Box Score
ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst men's basketball team won, 63-40, over West Virginia State Saturday afternoon. Four Lakers scored in double-digits as the hosts won their first game of the 2012-13 season.
Mercyhurst held the Yellow Jackets to 40 points, the fewest allowed by a Laker defense since 2005. Mercyhurst contained Concordia to 39 points on December 30, 2005. WVSU shot 12-51 (23.5 percent) from the field, the lowest field goal percentage against Mercyhurst since November 25, 2008. The Lakers forced Salem International into shooting 21.2 percent from the floor that day.
On Saturday, the Lakers jumped out to an early lead.
Luis Leao hit a jumper and then
Callon Dailey made a three-pointer and a jump shot for a 7-2 edge.
Andy Hoying posted a bucket and then a free throw for a 10-3 home advantage. Baskets by Leao and Dailey kept Mercyhurst ahead and then layups by Hoying and
Paul Bilbo stretched the lead to 19-12 with 7:05 left in the first half.
Four free throws by
Jonathan Ouegnin and
Keith Ellington expanded the edge further and then a Bilbo dunk made it 27-13 with less than four minutes to go. A trey by
Terrence Ingram put the home team up 30-15 and they went into the break with a 31-17 advantage.
Mercyhurst came out rolling in the second half, as Ouegnin had an old-fashioned three-point play for a 34-17 lead. Leao followed with a triple and Ingram added one of his own as the lead ballooned to 40-21 with 15:45 to play.
The Lakers continued to pressure WVSU and maintain a comfortable margin. A Ouegnin steal and dunk brought the MAC crowd to its feet as Mercyhurst went ahead 49-29. The Jackets never got closer than 17 after that as the hosts ran out the clock with several late buckets.
Leao led with 13 points. Ouegnin, Dailey, and Ingram each scored 10 points, while Bilbo added six points and six rebounds. Ouegnin compiled five assists and two steals in 29 minutes.
Andy Hoying led with eight boards. As a unit, the Lakers outrebounded their opponents, 33-27, and forced 15 turnovers. Mercyhurst shot 21-42 (50.0 percent) from the floor.
Anton Hutchins led WVSU with 11 points and eight rebounds.
The Lakers improved to 1-1 on the year, while the visitors dropped to 1-1. In the other game at the MAC Saturday, Concord beat Kutztown, 79-73.
Mercyhurst returns to the court on Tuesday, November 20, at 6 p.m. The Lakers host Salem International.
