Box Score

ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst men's basketball team won, 86-70, over Mansfield Friday night. The Lakers had their best offensive showing of the season in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
 
Luis Leao led with 25 points and Jonathan Ouegnin recorded 20 points, 10 assists, and five steals-all career highs for the junior.
 
The Lakers led 47-37 at halftime and then cranked up the pressure in the second half. A Chuck Harper jumper made it 51-41 Mercyhurst with 17:59 to play. A 23-9 run by the home team busted open the game and gave the Lakers their sixth win in seven tries.
 
Ouegnin drained a three-pointer and then Leao split two free throws. Ouegnin followed with a steal and a dunk to put Mercyhurst up 57-41. After a Mansfield basket, Ouegnin hit a jump shot. Charles Becoats answered with a three, but Beau Samuelson scored and then Leao scored on a putback. The visitors hit a free throw and a layup to cut the deficit to 63-49, but Mercyhurst then held the Mountaineers 6:19 without a field goal to put the game away.
 
Sean Beins continued the Lakers' spurt with a layup and then Andy Hoying drained a trey. After a Mansfield free throw, Leao hit a pair from the foul line. Another Ouegnin steal and breakaway bucket stretched the lead further. Leao scored inside and then Ouegnin capped the surge with a triple.
 
The hosts played a solid first period as well. Callon Dailey made two early three-pointers as the Lakers led 10-8 after four minutes. Layups by Hoying and Ouegnin kept the Lakers ahead. Leao and Keith Ellington each hit jumpers, but Becoats had the answer on the other end, hitting four first-half treys.
 
Leao's hoop with 7:58 to go in the first frame gave Mercyhurst a 22-21 edge. It wasn't until Hoying hit from long range for the first time this season with 5:34 remaining that the Lakers led for good. A three-point play by Leao expanded the margin and then Paul Bilbo and Beins both hit shots.
 
Leao went 9-16 from the floor and 7-10 from the foul line. He finished with 25 points and six boards. Ouegnin had a career game, going 8-9 from the field, including two triples. The junior dished out 10 helpers, grabbed five steals and pulled down four rebounds in 31 minutes. Hoying contributed a solid game off the bench, going for 11 points, seven boards, and three steals. He hit all three of his three-point attempts. Samuelson added eight points and five rebounds. Harper and Becoats combined for 43 Mountaineers points.
 
As a unit, the Lakers hit 33-60 (55 percent) from the floor on their way to a season-high point total. Mansfield went 23-49 (46.9 percent) from the field. The Lakers hounded the visitors into 21 turnovers and held them to 2-11 shooting from deep in the second half.
 
Mercyhurst improved to 8-4 overall and 4-2 in the PSAC. Mansfield is now 3-7 and 1-5 in the league.
 
The Lakers return to the court tomorrow for another PSAC crossover. They host Bloomsburg at 7:30 p.m.