Feb. 2, 2008

Box Score
Photo Gallery Of Back To The Future Day

Erie, Pa. - For the second-straight game, the Mercyhurst men's basketball rallied from a double-digit halftime deficit to win in the final seconds. On Saturday, T.J. Mathis sank a jumper with five seconds left to oust visiting Saginaw Valley State.

The Lakers, winners of four in a row, trailed 32-24 at the half but clawed their way back into contention with a 43-point second half. Mercyhurst trailed 58-53 with under three minutes to play. Mathis scored on back-to-back possession to bring the Lakers within one.

After holding Saginaw Valley to its sixth-straight possession without a field goal, Brian McTear, who had struggled to find his outside shot all game, drilled a go-ahead 3-pointer from the top of the key to put the Lakers ahead 60-58. It was Mercyhurst's first lead since the 15:33 mark of the first half.

Saginaw Valley managed to stay in the game with free throws, scoring 11 of its final 14 points at the line. And after McTear's 3-pointer, Saginaw Valley cashed 3-of-4 to retake the lead 61-60.

Senior Terry Smith, who finished with a game-high 23 points, hit one of his five threes to answer. But two more Cardinal free throws tied the game at 63 with 37 seconds left.

Mercyhurst, holding for the final shot, set up Mathis, who drove into the paint and sank a jumper from 10 feet to give the Lakers the lead. Smith added a pair of insurance free throws after Mathis forced a Cardinal turnover.

Including Saturday's one-point win, Mercyhurst's last four wins have come by an average margin of four points. The four-straight victories is the longest streak of the season and the longest since December of 2006.

The Lakers, after shooting 32 percent in the first half, sank 15-of-35 from the field and 6-of-17 from 3-point range in the second period. They also grabbed 11 offensive rebounds in the half, which turned into seven second chance points.

Senior Cory Tubo made his return to the lineup in the second half after missing the last 14 games with an injury. He provided an instant spark, scoring on his first possession, blocking a shot and grabbing three rebounds, two of which were offensive, in a crucial seven minutes of action. Mercyhurst trailed by eight when he entered and four when he left the game with 4:10 remaining.

Mathis scored 17 points, 12 of which came in the second period, pulled down a game-high eight rebounds and tallied three steals. Ryann Bradford added eight points and six boards off the bench.

Smith scored 23 for the second game in a row and for the third time during Mercyhurst's four-game winning streak. Three of his five 3-pointers came in the final seven minutes.

The Lakers improve to 12-10 overall and 6-6 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and Saginaw Valley State falls to 8-12 overall and 3-9 in conference action.

Honored at halftime were members of Mercyhurt's 1972-73 and 1977-78 squads that reached the NAIA District 18 tournaments.

The Lakers return to action Thursday, Feb. 7 against Wayne State at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.