ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Feb. 24, 2024) – Despite a double-double from sophomore Asa Kone (Bronx, N.Y./Eagle Academy for Young Men) and junior Taj Chiles (Harlem, N.Y./University of Bridgeport) and senior Alex May (Englewood, N.J./St. Francis College (Brooklyn) scoring in double figures, the Mercy University men's basketball team dropped an 83-73 decision at ECC foe Molloy University on Saturday afternoon at Quealy Gymnasium.

The Mavericks (2-23, 1-14 ECC) fail to build off their win on Wednesday, while the Lions (7-18, 5-9 ECC) sweep the season series with Mercy.

Mercy was led by Kone who had a team-high 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting with a game-high 12 rebounds. Chiles had 18 points on 8-of-8 shooting from the foul line with nine rebounds and a team-high five assists and two steals. May netted 16 points with five rebounds and four assists and graduate student Garrett Kirkland (Springdale, Md./Bishop McNamara) had eight points. Sophomore Sean Conroy (Staten Island, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling) contributed six points and senior Jay Turner (Waterbury, Conn./Notre Dame West Haven Prep) chipped in four points. Sophomore Robert Zmujdzin (Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) added one point and a rebound.

Molloy was led Bryce Merchant who had a game-high 27 points.

Mercy jumped out to a 13-9 lead at the 14:51 mark of the first half after a Kone jumper. Molloy rallied with a 14-5 run to take a 23-18 lead with 8:41 remaining in the half. The Mavericks scored the next six points to retake the lead at 24-23, following a May layup, with 6:28 on the clock.

Molloy regained the lead at 31-24, following an 8-0 run with 4:39 left in the half. A Turner layup at the 3:56 mark got the Mavericks within two, 31-29, but the Lions ended the half on a 10-3 run to take a 41-32 lead at halftime.

A May layup at the 18:33 mark of the second half cut Molloy's lead to seven, 43-36. The Lions ensued with a 16-5 run to take their largest lead of the game, 59-41, with 12:33 remaining. Molloy later held a 61-43 lead with 10:03 left to play before the Mavericks rallied with a 21-10 run to cut the Lions lead to seven, 71-64, after two Chiles free throws with 3:35 left.

A Jalen Rosemond layup made it 73-64 before Kirkland drained a three on the next Mercy possession to get the Mavericks to within six, 73-67. A Kirkland jumper with 51 seconds left cut the Lions lead to six, 77-71, again. However, the Lions ended the game on a 6-2 spurt going 6-of-6 from the foul line to earn the 83-73 win.

Mercy shot 38.4 percent (28-of-73) from the floor, 27.3 percent (6-of-22) from downtown and 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from the foul line. Molloy shot 52.3 percent (34-of-65) from the field, 38.9 percent (7-of-18) from beyond the arc and 72.7 percent (8-of-11) from the charity stripe. Molloy held a 42-37 edge on the glass.

Head Coach Chris Watts and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, March 2nd when they host St. Thomas Aquinas at 5 p.m.