PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Powered by a game-high and career-high 36 points and 16 rebounds from graduate student Matthew Filipowski (Westtown, N.Y./Harvard University) and a combined 40 points from senior Jordan Trahan (New Orleans, La./Odessa College) and junior Kohen Rowbatham (Slidell, La./University of New Orleans), the Mercy University Men's Basketball Team earned an 84-71 win at Holy Family University on Friday night at Campus Center.
The Mavericks (2-0) start 2-0 for the first time since 2014 and defeat the Tigers (0-1) for the second time in three years.
Holy Family jumped out to a 17-11 lead at the 10:28 mark of the first half before Mercy went on an 11-2 run to take a 22-19 lead after a Trahan layup with 6:00 on the clock. A Matt Gardler three tied the game at 22-22 before five straight points from Filipowski gave the Mavericks a 27-22 lead at the 4:54 mark.
The Tigers later cut Mercy's lead to one 29-28 before the Mavericks scored the next seven points to take a 36-28 lead after a Trahan three. A Rowbatham layup later put Mercy up eight, 41-33, before a Najee Coursey three cut the Mavericks' lead to five, 41-36, at halftime.
Mercy began the second half on a 9-2 run to take a 50-38 lead with 18:00 left after a Filipowski free throw. The Tigers followed with a 6-0 run to make it 50-44 with 16:09 left, but five consecutive points from Filipowski gave the Mavericks a 55-44 lead with 15:08 on the clock.
A Travon Mack free throw at the 10:02 mark got Holy Family to within six, 59-53. However, Mercy followed with a 7-0 run, capped off by a Trahan free throw, giving the Mavericks a 66-53 lead with 8:38 left.
A Rowbatham layup at the 1:43 mark gave Mercy a game-high 16-point lead, 83-67, and the Mavericks cruised the rest of the way to the 84-71 road win.
Mercy was led by Filipowski who had a career-high 36 points and 16 rebounds on 14-of-19 shooting from the floor to go with three assists and two steals, recording his second straight double-double to open the season. The 36 points scored by Filipowski are the most by a Maverick since Garrett Kirkland scored 41 points at D'Youville on February 18, 2022. Trahan had a season-high 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting with nine rebounds and three steals and Rowbatham contributed 17 points. Junior Yunosuke Matsuda (Okinawa, Japan/Northern Essex CC) had a game-high 12 assists with nine rebounds and two points and freshman Seediya Jabbi (Yonkers, N.Y./Barack Obama School for Social Justice) and juniors Jaden Battle (Queens, N.Y./Roberts Wesleyan University/Merrimack College) and Said Adam (Bronx, N.Y./Monsignor Scanlan) all had two points. The 12 assists by Matsuda are the most by a Maverick since Taj Chiles had 12 assists at District of Columbia on February 15, 2025.
Holy Family was led by Coursey who had a team-high 18 points.
Mercy shot 50.8 percent (33-of-65) from the floor, 25.0 percent (4-of-16) from downtown and 63.6 percent (14-of-22) from the foul line. Holy Family shot 31.3 percent (21-of-67) from the field, 23.5 percent (8-of-34) from beyond the arc and 63.6 percent (21-of-33) from the charity stripe. Holy Family held a 49-41 edge on the glass. Mercy had a season-high 22 assists, recording their most assists in a game since February 17, 2023, when they had 22 at D'Youville.
Head Coach Charles Marquardt and the Mavericks resume action tomorrow when they face Chestnut Hill at Holy Family at 5:30 p.m.
