Jan. 6, 2007

Box Score

ERIE, Pa. - T.J. Mathis scored a career-high 24 points and Avi Fogel matched the total as Mercyhurst defeated Ashland, 79-71 at the MAC.

Fogel also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists, while not committing a single turnover in the contest.

Mathis' 24 eclipsed a 22-point effort when the junior guard played at Morgan State. His previous high as a Laker was 19. Mathis hit 10-of-16 field goals, including 3-of-5 from long distance and also had three steals.

Shelby Chaney added 12 points, eight boards and four blocks for Mercyhurst (11-4, 3-2 GLIAC). Richard Field hit his last four field goal attempts of the ballgame to finish 5-of-7 from the floor with 12 points.

Greg Emmons, the Eagles' scoring leader, went for 17 points and 11 rebounds, but Mercyhurst frustrated Ashland's (10-5, 2-4 GLIAC) second and third leading scorers into poor scoring efforts. Brett Bartlett, who hit 8-of-17 threes at Gannon two days earlier, was held to a season low five points on just 2-of-13 shooting, including 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. Rob McRae went 2-for-7, finishing with five points.

Bartlett's lone three of the day gave Ashland its largest lead, 29-21, with 4:01 left in the first half. Mercyhurst whittled the lead away for the rest of the period and trailed by just three, 36-33 at the break behind a dozen from Fogel.

Mercyhurst tied the score twice in the opening minutes of the second half, but did not reclaim the lead until a Chaney bucket with 13:44 left in the game. After Ashland took the lead back on Bartlett's only other field goal, a Fogel lay in with 11:25 left gave Mercyhurst the lead for good.

The Lakers stretched the lead to as many as 11 after a three by Field gave Mercyhurst a 72-61 edge with 2:36 left.

Terry Smith came off the bench for seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Matt Engler had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Ashland. Vahn Knight hit 9-of-10 from the line to overcome a 3-of-11 shooting effort to score 15.

Ashland had won five straight in the series, including three wins last season.

Mercyhurst committed just eight turnovers in the game, and had a stretch of 13:21 in the second half without giving away a possession.

The Lakers finished their eight-game homestand with a 7-1 mark and next travel to Northwood on Thursday, January 11 for an 8:00 PM tip off in GLIAC action.