BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Pratt Institute men's basketball team dropped a hard-fought 72-63 decision to Gwynedd Mercy University in its Atlantic East Conference opener on Wednesday evening at the Activity Resource Center.
Senior guard Mekhi Davis (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led the Cannoneers with 17 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, while first-year forward Kurt Thomas (Dallas, Texas) came off the bench to score 16 points and grab eight boards and sway two shots. Sophomore guard Thomas Graetz (Sydney, Australia) was the third Pratt player in double figures, finishing with 10 points.
Pratt (8-4, 0-1) never led in the contest, as the Griffins (8-4, 1-0) shot 47 percent from the floor in the second half to pull away. The Cannoneers stayed within striking distance thanks to a tenacious defensive effort that forced 17 turnovers and produced 13 steals, but a tough night at the free-throw line (10-for-25) proved costly.
Gwynedd Mercy opened with a 9-2 run, but Pratt responded. A fast-break layup by Davis and a three-pointer from first-year guard Elijah Fermaint (Orlando, Fla.) trimmed the deficit to 22-12 with just over nine minutes left in the half. The Cannoneers' defense buckled down, holding the Griffins scoreless for nearly three minutes while a three-pointer from Thomas made it a five-point game, 22-17. A late 3-pointer from Thomas brought Pratt within eight, 31-23, at the intermission.
The Griffins opened the second half on a 12-2 run to build a 43-25 lead. Pratt battled back, with a 3-pointer by Cameron Hatcher (Cincinnati, Ohio) and two free throws from Graetz cutting the deficit to 47-30. Trailing 52-35, the Cannoneers found a spark. A 3-pointer by Sebastian Roda (Greenwich, Conn.) ignited an 11-2 run, capped by another Graetz triple, that brought Pratt within striking distance at 54-47 with 7:20 remaining.
Gwynedd Mercy answered with a run of its own, pushing the lead back to 14 points on a 3-pointer by D.J. Johnson. The Cannoneers made one final push, with a trifecta by Davis cutting the deficit to 72-61 with 1:44 to play, but could get no closer.
D.J. Johnson paced Gwynedd Mercy with a game-high 20 points, shooting 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Jalen Snead added 12 points and a game-high assists.
Pratt will look to bounce back on Saturday, Jan. 10, when they travel to Scranton, Pa., for an Atlantic East matchup with Marywood University. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
