Dec. 28, 2006

Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - Mercyhurst opened the game with a 17-4 run and cruised to an 82-64 win over Concordia (N.Y.) in a non-conference game at the MAC.

Richard Field scored a game-high 16 to lead four Lakers in double figures. He hit 5-of-6 field goals, including 3-of-4 from long range. Avi Fogel scored 14. Mitch Brennan led Mercyhurst (9-3) with eight rebounds and added 10 points. Ryann Bradford was a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor for 10 points.

Field scored eight of his 16 in the opening 5:24 as the Lakers jumped out to the early 17-4 lead. Concordia (3-6) would get as close as five, 17-12, but a 12-2 run later in the half extended the Mercyhurst advantage to 35-16 after a fast break lay up by Fogel with 3:57 left in the period.

Mercyhurst led 42-22 at the break after holding the Clippers to just 8-of-27 shooting.

In the second half, Mercyhurst led by as many as 28 on four occasions. T.J. Mathis sank a three, his only field goal of the evening, for a 58-30 lead with 13:29 remaining and a Fogel triple gave the Lakers a 63-35 edge with 11:19 left in the game. Cory Tubo, who scored a career-high eight points, had layups with 8:04 and 7:12 to play that gave the Lakers their high-water mark for the game.

The Clippers closed the game with a 10-2 run to cut the final lead to 18, 82-64.

Kenny Gaskins led Concordia with 16 points in the game. Richard Fields added 15 and eight boards, but turned the ball over seven times. Robert Spezzano notched 11 points on the evening.

The Lakers held a 44-37 advantage on the boards and outshot the Clippers, 49 percent to 40 percent.

Mercyhurst will look for its sixth win in a row when Slippery Rock visits the Lakers for a 3:00 PM tip on December 30.