Emmitsburg, Md. (January 15, 2023)--Mount St. Mary's put in a strong effort, but was unable to come up with the answers down the stretch in a 58-51 loss to Quinnipiac on Sunday afternoon at Knott Arena.  Dakota Leffew scored a team-high 18 points while Jedy Cordilia chipped in his first collegiate double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Mount in the game.  The Mount has dropped three in a row to fall to 6-12 overall and 2-5 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

After Quinnipiac's Tynu Chenery hit a three-pointer to open the second half to put his team on top, 26-24, the Mount responded with the next eight points to its biggest lead of the game at 32-26.  Frantisek Barton opened the run with a bucket in the paint, Leffew added a step-back jumper and a pair of free throws, and Dola Adebayo connected on basket in the lane to give the Mount a six-point advantage.  The Bobcats answered with the next five points, but Leffew hit a three and another pull-up jumper to put the Mount back on top by six, 37-31.

The Bobcats (14-5, 5-3 MAAC) scored eight in a row to regain the lead at 39-37 on a Matt Balanc three-pointer after Quinnipiac got the rebound off a missed free throw.  Deandre Thomas countered on the other end with a jumper to tie the score, and Cordilia scored in the paint on the next possession to put the Mount ahead, 41-40.  Justin Gielen then hit his first basket of the game to give the Mount a 43-40 advantage with 8:41 remaining.

Quinnipiac rattled off the next 10 points to take a 50-43 lead with five minutes left in the game.  Tyrese Williams started the run with a three-pointer and Dezi Jones followed with the next seven points to build the advantage to seven.  The Mount countered with a Jaylin Gibson jumper and a Cordilia three-point play to make it 50-48.  Thomas drained a three-pointer with 1:50 on the clock to pull the Mount within two points at 53-51.  Quinnipiac's Paul Otieno scored on a feed from Jones on the next possession for a 55-51 lead, and the Mount then turned the ball over.  From there, the Quinnipiac added 3-of-6 at the foul line to secure the win.

The Mountaineers, playing without injured starters Jalen Benjamin and Malik Jefferson, held a 24-23 advantage at the half.  The biggest lead by either team in the opening half was five when Quinnipiac led 16-11.  The Mount scored the next six points to take a 17-16 advantage before the lead changed hands four times in the final three minutes of the half with the Mount holding the 24-23 advantage at the break.

Leffew hit 7-of-14 from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point range for his game-high 18 points.  Cordilia, making his first start of the season and the second of his career, was 4-of-6 from the field en route to his double-double effort.  Thomas added 11 points, four rebounds and four assists while George Tinsley pulled down 10 rebounds in the game. Jones finished with 12 points and five assists for the Bobcats with Balanc adding 11 and Otieno 10.

The Mountaineers were held to 35.6 percent (21-of-59) shooting in the game, including 4-of-17 (.235) from three-point range.  Quinnipiac shot 31.7 percent (19-of-60) overall and were 8-of-28 (.286) from beyond the three-point arc.  Each team had 42 rebounds in the game, but the Mount committed 17 turnovers while being outscored, 15-0, in fast break points.

Mount St. Mary's returns to action on Friday, January 20, with a 7:00 p.m. road game at Siena.