DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. - - A late third quarter spurt gave Mercy enough distance to get by the Wilmington University women's basketball team on Saturday, 59-44, in a nonconference contest on Victory Gymnasium.
The Wildcats (0-4) worked back to cut the double digit deficit to six points midway through the third quarter, but the Mavericks (2-2) scored seven of the final nine points of the third quarter to take a 13-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Daja Claiborne scored the first bucket of the afternoon but then the Mavericks scored seven straight to take a 7-2 lead. Trinity Brittingham made it a 10-6 game with a layup and cut it to a 12-7 game with a free throw at the end of the quarter. The Wildcats committed 10 turnovers in the quarter, resulting in nine points at the other end for the Mavericks.
The teams traded baskets in the first four possessions of the second quarter with Tye Queen and Amaja Mack scoring for the Wildcats. Fatou Ndao hit a three-pointer to bring the Wildcats to within 19-14 with 4:41 to play before the half and then Amber Washington hit a jumper to again cut it to five, 21-16, with 2:44 to play. But Mercy hit a three-pointer and a fastbreak layup at the end of the quarter to head into the locker room leading 26-16.
Trailing 31-20 in the third quarter, Jade Roberts hit a three-pointer and then Amber Washington hit a jumper on the team's next possession to cut the deficit to 31-25. Mercy answered with back-to-back three-pointers, however, taking a 37-25 lead with 4:45 to play in the third. Trinity Brittingham hit another three-pointer to cut it to 40-32 with 1:57 showing on the clock, but then the Mavericks used a 7-2 run to end the quarter and take a 47-34 lead into the final frame.
Amber Washington hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 12 points early in the quarter, but the Wildcats could only get it as close as 11 points the rest of the way before the Mavericks settled on a 59-44 victory.
Amber Washington had a career high 17 rebounds while adding a team high nine points. Trinity Brittingham had eight points and four assists while Amaja Mack added eight points on 4-of-6 shooting off the bench. Fatou Ndao and Jade Roberts had six rebounds each.
The Mavericks were led by Taysha Bender's 20 points while Katie Walla scored 17 points and added five steals.
The Wildcats return home to face Staten Island on Tuesday night. The opening tip is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the WU Athletics Complex.