Rochester, N.Y. - The Georgian Court University men's basketball squad, concluding its two-day, two-game road trip to upstate New York, fell in its quest for the program's first victory of the season as the Lions dropped a 76-71 decision to Mercy College (hosted by Roberts Wesleyan College).

GCU's record slips to 0-5 after the setback while the Mavericks even their mark at 2-2 with the non-conference victory.

After coming out of intermission saddled with a 36-27 deficit, GCU cut the Mercy lead to just four after a Caleb Bowser free throw with 10:52 left made the score 45-41. The Mavericks proceeded to gallop to a 62-46 lead at the 7:29 mark, courtesy of a 17-5 spurt. Georgian Court refused to roll over and fought back with a 25-12 flurry, inching to within three points (74-71) with just 12 ticks remaining, but time would soon expire on the rallying Lions.

Neither team shot especially well from the floor with the victors holding a slight advantage, 36.5% to 34.9%. 

Sal Barbetto (Jr.- New City, N.Y.) rallied the Mercy offense with his game-high 29 points while Dequawne Richards (Jr.-Bronx, N.Y.) filed away a tidy 23-point, 15-board double-double effort for the Mavericks. 

Nikola Vujovic authored the Lions' first double-double of the season with his team-high 16 points and 12 rebounds. Juwuan Carter drained 15 points, leaving the senior just four short of 1,000 for his career. Bowser dropped in 10 points, the sophomore's fifth straight game with 10+ points to start the season.

Georgian Court returns home Tuesday with a non-conference home game vs. LIU Post.