Box Score

SHIPPENSBURG, Pa.- The Mercyhurst men's basketball team lost, 72-62, to Shepherd in the 2013-14 opener Friday afternoon. Jonathan Ouegnin scored 18 points in the loss at the Wolf's Bus Lines Classic, hosted by Shippensburg University.
 
Ouegnin opened the scoring with a layup 14 seconds into the game. The Rams answered with a hoop less than a minute later, but both defenses held for a few minutes, as a Shepherd three-pointer at the 15:20 mark were the next points. Down 9-4, Ouegnin dunked, but Austin Cunningham responded with a three at the 12:41 mark.
 
A bucket by Andy Hoying made it 16-8 with 8:41 remaining in the half and then Jean Onana made a free throw to pull within seven. Two Ram baskets stretched the deficit to 20-9, but Greg Williams hit a trey with 6:31 to play in the frame. Shepherd eventually went up, 28-12, and then led, 31-14, at the 3:38 mark.
 
A pair of Ouegnin lay-ins sliced the margin, but Cunningham scored inside and then converted two foul shots for a 35-18 lead with 91 seconds showing on the clock. Ouegnin, a senior, continued his strong first half with another jumper, followed by a Williams triple to make it 35-23. Naim Muhammad closed the first period with a hoop for a 37-23 Ram advantage.
 
Callon Dailey hit a jump shot top begin the second half scoring and after an H'ian Hale free throw, Ouegnin scored again to get with nine. Cunningham scored twice to expand the Ram lead, but layups by James Ewing and Williams made it 41-32 with 15:18 left.
 
Ouegnin tried to keep the Lakers in the game, scoring two more baskets to keep the margin in single digits. Two Williams buckets cut the deficit and then Anthony Lytle connected on two free throws to make it 47-42 with 11:54 to go. Shepherd pulled away from there, scoring the game's next six points.
 
Ouegnin finished with 18 points on 9-13 shooting. He posted five assists and five rebounds. Williams scored 17 points in his Laker debut, hitting three three-pointers. He pulled down eight boards as well. Ewing added nine points and five rebounds, while Dailey chipped in with six points, seven boards, and five steals. Four Rams scored in double figures, led by Brantley Osborne with 16.
 
Mercyhurst shot 40.9 percent from the field and Shepherd hit 47.5 percent of its attempts. The Lakers held a 43-40 edge in rebounding, including a 20-13 advantage on the offensive glass. Williams led a bench that totaled 33 points.
 
The Lakers will play Alderson-Broaddus tomorrow at 3 p.m. in another Wolf's Bus Lines Classic contest.