Staten Island, N.Y. – The Molloy men's basketball team wrapped up the regular season portion of its schedule Saturday afternoon, falling to the Dolphins of Staten Island, 99-82, inside Sports & Recreation Center. The Lions end the regular campaign 8-18 overall and 8-8 in East Coast Conference play, while the Dolphins conclude 20-8 overall and 11-5 in league play.
 
Molloy has earned the fourth-seed in next week's East Coast Conference Championship Tournament and will host the fifth-seeded D'Youville Saints on Wednesday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the First Round match up.
 
How it Happened

• The Dolphins came out firing, clinging to a 12-0 run in the opening 3:55.
• Molloy responded with a 19-6 run of its own to over the next 6:27 of action to jump in front, 19-18, with 9:23 to play in the first half.
• Throughout the run, Chase Timberlake shined netting nine points while helping the Lions shoot 66 percent from the field and forced six turnovers on defense.
• The two squads went shot for shot through the next 6:24 as the contest saw five lead changes and four tie scores. The game sat knotted at 32 with 2:56 to go in the opening stanza.
• Staten Island ended the first half on a 9-0 run to take a 41-32 lead into half time.
• As the second half began, the home team continued to keep its distance from the road team getting its lead up to as much as 15, 65-50, 7:40 into the second stanza.
• Through the next 4:33 of game time, the cardinal and white chipped away at the lead en route to a 15-8 run that saw them shrink the deficit to eight, 73-65. Throughout the run, junior Bryce Merchant netted five points and sophomores Dylan Kopp and Sebastian Bosquez tallied four points apiece.
• The Dolphins answered with an 11-1 run to retake control of the contest and would build its lead to as much as 18, 95-77, before finishing off the victory, 99-82.

Top Performances

• Merchant paced the Lions offense with 21 points and eight rebounds.
• Timberlake tallied 20 points, six rebounds, and a game-high three steals.
• Junior Manu Alford collected 15 points on 50 percent shooting from the field.

Up Next
Molloy host the First Round of the East Coast Conference Championship against fifth-seed D'Youville Wednesday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m.