Box Score

ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst men's basketball team beat Clarion, 62-49, Wednesday night at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. The Lakers scored the final 13 points of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division game.


 
Mike Kromka tied the score at 49 with 6:13 left, but the Lakers had all the answers after that. Jonathan Ouegnin drove down right side of the paint and made a layup while being intentionally fouled by Calvin Edwards. Ouegnin converted two free throw attempts to give the hosts a 53-49 edge.
 
Luis Leao split a pair of foul shots with 4:38 remaining and then Andy Hoying hit two free throws for a 56-49 lead a minute later. Leao's jumper with 2:27 to go put the game on the edge and Callon Dailey slammed the door shut with a three-pointer and a 61-49 advantage in the final two minutes.
 
Clarion did not score in the last 6:13 of the contest, going 0-8 from the floor with a turnover in the span.
 
The game got off to a slow start. Two Keith Ellington baskets were the Lakers' only points in the first five minutes. Leao finished a three-point play to make it 7-2 with 14:20 remaining. After a Ouegnin jumper, the Eagles got a free throw by Kromka and a jump shot from Anthony Baker to even the score with 11:43 left.
 
A Paul Bilbo dunk and a Leao hoop gave the home team a 13-9 lead, but a three-point play by Kromka got Clarion back in it and Edwards scored to take the lead with 6:30 showing on the clock. Jumpers by Dailey and Leao made it 19-18 Mercyhurst with 4:20 left, but the visitors took the lead in the next minute and would hold the advantage on the scoreboard for over 20 minutes of game action.
 
Marques Jones hit two threes to close the first half and give Clarion a 28-24 halftime lead. Jones continued his stellar shooting in the second period, eventually pouring in 17 consecutive Eagle points. After Jones' showing, the visitors led 39-28 with 15:48 to play.
 
Dailey sank three free throws and then Ouegnin drained a trey to cut the deficit further. Buckets by Dailey and Bilbo kept the Lakers close, but Leonard Patterson maintained Clarion's edge with a pair of free throws and a triple. Two Ouegnin foul shots and a Leao free throw pulled Mercyhurst to a 47-all tie with 7:09 to go.
 
Leao had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Ouegnin led with 16 points on 5-9 shooting. He dished out four assists and posted three boards and three steals. Dailey contributed 10 points, while Bilbo and Ellington each scored eight. Jones led the Eagles with 20 points on 7-11 accuracy.
 
The Lakers shot 41.2 percent (21-51) from the field, while Clarion hit 38.3 percent (18-47) of its attempts. Mercyhurst went 17-20 from the line and held a 13-6 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
Coach Gary Manchel's squad moved to 11-5 overall and 7-3 in the conference. The Eagles fell to 4-10 overall and 2-8 in the PSAC.
 
Mercyhurst starts a three-game road trip this weekend. It plays at Slippery Rock on Saturday, January 19, at 3 p.m.