March 18, 2008

Erie, Pa. - Head coach Gary Manchel and the 2007-08 Lakers entered the season trying to replace four starters, including a pair of All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) performers, and incorporate six newcomers into the lineup.

Despite the question marks and being picked fourth in the South Division in the GLIAC Preseason Poll, the Lakers made their third-straight GLIAC Tournament appearance by earning nine conference wins and 15 total of the third year in a row.

With the new personnel, the Lakers had an up-and-down start to the season. After starting 3-1, the Lakers dropped to 8-10 overall and 2-6 in the GLIAC by Jan. 19. But after a five-point loss to Ferris State, Manchel and the Lakers made some changes to take advantage of their undersized, guard-heavy roster.

Employing a lineup that included four players under 6-foot-1, Mercyhurst turned its season around, halting a three-game skid by defeating Hillsdale 59-58 on Jan. 24 on a Brian McTear free throw with no time remaining on the clock.

That win sparked the undersized Lakers to six-straight conference wins that included two wins by just one point and one overtime victory. By the end of the streak, the Lakers were 8-6 in the conference and had gone from last place to holding a commanding grip on the third seed behind two nationally ranked teams in Gannon and Findlay. The run culminated with McTear and Mathis each scoring career highs of 25 and 24 respectively in a 90-80 Senior Day win over Hillsdale. The six-game winning streak was the longest since Manchel's first season of 2003.

On Feb. 16 at Ashland, the Lakers turned in the most impressive shooting display in school history, drilling a school-record 17 3-pointers in an 81-69 win. Senior Terry Smith scored a career-high 37, including a school record 29 in the first half and set a new program marks in 3-point makes and attempts in a game by shooting 9-of-17 from behind the arc.

The Lakers finished their season in the GLIAC Quarterfinals at sixth-ranked Findlay despite 26 points and six threes from Smith. With a 15-13 overall mark and a 9-8 GLIAC record, it is the first time in school history that the Lakers have strung together three-straight seasons of nine conference wins and three conference tournament appearances in a row.

Mercyhurst had to work through a formidable scheduled, as well. Seven of the 13 losses came against NCAA Division II Tournament teams. Four teams on the schedule were ranked in the top 25 at one point during the season and three opponents were ranked among the top 10 in Division II. The Lakers closed the season with a 7-3 record in their last 10 games with all three losses coming to nationally ranked opponents on the road.

At season's end, it was clear that Mercyhurst had taken full advantage of its guards. The 657 3-pointers attempted and the 230 made were both single season records. The team's three leading scorers--Smith, Mathis and McTear--were all under 6-foot-1. Along with averaging double figures, Mathis and Smith ranked first and second on the team respectively in rebounding and were the only two players to average more than four rebounds per game. The pair also was first and second in the GLIAC in steals, with Smith totaling 69 and Mathis recording 61.

The three guards accounted for 65 percent of the team's scoring, 70 percent of the team's steals and 65 percent of the assists.

Smith capped his career by being named to the All-GLIAC South Division First Team and to the GLIAC South Division All-Defensive Team. He ranked third in the conference in scoring at 17.3 points per game and ranked first in the league and 17th in the conference in steals at 2.5 per game. He also scored double figures in 26 of the team's 28 games.

Over four years, he set Mercyhurst records for career 3-pointers (213), career 3-point attempts (554), 3-pointers in a season (91), 3-pointers attempted in a season (224) and points in a half (29). He also ranks sixth on the all-time scoring list with 1,384 points, fourth in steals with 197 and 10th in assists with 277.

The men's basketball program also saw several important milestones during the season. On Dec. 1, Mercyhurst captured the 500th win in the history of the program, and on Jan. 10, Manchel picked up career win No. 200.

It was also Mercyhurst's final season in the GLIAC as it moves into the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in 2008-09. Mercyhurst finished its 12-year GLIAC affiliation with six GLIAC tournament appearances, four of which have come in the last five years under Manchel.

Playing in the PSAC will also provide its share of challenges. Four teams from the conference reached the NCAA Division II Tournament, and California (Pa.) and Millersville played against each other for the right to go to the Elite Eight.

Looking forward to next season, Mercyhurst will have to find replacements for its two leading scorers and its four seniors: Smith, Mathis, Cory Tubo and Luke Handley. Of the returnees, only McTear, the team's point guard, averaged more than 4.4 points per game. Regular post players Milos Bogetic, Iddo Cohen and Ryann Bradford each averaged between 3.7 and 4.4 points per game. Cohen, however, did rank fifth in the GLIAC in blocked shots, totaling 45 on the season. Mercyhurst will welcome the return of Stu Anglum, who was a contributor as a freshman in 2005-06 before transferring to Mount Union and leading the team in scoring. He came back to Mercyhurst at the beginning of the year and sat out the season because of the NCAA's two-time transfer rule.