DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 8, 2025) – Despite four Mavericks scoring in double figures, the Mercy University men's basketball team dropped a 106-89 decision to ECC foe College of Staten Island on Wednesday night at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.
The Mavericks (3-10, 2-2 ECC) have dropped four games in a row, while the Dolphins (7-9, 3-1 ECC) defeat Mercy for the fourth straight time.
Mercy was led by freshman Ethan Robertson (Boston, Mass./The Winchendon School) who had a game-high-tying 22 points with eight rebounds. Sophomore Derek Long (Milford, Conn./Deerfield Academy) scored 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor with a team-high nine rebounds and three steals. Senior Max Mitchell (Westport, Conn./Roberts Wesleyan University) scored a career-high 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting and freshman Nathan Robertson (Boston, Mass./The Winchendon School) added 11 points and a game-high eight assists. Senior Taj Chiles (Harlem, N.Y./University of Bridgeport) added nine points and six assists and sophomore Shedrach Makanjuola (Boston, Mass./Quincy College) had nine points. Junior Thomas Mandell (Southern Pines, N.C./Penn State-Berks) recorded three points and freshman James Connolly (Canton, Ga./The Winchendon School) contributed two points.
Staten Island was led by Asa Kone who had a game-high-tying 22 points with a game-high 11 rebounds.
A Nathan Robertson layup gave the Mavericks a 2-0 lead just 14 seconds into the game. Staten Island scored the next 12 points to take a 12-2 lead with 16:06 left in the first half. Mercy scored the next six points to make it 12-8 after two Chiles free throws at the 14:21 mark. The Dolphins went on a 19-7 run to increase their lead to 16, 31-15, with 8:48 remaining in the half.
The Mavericks continued to battle and responded with a 13-0 run, capped off by a Long layup, to cut the Dolphins lead to three, 31-28, with 6:03 on the clock. Staten Island recorded the next three points to make it 34-28, but Mercy followed with a 6-2 run to get within two, 36-34, after three Ethan Robertson free throws with 3:45 left in the half. The Dolphins closed the half on a 12-2 run to take a 48-36 lead at halftime.
Staten Island began the second half on an 18-6 run to take a 24-point lead, 66-42, with 16:24 left. The Mavericks went on a 13-4 run to cut the deficit to 15, 70-55, after a Mitchell three with 12:05 remaining. The Dolphins recorded the next 10 points to take a game-high 25-point lead, 80-55, at the 10:05 mark. An Ethan Robertson layup with 2:11 left got the Mavericks to within 14, 95-81, but that would be the closest Mercy could get as the Dolphins earned the 106-89 win.
Mercy shot 45.5 percent (30-of-66) from the floor, 38.1 percent (8-of-21) from downtown and 84.0 percent (21-of-25) from the foul line. Staten Island shot 45.5 percent (35-of-77) from the field, 38.9 percent (14-of-36) from beyond the arc and 68.8 percent (22-of-32) from the charity stripe. Staten Island held a 51-37 edge on the glass.
Head Coach Chris Watts and the Mavericks resume action on Saturday, January 11th when they host UDC at 2 p.m.
