Dec. 17, 2006

Stats

ERIE, Pa. - Mercyhurst used a 32-5 run in the first half to defeat Northwood, 72-43, in the Championship game of the Mercyhurst Tournament.

The Timberwolves led 8-7 in the early going before a Shelby Chaney dunk started the run with 15:44 left in the first half. Richard Field scored eight of his 10 points during the run taht ended with the Lakers ahead 39-13 with just under three minutes to play in the half.

The Timberwolves made just 2-of-17 shots in the stretch and did not score for over seven minutes after a foul shot by Jeremy Miles with 12:50 to play. Northwood also committed seven of its 14 turnovers in the game during the run.

Mercyhurst, meanwhile, hit 12-of-18 shots during the run (67 percent) on the way to a first half mark of 61 percent. The Lakers entered the locker room ahead 45-17 behind 15 points from T.J. Mathis and 10 each from Field and Avi Fogel.

In the second half, Mitch Brennan hit three threes in a span of four and a half minutes as Mercyhurst built its lead to as many as 33, 59-26, with 14:28 left in the contest.

Four Lakers finished in double figures in scoring. Mathis led the way with 15. Brennan had 14 on 5-of-5 shooting and 4-of-4 from long range. Fogel had 13 points and seven assists and Field came up one rebound shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine boards.

Aaron Simpson scored 18 to lead Northwood, but Pete Overbeek was the only other Timberwolf to score more than three, finishing with nine.

Mercyhurst shot 51 percent in the game, and held Northwood to just 32 percent. The Timberwolves were also ice cold from three-point range, hitting just 3-of-18 and from the free throw line, making only 6-of-17.

The Lakers were hot from the outside, going 11-of-20 from downtown.

After the game, Mathis and Field were named to the All-Tournament team, and Field was selected as the MVP. Simpson, Jamar Scales of Slippery Rock and Elvis Rivera of Columbia Union joined them on the team.

Slippery Rock defeated Columbia Union, 76-65, in the consolation game. Glenn Reepmeyer had 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Rock, but Corey Blythe did his best to keep the Pioneers in the game with 21 points and 15 boards.

Mercyhurst will look for its fifth straight win when Indiana (Pa.) visits the MAC on Thursday, December 21 at 8:00 PM.