EDINBORO, Pa. - The Mercyhurst College men's basketball team fell 62-55 at Erie County rival Edinboro Wendesday, Feb. 10, as the Fighting Scots used a 19-1 run to pull away early in the second half.
Jordan Armstrong led the Lakers with 12 points while tying for the team lead with six rebounds.
Edinboro improved its record to 9-13, 3-6 in PSAC West play, while the Lakers are now 15-7, 5-4 in divisional contests, having their three-game winning streak halted. This marks the second year in a row in which Mercyhurst and Edinboro have split the season series, as each team won the matchup on the opposing team's home floor last season.
Armstrong led with 12 points, while
Ryann Bradford broke into double-figures with 10 points, his second straight double-digit scoring output, and grabbed eight rebounds.
Jeremiah Wise finished with nine points, making the Lakers' lone three-pointer.
Heiden Ratner totaled six rebounds and six markers, while
Christian Cornelius netted six as well.
The Fighting Scots were led by Byron Knight, who scored 18 points, while Justin Moore posted his fifth double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
For the game, the Lakers shot 33.6 percent from the field, going a season-low 1-of-14 from beyond the arc and 59.9 percent on foul shots. The Fighting Scots made 48.1 percent of their field goals, including 5-of-13 from downtown. Edinboro held a 42-37 edge on the boards, but Mercyhurst led in offensive rebounds, 14-9, leading the 15 second-chance points. EUP recorded 16 turnovers to Mercyhurst's nine while tripling the Lakers' blocked shot total with six.
With Edinboro leading 32-27 after 20 minutes, the Lakers and Fighting Scots traded three-pointers, with Wise's triple pulling the Lakers to within two points at 32-30 and EUP's Danny Walsh answering to make it 35-30. Armstrong made two free throws to draw to within two points at 35-33 with 17:36 remaining, the closest the Lakers would get the rest of the way. Edinboro went on a 19-1 run over the next eight and a half minutes, building a 20-point lead at 54-34 with nine minutes showing on the clock.
An Armstrong dunk ended the scoring drought, and Wise made a jumper to make the score 54-38 at 7:09. Another Walsh three-pointer gave EUP 59-39 lead with 4:17 remaining. The Lakers fought to the buzzer, though, outscoring the Fighting Scots 16-3 over the last 3:14 of play, as Armstrong, Wise, Ratner and Bradford all chipped in four points in the late charge. Mercyhurst used a pressing defense late, capitalizing on Edinboro turnovers and missed foul shots, but the Fighting Scots held on, 62-55.
Edinboro led throughout the first half, scoring the first five points of the contest while surging to a 16-6 lead with 12:35 left. The Lakers then went on a 7-0 run courtesy of Cornelius and Bradford, and trailed 16-13 slightly over 10 minutes into the first frame. Edinboro added to its lead, going up by seven points at 29-22 with four minutes left. The Lakers then narrowed the gap to three with a 5-1 skein, trailing 30-27 with 1:35 left in the first half. The Fighting Scots closed the half with two made free throws to lead 32-27 after 20 minutes.
Mercyhurst will next play at No. 11 Indiana (Pa.) Saturday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. The Crimson Hawks, 18-2, 7-1 in the PSAC West, are tied for the divisional lead. IUP downed the Lakers 76-54 Jan. 16 at the MAC.
