Dewaal to the line where he missed the front end of the one-and one and Roberts Wesleyan came up with the rebound. Following a Mercy timeout, Sanchez drained a jumper from the right elbow with 0.8 seconds left to give the Redhawks an 84-83 lead. A late heave by the Mavericks would not fall and Roberts Wesleyan came away with the win.

Mercy shot 47.9 percent (34-of-71) from the floor, 31.3 percent (5-of-16) from downtown and 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the foul line. Roberts Wesleyan shot 43.8 percent (32-of-73) from the field, 35.7 percent (10-of-28) from beyond the arc and 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from the charity stripe. Mercy held a 49-32 edge on the glass and held a 21-2 edge in second chance points.

Interim Head Coach Chris Watts and the Mavericks resume action on Wednesday, February 8th when they host St. Thomas Aquinas at 7 p.m.