COLCHESTER, Vt. (Dec. 20, 2024) – Despite a career-high 29 points from freshman Nathan Robertson (Boston, Mass./The Winchendon School), the Mercy University men's basketball team dropped a 94-84 decision at Saint Michael's College on Day 1 of the Doc Jacobs Classic on Friday night at the Ross Sports Center.

The Mavericks (3-8) have dropped two games in a row, while the Purple Knights (4-8) defeat Mercy for the second straight time.

Mercy was led by Nathan Robertson who had a game-high 29 points on 13-of-19 shooting with a game-high-tying seven assists. Freshman Ethan Robertson (Boston, Mass./The Winchendon School) had 16 points and a game-high nine rebounds and sophomore Shedrach Makanjuola (Boston, Mass./Quincy College) had nine points and six rebounds. Senior Taj Chiles (Harlem, N.Y./University of Bridgeport) added nine points and four assists and sophomore Derek Long (Milford, Conn./Deerfield Academy) recorded nine points. Junior TJ Holloway (Stratford, Conn./Central Connecticut State University) contributed five points and junior Jamal Jacobs (Tampa, Fla./West Virginia Wesleyan College) scored a season-high five points with two steals. Freshman James Connolly (Canton, Ga./The Winchendon School) added two points.

Saint Michael's was led by Alan Brzezinski who had a team-high 20 points.

Mercy took a 5-2 lead at the 18:48 mark of the first half after a Nathan Robertson layup. The Purple Knights answered with a 22-5 run to take a 24-10 lead with 12:09 left in the first half. Mercy followed with a 13-2 run to get the Mavericks to within three, 26-23, after a Long three with 8:36 on the clock.

Saint Michael's went on a 14-4 run to increase the lead back to 13, 40-27, at the 5:17 mark. A Makanjuola jumper with 4:29 on the clock made it 40-31. However, the Purple Knights ended the half on an 18-11 run to take a 58-42 lead at halftime.

Mercy began the second half on an 11-5 run to cut the Saint Michael's lead to 10, 63-53, after a Nathan Robertson layup with 16:39 left. The Purple Knights ensued with a 12-4 run to take a 75-57 lead with 13:23 remaining. An Ethan Robertson jumper at the 6:43 mark cut the Saint Michael's lead to 12, 81-69.

However, the Purple Knights responded with a 13-4 run to take their largest lead of the game, 94-73, with 1:40 left. Mercy ended the game on an 11-0 run, capped off by back-to-back threes from Jacobs and Long to make it 94-84, but time ran out on the Mavericks comeback attempt and Saint Michael's earned the win.

Mercy shot 46.1 percent (35-of-76) from the floor, 37.9 percent (11-of-29) from downtown and 100.0 percent (3-of-3) from the foul line. Saint Michael's shot 50.0 percent (32-of-64) from the field, 48.7 percent (19-of-39) from beyond the arc and 68.8 percent (11-of-16) from the charity stripe. Saint Michael's held a 47-29 edge on the glass.

Head Coach Chris Watts and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they face Southern Connecticut State at Saint Michael's at 4 p.m.