DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Dec. 19, 2024) – The Mercy University men's basketball team plays at Saint Michael's College on Friday, December 20th at 5 p.m. before facing Southern Connecticut State University at Saint Michael's College on Saturday, December 21st at 4 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Friday, December 20th 5 p.m.
Records: Mercy (3-7), Saint Michael's (3-8)
Location: Colchester, Vt.
Date/Time: Saturday, December 21st 4 p.m.
Records: Mercy (3-7), Southern Connecticut State (4-4)
Location: Colchester, Vt.
Last Meeting vs. Saint Michael's
Saint Michael's earned a 66-58 win over Mercy on December 17, 2022.
Last Meeting vs. Southern Connecticut State
Southern Connecticut State earned an 84-54 win over Mercy on November 15, 2023.
Scouting the Mavericks
Mercy was selected ninth in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 2-24 overall and 1-15 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 third-year Head Coach Chris Watts is senior Taj Chiles who averaged 12.2 points, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game last season. He led the team in assists and steals per game and was third in points per game. Chiles ranked fourth in the ECC in assists per game last season. Also returning for the Mavericks is senior Max Mitchell who averaged 3.9 points per game in seven games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Junior Jamal Jacobs returns after appearing in all 26 games last season and junior Thomas Mandell and sophomores Zein Wahdan, Derek Long and Aston Sannasi also return after playing in a combined 188 minutes last season. Leading the newcomers for Watts is junior TJ Holloway who transfers from Division I Central Connecticut State University. Holloway appeared in 22 games averaging 1.2 points per game in two seasons. Junior Camryn Reyes joins the Mavericks from Fort Scott Community College where he led the NJCAA in three-point percentage. Sophomore Shedrach Makanjuola joins Mercy from Quincy College where he averaged 15.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Watts also brings in a strong freshman class led by James Connolly, Nathan Robertson and Ethan Robertson.
The Mavericks are coming off a 106-78 loss at No. 6/7 Daemen on Sunday. Mercy was led by freshman Ethan Robertson who had a game-high 25 points. The Mavericks have surpassed their overall and ECC win totals from last year and started 2-0 in ECC play for the first time ever. The Mavericks have been led by Makanjuola who is averaging 11.7 points per game on 55.8 percent shooting with 5.2 rebounds per game. Senior Taj Chiles is averaging 7.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and a team-high 5.3 assists per game and freshman Nathan Robertson is netting 14.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Junior TJ Holloway is averaging 13.5 points per game with 5.6 rebounds per game and senior Max Mitchell is producing 6.8 points per game. Freshman Ethan Robertson is averaging a team-high 14.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Makanjuola and Chiles were named to the ECC Honor Roll on November 11th and Holloway was tabbed to the Honor Roll on November 18th. Nathan Robertson was named ECC Rookie of the Week on December 2nd and Makanjuola was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Ethan Robertson was named ECC Rookie of the Week last week and Nathan Robertson was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Ethan Robertson was named ECC Player and Rookie of the Week on Monday and Nathan Robertson was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Ethan Robertson has been named MBWA Division II-III Player of the Week Honorable Mention twice. Mercy looks to beat Saint Michael's for the first time since 2017. The Mavericks look to beat Southern Connecticut State for the first time since the 1987-88 season.
Scouting the Purple Knights
Saint Michael's is coming off an 82-76 loss at Bridgeport on Monday. The Purple Knights were picked first in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 24-9 last season, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Saint Michael's has been led by CJ Crews who is averaging a team-high 15.8 points per game. Alan Brzezinski is second with 14.0 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game and Rico Byrd is third with 8.5 points per game. Nolan Marold averages a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game and Byrd dishes out a team-high 2.9 assists per game.
Scouting the Owls
Southern Connecticut is coming off a 65-58 win at Holy Family on Saturday. The Owls will face Daemen on Friday before taking on Mercy on Saturday. Southern Connecticut was picked eighth in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 22-11 last season, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. The Owls are led by Albert Vargas who is averaging a team-high 17.0 points per game. Antonio Chandler is second with 14.4 points per game on 62.2 percent shooting with 10.3 rebounds per game. Sean James nets 13.9 points per game and Isaac Hester records 11.1 points per game. Cherif Diarra averages a team-high 11.0 rebounds per game and Vargas dishes out a team-high 6.3 assists per game.
Next Game
Mercy hosts Staten Island on Wednesday, January 8th at 7 p.m.
