Boxscore

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Behind three starters in double-figures, the Mercyhurst College men's basketball ran its winning streak to five with a 71-56 win at Slippery Rock.

The Lakers remain perfect (13-3, 4-0 PSAC West) in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division after picking up their first win in Morrow Fieldhouse since joining the league in 2008-09. Meanwhile, Slippery Rock falls to 12-6 overall, 2-2 in the PSAC West.

Heiden Ratner paced the Lakers with 19 points while Luis Leao and Bill Weaver contributed 14 and 13 points, respectively. Point guard Jamal Turner added a career-high eight points. Slippery Rock was led by Devin Taylor with a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds).

Both teams ran hot and cold on the day, with the Lakers struggling in the first half (36.7 percent) before shooting hot in the second half (57.1 percent). For The Rock, it came out firing (48.3 percent) but faded in the second half, connecting on just nine field goals and four three throw in the second stanza.

The Lakers held a six-point lead through the first three minutes but a 10-2 run by The Rock gave the host its first lead at 14:02. That lead would hold until three minutes later when Jason Snow's layup gave Mercyhurst the lead back at 18-16. However, it would be short-lived as The Rock went on a 16-5 run to give Slippery Rock a 32-23 advantage with just under three minutes in the half that would extend to a 34-30 halftime lead.

In the second stanza, it was all the Lakers down the stretch as they took control of the game in the final 10 minutes. Tied at 53-53 with 9:07 remaining, Mercyhurst went on an 18-3 run to end the game. With Weaver contributing seven of his 11 second-half points in that timeframe.

The Lakers will look to continue their winning ways on Wednesday, Jan. 16 when they travel to cross-town city rival Gannon for an 8 p.m. tip-off.