DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 17, 2025) – The Mercy University men's basketball team plays at ECC foe Molloy University on Saturday, January 18th at 2:30 p.m.
Who, When and Where
Date/Time: Saturday, January 18th 2:30 p.m.
Records: Mercy (5-10, 4-2 ECC), Molloy (5-11, 1-4 ECC)
Location: Rockville Centre, N.Y.
Last Meeting vs. Molloy
Mercy dropped an 83-73 decision at Molloy on February 24, 2024.
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 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 64-62 win over Queens on Wednesday for their second straight win. Mercy was led by freshman Nathan Robertson who scored the game-winning basket at the buzzer. Mercy has three more wins than all of last year and started 2-0 in ECC play for the first time ever. The Mavericks have started 4-2 in ECC play for the first time. The Mavericks have been led by sophomore Shedrach Makanjuola who is averaging 10.6 points per game on 50.8 percent shooting with 5.7 rebounds per game. Senior Taj Chiles is averaging 7.7 points per game and a team-high 4.9 assists per game and freshman Nathan Robertson is netting 16.0 points per game to go with 5.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. Junior TJ Holloway is averaging 11.5 points per game with 4.5 rebounds per game and freshman Ethan Robertson is averaging a team-high 16.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Sophomore Derek Long and senior Max Mitchell are averaging 7.2 and 6.3 points per game, respectively. 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 on December 9th and Nathan Robertson was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Ethan Robertson was named ECC Player and Rookie of the Week on December 16th and Nathan Robertson was tabbed to the Honor Roll. Nathan Robertson was named ECC Rookie of the Week on December 23rd and Ethan Robertson was named to the Honor Roll. Ethan Robertson has been named MBWA Division II-III Player of the Week Honorable Mention twice. Ethan Robertson was named ECC Rookie of the Week for the third time on Monday and was tabbed to MBWA Division II-III Player of the Week Honorable Mention on Tuesday. Nathan Robertson was named to the ECC Honor Roll on Monday. Mercy is 9-31 in their last 40 meetings against Molloy but are 4-3 in their last seven meetings against the Lions. With a win, Mercy would start 5-2 in ECC play for the first time. The Mavericks look to win three straight ECC games for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
Scouting the Lions
Molloy is coming off a 113-76 loss at St. Thomas Aquinas on Wednesday. The Lions were picked seventh in the ECC Preseason Poll after going 7-20 last season. Molloy is led by Rob Matos who currently leads the ECC with 23.5 points per game and leads the team with 4.5 assists per game. One-time ECC Player of the Week Bryce Merchant is second on the team with 17.7 points per game on 50.7 percent shooting with 5.8 rebounds per game. Payton Shumpert is third with 12.6 points per game and Matt Lane is fourth with 7.4 points per game. Lane averages a team-high 9.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game and Mick Browne averages a team-high 1.3 steals per game.
Next Game
Mercy hosts St. Thomas Aquinas on Saturday, January 25th at 2 p.m.
