INDIANA, Pa.- The Mercyhurst men's basketball team lost, 67-49, at #13 Indiana (Pa.) Saturday night. The Crimson Hawks took control of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division with the victory.
 
The Lakers dropped to 13-5 in the conference, two games behind first-place IUP. The teams have now split two matchups this season. With four games left in the regular season, Hurst will now look to maintain its one game lead over third-place Slippery Rock.
 
IUP came out hot, as Julian Sanders hit a jumper in the opening minute. Josh Wiegand's bucket made it 4-0 before Steven Coleman got the Lakers on the board three minutes in. Matt Lee's jumper evened the score, but Anthony Wells came back with a layup at the 15:54 mark. Sanders and Luis Leao traded hoops and then Ashton Smith made his first basket to put the Crimson Hawks up 10-6 with 14:41 remaining in the first half.
 
Wells, Kevin Jones, and Danny Ayebo each scored two points in a quick Indiana run to go ahead by 10. Hurst answered, as Weaver scored, Coleman hit a trey, and then Jonathan Ouegnin came off the bench to drain a triple with just under nine minutes to go. Lee briefly tied the score with a jump shot, but Sanders answered with a triple. Ouegnin and Marcel Souberbielle traded baskets before Wiegand dunked to make it 23-18 Indiana with 4:20 left.
 
Souberbielle and Smith scored again as the hosts took a 27-18 advantage, but Ouegnin continued his hot half with another three-pointer. Wells responded with a three of his own and then Ayebo converted two free throw tries. Leao followed with a jumper, but Wells made two free throws and Smith ended the frame with a breakaway lay-in to put the Hawks up 36-23 at the half.
 
Lee started the second half with a basket, but Sanders came back with a three-point play at the 16:45 mark. Coleman drained a trey and Devante Chance scored for Indiana, making it 41-28 five minutes in. Smith scored four consecutive IUP points, as Lee made a lay-in with 12 minutes remaining. Wells' three-pointer forced the Lakers to call time-out as the hosts took a 50-32 lead with 11:36 to play.
 
Hurst did not give up, as Lee converted two free throws. Wells hit another three-pointer on the next possession. Lee and Chance traded buckets and then Weaver finished a three-point play with 7:52 remaining. Ouegnin's three-point play with 6:02 left made it 55-42.
 
Smith took over from there, scoring 10 straight IUP points. He began by hitting two free throws and then a jump shot. He made a three and converted a three-point play with 2:48 to go, putting Indiana up 65-47.
 
Coleman led with 13 points and three treys. Lee had 12 points and seven rebounds, while Ouegnin added 11 points and five boards. Sanders led the Hawks with 20 points. Wells totaled 17 points and eight rebounds.
 
As a team, Hurst shot 18-59 (31 percent) from the field, while Indiana hit 24-49 (49 percent) attempts. The Lakers connected on just 5-23 three-point tries in the defeat.
 
The Lakers travel downtown for a conference matchup at rival Gannon Wednesday, February 15. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Hammermill Center.
 
For a box score of the Mercyhurst-IUP game, please click here.