Jan. 19, 2006

Stats

Big Rapids, Mich. - Richard Field took control at the start of the second half and Andy Kubinski took over at the end of the game, as Mercyhurst defeated Ferris State 61-59 at Jim Wink Arena. The Lakers, who erased a 10-point first half deficit, improved to 14-4 overall and 4-4 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The Bulldogs took their first GLIAC loss of the season, falling to 10-7 overall and 7-1 in the conference.

Field scored 13 of his game-high 15 points in the second half and Jeff Daisley blocked eight shots for the Lakers.

Mercyhurst never led in a first half that saw the Lakers shoot just 9-of-27 (33 percent) and 1-of-8 from long range. A jumper by Dennis Springs on a fastbreak gave Ferris State its largest lead, 27-17, with 2:02 to play in the half. Mercyhurst fought back in the final two minutes with the half's final six points to cut the score to 27-23 at the break.

Field went to work at the start of the second half. After a Terry Smith jumper cut the lead to 29-25, Field scored nine straight Laker points - on four consecutive possessions - as Mercyhurst captured a 34-31 lead.

From there the game turned into a see-saw battle that featured 11 lead changes and six ties.

Mercyhurst trailed by four, 56-52 with 4:15 left, when Kubinski drew a charge. On the ensuing possession, Kubinski was fouled and hit both free throws. Down 56-54 with just 3:33 to play, Daisley kicked the ball out to Kubinski, who hit just his fifth three of the season to give the Lakers the lead for good. Layups by Avi Fogel and Kubinski, who scored seven of his nine points in the final four minutes, gave Mercyhurst a five-point advantage, 61-56 with 1:03 to play.

A three-pointer by Springs and a shot clock violation gave the Bulldogs life with 19 seconds left. Holding for the last, Kubinski stole the ball with two seconds left to seal the win.

Fogel and Smith joined Field in double figures, scoring 11 points each. Daisley had nine rebounds, with Fogel snagging eight.

Mercyhurst outrebounded Ferris State 42-31. The Bulldogs did, however, turn the tables on a Laker squad with the best turnover margin in the GLIAC. FSU committed just 12 turnovers, while forcing Mercyhurst into 21.

Mercyhurst hit 16-of-30 shots in the second half to finish at 44 percent for the game. Ferris State hit on just 37 percent for the contest.

Kubinski ran his streak of multi-steal games to nine with a pair of swipes.

The Lakers will look to win their fourth in a row with a game at Lake Superior State (1-15, 0-9 GLIAC) on Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan at 3:00 PM.