DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Dec. 8, 2024) – The Mercy University men's basketball team hosts Franklin Pierce University on Monday, December 9th at 7 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Monday, December 9th 7 p.m.
Records: Mercy (1-5), Franklin Pierce (0-9)
Location: Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Franklin Pierce
Mercy dropped a 92-46 decision to Franklin Pierce on November 12, 2011.
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 an 84-83 win over Roberts Wesleyan in their ECC opener on Friday. Mercy was led by freshman Ethan Robertson who had a career-high 26 points and 12 rebounds and hit the game-winning shot as time expired. The Mavericks defeated the Redhawks for the first time since 2019 and won their ECC opener for the first time since 2022. The Mavericks have been led by Makanjuola who is averaging a team-high 14.0 points per game on 61.4 percent shooting with 5.0 rebounds per game. Senior Taj Chiles is averaging 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and a team-high 4.7 assists per game and freshman Nathan Robertson is netting 12.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Junior TJ Holloway is averaging 13.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game and senior Max Mitchell is producing 6.8 points per game. Freshman Ethan Robertson is averaging 11.8 points and a team-high 7.0 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 Monday and Makanjuola was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Mercy is 0-5 all-time against the Ravens.
Scouting the Ravens
Franklin Pierce is coming off an 84-66 loss at Southern New Hampshire on Saturday for their ninth straight loss to open the season. The Ravens were picked 11th in the NE10 Preseason Poll after going 4-25 last season. Franklin Pierce is led by Donte Pope who is averaging a team-high 19.6 points per game on 51.2 percent shooting with 5.3 rebounds per game. Demariontay Hall is second on the team with 15.5 points per game on 60.2 percent shooting with a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game. Pierce Prendergast is third with 10.3 points per game and Ja'Keese Kemp is fourth with 7.6 points per game.
Next Game
Mercy hosts Holy Family on Wednesday, December 11th at 7 p.m.
