March 1, 2008

Box Score

Findlay, Ohio - Senior Terry Smith poured in 26 points and made six 3-pointers, but the sixth-ranked Findlay proved to be too much, eliminating the Lakers from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament 87-64 Saturday afternoon in Croy Gymnasium.

Findlay (25-3) entered the quarterfinals with 58-straight regular season wins at home and that advantage was key in pulling away from the Lakers late in the first half. Mercyhurst (15-13) kept the Oilers within striking distance early, trailing 30-23 with just over six minutes left in the first half.

But Findlay outscored the Lakers 21-7 in the final six minutes to open a 51-31 advantage. It was the most points allowed in one half by the Lakers all season and the most since surrendering 51 second-half points to Ohio Valley on Nov. 25, 2006. Findlay drilled 20-of-31 shots, including 6-of-11 from deep in the first half alone.

Despite 12 second-half points from both Smith and Brian McTear, the Lakers could not close the gap. Mercyhurst finished the game shooting 38 percent from the field.

The loss was Mercyhurst's third to Findlay this season and the 12th-straight loss to the Oilers. While it was the Lakers' third-straight GLIAC Tournament bid and sixth since joining the league in 1995-96, their record fell to 1-7 all-time.

McTear backed-up Smith's 26 with 17 points, four assists and four steals. T.J. Mathis added nine points, seven rebounds and a game-high five assists.

It was the final game in a Laker uniform for Smith, Mathis, Cory Tubo and Luke Handley. Smith finished his career ranked sixth on the Mercyhurst scoring list and holds record for career 3-pointers made. Mathis, a two-year member of the Lakers, finished his senior year averaging 13.5 points per game and ranked second in the GLIAC in steals.

Handley and Tubo were both four-year members of the program. Handley appeared in 11 games and made six starts this season and made a lay-up at the buzzer in Saturday's game. Tubo, despite being hampered with injury this season, earned four starts and made 15 appearances.

With 15 wins, the Lakers posted their third-straight winning season and fourth in five years under head coach Gary Manchel.