Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa.- The Mercyhurst men's basketball team won, 76-65, at Shippensburg Tuesday night. Luis Leao totaled 20 points and seven rebounds, while Callon Dailey matched a career high with 18 points in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover.
 
After a competitive start, the Lakers pulled away midway through the first half on the strength of a 19-3 run as the period neared its end. With 8:40 to go, Ship hit two free throws to make it 21-17 Mercyhurst. Leao hit a jumper with an assist from Jonathan Ouegnin. Jean Onana found Dailey and then Paul Bilbo for buckets and Sean Beins made a layup to make it 29-17 with 4:49 remaining.
 
Sam Pygatt's basket got the Raiders back on the board, but Beins answered with a layup of his own at the other end. Onana's lay-in continued the momentum and then Andy Hoying tipped in a miss for a 35-19 advantage. Ouegnin scored and, after a Ship free throw, Dailey nailed a three-pointer with 47 seconds left for a 40-20 lead. Joe Lococo closed the half with a jump shot to make it an 18-point halftime margin.
 
At the start, Leao hit a jumper to even the score at two and then Dailey made two baskets for a 6-4 edge. Leao followed with a lay-in before the hosts responded with five straight points to take the lead with 15:03 to go.
 
Triples by Leao and Dailey gave the visitors the advantage, but the Raiders came back with three hoops for a one-point margin. Terrence Ingram hit a jump shot and then Ouegnin converted a three-point play and a dunk for a 21-15 Laker lead at the 9:08 mark.
 
In the second half, Lococo hit a three to open the scoring. Leao answered with an old-fashioned three-point play and then Bilbo's layup made it 45-26. Jumpers by Dailey and Keith Ellington and a Leao bucket stretched the advantage to 51-26 with 15:19 left. Shippensburg made a late rally, but time ran out and the Lakers won their fourth straight outing.
 
Leao led with 20 points on 7-13 shooting from the floor and 5-5 accuracy at the foul line. He also grabbed seven boards, including five offensive. The senior dished out a team-high four assists. Dailey hit 7-9 field goals on his way to 18 points. The sophomore previously scored 18 at Clarion last season. Bilbo and Ouegnin each added 10 points. Bilbo had seven rebounds, while Ouegnin collected three steals. Lococo led Ship with 19 points and six assists.
 
As a team, Mercyhurst hit 29-57 (51 percent) shots from the field. It assisted on a season-high 20 of its baskets. The Lakers outrebounded the hosts, 35-24, in the win.
 
The Lakers improved to 6-3 overall and 3-1 in the PSAC. They return to the court tomorrow night at Millersville. The PSAC crossover is set for a 7:30 p.m. start.