Feb. 4, 2006
Stats
Erie, Pa. -
Terry Smith, Jeff Daisley and Richard Field combined to hit 20-of-24 field goals as Mercyhurst (17-5, 7-5 GLIAC) drubbed Michigan Tech (12-10, 8-5 GLIAC), 76-54 at the MAC.
After the Lakers missed their first field goal attempt of the game, the team drained 10 in a row to capture a 27-8 lead with 8:50 left in the first half. Smith scored 13 of his game-high 17 points in the run, including three threes, and Jeff Daisley had seven points.
Mercyhurst forced Michigan Tech to miss nine straight shots at one point during the game opening run, holding the Huskies without a field goal for over seven minutes. The 'Hurst went into the half with a commanding 38-23 lead.
The Lakers hit 15-of-23 shots in the first half (65 percent). Smith scored 15 points in the stanza on perfect 6-of-6 shooting. Tech, however, hit just 8-of-24 shots (33 percent).
In addition to Smith's game-high 17, on 7-of-9 shooting and 3-of-5 threes, three other Lakers scored in double figures. Daisley and Avi Fogel had 16 each and Field added 14. Daisley matched Smith with 7-of-9 shooting.
Smith also led all players with seven rebounds and four steals. Fogel dished out six assists.
In the second half, Mercyhurst built its lead to as many as 29 on two occasions. The first was a foul shot by Field with 5:04 left, and the second came on a Roland Andris jumper in the lane at 2:48. The 15 point deficit at the start of the second half was as close as Michigan Tech would get in the final 20 minutes.
Mercyhurst held Radayl Richardson, who had scored 33 in Michigan Tech's previous game, to just 4-of-15 shooting and 10 points. Fedrick Bowe also scored 10.
The Lakers stifled the Huskies into just 33 percent shooting for the game. Mercyhurst kept up its hot shooting in the second half and finished 29-of-49 from the floor (59 percent) and hit 7-of-17 threes (41 percent).
Michigan Tech was whistled for a pair of technical fouls in the opening minutes of the second half. Fogel sank the resulting free throws on both occasions.
The win was Mercyhurst's third straight and sixth in its last seven games. With 17 wins, marking just the sixth time in the program's history that the team has won as many games.
It was also Mercyhurst's sixth home victory in a row and improved the Lakers to 11-1 on their home floor.
Mercyhurst outrebounded the Huskies 32-27.
The Lakers will try to extend their winning streak next week with a pair of road games against GLIAC foes. Mercyhurst travels to Wayne State on Thursday, February 9 and follows that up with a tilt at Hillsdale on February 11.
