ERIE, Pa. -- Mercyhurst used a 13-0 run in the final three and a half minutes to tie the game at 57-57, but No. 5 Gannon hit two free-throws in the final 34 seconds and held on for a 59-57 victory in front of 1,761 fans at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

Brian McTear scored eight of his team-high 18 points during that stretch, including a 3-pointer from well in front of the top of the key to knot the score with 58 seconds remaining, sending the Laker fans into a frenzy.

After a Gannon timeout, McTear fouled the Golden Knight's Joe Lindsey with 34 seconds remaining.  Lindsey missed the first free throw, but nailed the second one to give Gannon a slim 58-57 advantage.

The Lakers pounded the ball inside on their next possession and Jordan Armstrong was fouled as he attempted a layup by Gannon's Tyler Stoczynski.  Armstrong missed both attempts and Stoczynski picked up the rebound before being fouled.

At the line, Stoczynski would sink his second shot  for the game's final score, and the Lakers would miss on McTear's layup with five seconds remaining, with Stu Anglum also not able to connect in the final second after grabbing the offensive rebound.

Gannon improves to 17-2 overall, 6-1 in the PSAC West and claims sole possession of first-place in the Western Division with IUP's 83-78 loss at Edinboro.  Mercyhurst moves to 15-5 overall, 3-4 in the West and are tied with California for fifth in the divisional standings.

The Lakers, who entered the NCAA II Atlantic Region Ranking for the first time this season at No. 7, entered the second stanza trailing 31-19 to their cross-town rival and the Atlantic region's No. 2 team.

Mercyhurst hit 55.2 percent from the floor after the break, including 5-of-9 from behind the arc, but could not win the battle on the boards as Gannon outrebounded the Lakers, 40-30.  Gannon hit 41.7 percent from the floor in the second half and went 0-for-6 from 3-point land.  The Lakers held the Golden Knights without a field goal in the last five minutes, last scoring on Pierre Howard's dunk at 5:01.  

The Lakers featured a balanced attack with eight different Mercyhurst players on the scoreboard.  Anglum added eight points while Elliot Engelmann and Nnamdi Nnadili contributed seven points each.

Mercyhurst is in action next on Saturday, February 7th when the Lakers travel to Slippery Rock to avenge a 68-53 loss to The Rock at the MAC in the division-opener.

The Lakers return home a week from today on Wednesday, February 11th to host Edinboro.