DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 29, 2011) – NYIT men’s basketball had six players in double-figures as the Bears defeated the Mavericks of Mercy College 100-87 Saturday afternoon. The victory snapped a four-game losing streak and improved NYIT to 7-10 on the season and 5-8 in the East Coast Conference. Mercy remains winless at 0-17 overall and 0-12 in league play.

 

Sophomore Kayvon Roberts (Corona, N.Y.) paced the Bears with 20 points, while junior Russell Holloway (Budd Lake, N.J.) netted 18 points and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Senior Carl Kindborg (Stockholm Sweden) also pulled down eight boards while posting 15 points. Junior Jahari McKnight (El Sobrante, Calif.) and senior Eric Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.) tallied 14 points each, as 12 points for both Bears were from behind the arc. Sophomore Dominic Scurry (Ozone Park, N.Y.) rounded out the double-digit players for NYIT with 11 points.

 

For the Mavericks, Colin Senior posted a game-high 24 points and grabbed a team-best five rebounds.

 

The game was tied three times in the opening minutes of the first half before Mercy claimed an 18-13 edge with 15:06 on the clock. The Bears responded with a trey from McKnight, free throws from Holloway and a three-pointer by Rodriguez to reclaim the lead with 11:03 remaining in the first half. The Bears then jumped on a 12-3 run that pushed the score to 36-25 with 7:28 to play. NYIT led by as much as 12-points, 54-42, before Mercy score five straight to close out the first half, 54-47.

 

Roberts quickly put the Mavericks’ run on hold in the start of the second half as he made three straight layups and a free throw to kick things off for the Bears. Moments later, NYIT would earn its largest lead of the game, 67-51, on a three-pointer from Rodriguez. Although Mercy brought the game within four points with 8:34 to play, NYIT retaliated with a 12-4 rally to claim a 91-79 lead with less than four minutes left. A dunk from Scurry put the Bears up 94-79 with 2:56 left in regulation. The Bears scored their 100th point off a free throw from Roberts with 11 seconds remaining.

 

NYIT returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 2 when it hosts Molloy College. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Recreation Hall.