• Box Score

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Feb. 4, 2012) - Mercy forward Talia Beaulieu hit the game-winning shot with just two seconds remaining to lift the Mavericks to a 75-74 East Coast Conference win over NYIT Saturday afternoon. Mercy improved to 2-18 overall and 2-9 in league play with the win, while the Bears dropped to 13-9 on the season and 6-4 in ECC play.

"Mercy earned the win," said head women's basketball coach Anthony Crocitto. "Hats off to them. They don't stop playing and are far superior than their record."

Despite the loss, junior Nikki Jo Rotolo (Rome, N.Y.) knocked down a season-high 36 points as the Bears led for the majority of the contest. NYIT earned an eight point edge halfway though the first half as Rotolo combined with classmate Chloe Johnson (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) for five three-pointers. Although Mercy fought back to cut the lead to two on two occasions, a late 16-2 run by the Bears stretched the margin back out to 17 points heading into the break.

"JoJo was offensively fantastic tonight but our defense as a whole must get better," added Crocitto. "We can blow a 20 plus lead on the road when we miss a dozen defensive assignments, many clutch free throws and turn the ball over against pressure. We are going to have a hard time winning if our bench does not contribute. We expect more from our team as a whole."

The Bears continued their momentum in the second half with an 8-2 run to go up 53-30 just three minutes in. However, the Mavericks began what would become an impressive rally of 14 unanswered points over five minutes to cut the lead to nine. A three-point play converted by junior Rebecca Lynch (Hillsdale, N.J.) put NYIT back up 56-45 with 11:50 remaining, by Mercy continued to pester with a 10-0 run that knotted the score 60-60 with 5:48 to play. The Bears regained control of the scoreboard with another three-point play from Lynch but back-to-back layups by MarQuesha Moore and Simone Williams gave the Mavericks a small one point edge 64-63 with 4:55 left. 

The teams continued to exchange leads as the game was tied five more times. The final knot was at 1:06 on a layup by Rotolo. She drew the foul and made her "and-one" to give NYIT a 74-73 edge. The Mavericks fought hard for the game-winning shot and found it with two seconds to go as Beaulieu laid in the ball for the 75-74 win.

Lynch chipped in 16 points and a team-best eight rebounds, while Johnson added 14 points and seven rebounds.

For Mercy, Jasmine Williams had 22 points and Beaulieu added 21 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Both Moore and Simone Williams chipped in with 10 points.

The Bears return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 8 when they host the Firebirds of University of D.C. in a "Purple-Out" for Relay for Life event. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:50 p.m. at Recreation Hall.