Jan. 27, 2007

Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - Terry Smith came off the bench to score a game-high 17 points as Mercyhurst defeated Gannon at the MAC, 64-53.

Mercyhurst outrebounded the second-rated rebounding team in the GLIAC 31-27 and held the circuits top rebounder, Aurimas Truskauskas, to just a pair of boards.

Mercyhurst came out of the gates quickly, scoring on each of its first two possessions to take a 4-0 lead in the opening 34 seconds. But neither team scored during the next 3:53, as the Golden Knights missed their first nine shots of the game and the Lakers missed eight after opening 2-of-2.

Cory Knight sank a pair of free throws with 7:59 to play to give the Golden Knights their biggest lead of the game, 20-15. Mercyhurst scored the next seven points, including a pair of fast break baskets by T.J. Mathis, to go ahead 22-20 and went into the intermission up 32-29.

Mercyhurst led for much of the early going in the second half until a lay up by Tyler Stoczynski put Gannon ahead 37-36 with 14:31 to go. Just 25 seconds later, however, Fogel converted a pair of free throws and the Lakers never trailed again. The free throws started a 17-4 run that put Mercyhurst ahead 53-41 with 8:58 remaining and included six points each from Fogel and Smith.

Gannon closed the lead to just five, 58-53, with just 2:35 left, but Fogel hit a jumper with 1:30 left to put the Lakers ahead by seven. Richard Field and Mathis both sank a pair of free throws in the final minute to seal the game.

Smith scored 13 of his 17 in the second half. For the game, the reserve hit 7-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Mathis hit 6-of-11 field goals for 14 points and added three steals. Fogel scored a dozen, handed out five assists and picked up four steals. Field led the Lakers with eight rebounds.

Stoczynski led the Golden Knights with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting and grabbed eight boards. Knight scored 14 and added five assists and Pat Washington hit all five of his field goals for 11 points.

Mercyhurst, ranked eighth in Division with only 12.1 turnovers per game, committed 16 in the contest, but made up for it by forcing the Golden Knights into 20. Mercyhurst held an 18-8 advantage in fast break points, including 11-2 in the second half. Mercyhurst also had 11 second chance points, and held Gannon to just two.

The Lakers improved to 11-1 at the MAC this season.

Mercyhurst will look for its fourth straight win when the Lakers travel to Northern Michigan for a 7:30 tip off on February 1.