Nov. 22, 2005

Stats

Erie, Pa. - Mercyhurst scored the first eleven points of the game and went on from there to turn back visiting Bloomsburg 69-48 Tuesday night at the Athletic Center. The Lakers improved to 4-0, their best start in six years, while the Huskies dropped to 1-3.

Junior guard Avi Fogel, who was named the GLIAC South Player of the Week earlier in the day, got the Lakers rolling with a layup two minutes into the contest and, before the dust had settled, the Huskies found themselves down eleven and never really got untracked thereafter. The Lakers led by as many as 17 in the first half before settling for a 37-23 lead at intermission. Nine different players scored for Mercyhurst in the first twenty minutes and their stiff defense limited Bloomsburg to just 14 shots.

The Lakers then scored the first six points of the second half and led by as many as 28. The Huskies scored the final six points of the game.

Mercyhurst featured three players in double figures. Junior forward Mitch Brennan finished with 16, Fogel cashed eleven, and junior forward Richard Field added ten. Both teams shot 42% from the floor, but the Lakers fired up twice as many shots, 62-31. Mercyhurst outdistanced the Huskies in triples, 7-1, but Bloomsburg had the advantage at the charity stripe, notching 21 of 23 free throws to just 10 of 17 for the Lakers. Mercyhurst outrebounded Bloomsburg 33-29 and collected 20 on the offensive glass. The Lakers defense forced Bloomsburg into 28 turnovers.

Redshirt junior Matt Jefferson led the Huskies and all scorers with 19 points.

Fogel got his GLIAC prize by averaging 15.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and six assists in wins over Notre Dame College of Ohio, Felician, and Molloy last week.

Mercyhurst will rest for Thanksgiving before returning to action Sunday against Ohio Valley University (WVa). The game is scheduked for 3:00pm at the Athletic Center.