ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst men's basketball team rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat Slippery Rock, 60-57, Saturday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. Luis Leao scored 20 points, hitting 15-20 free throws, as the Lakers made 30-36 foul shots in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division game.

With the win, Mercyhurst clinched a berth in the PSAC Tournament for the fourth straight season. At 10-7, the Lakers are tied for fourth place in the Western Division. They are seven games up on Clarion and Lock Haven with six conference contests remaining. Indiana (Pa.), Gannon, Slippery Rock, and Edinboro have all nailed down conference playoffs bids as well. The top six teams advance to the PSAC Tournament.

On Saturday, the Lakers fell behind, 21-3, with 5:33 left in the first half. Mercyhurst hit one of its first 16 field goal tries. Andy Hoying's baseline jumper at the 13:17 mark was the only home team basket in the first 15 minutes of action. Over the next 17-plus minutes of play, Mercyhurst went on a game-redefining 44-15 run to take control of a physical matchup between two rival programs.

Leao made two free throws with 5:18 to go in the first half to get the ball rolling. Jonathan Ouegnin made a steal and found Jean Onana for a jumper and then Ouegnin converted two free throws to make it 21-9. Onana followed with two foul shots and a jumper. Leao hit two free throws and then Paul Bilbo closed the half with three makes at the line. Mercyhurst had cut its deficit to 26-18 at the break.

Onana opened the second frame with a lay-in to inch closer. Gerald Brooks' tip-in made it 28-20, but Leao came back with two foul shots and a layup. Ouegnin's layup with 15:53 remaining made it 28-26 SRU. After a Devin Taylor free throw, Hoying scored while being fouled and hit the ensuing free throw, tying the game at 29 with 14:28 to play.

Ouegnin then came up with a huge play, making a steal and then dunking while being fouled. After the foul shot, the Lakers led 32-29 with under 14 minutes left. After a Rock free throw, Leao converted two from the line. Keith Ellington extended the lead with a jumper and then Terrence Ingram hit two free throws for a 38-30 margin at the 11:03 mark. 

Two more Leao free throws made it a ten-point game, but Aubin Reeves scored and then Darious Clark hit a three. Onana made a jump shot and two foul shots and then Ouegnin drained a trey for a 47-36 lead with 7:54 to go. 

The Rock was not finished, though, as it scored before Leao made two free throws. Another SRU hoop was answered by a Leao triple to make it 51-42 Lakers. Clark sank two more threes  and then Tabari Perry finished a three-point play with 1:57 remaining, getting SRU within a point. Leao was fouled again, connecting on a pair. After Taylor split two from the line, Hoying hit a jumper and then Ouegnin wrapped things with two free throws at the 18-second mark.

The Lakers hit 30-36 free throws and made just six turnovers on the day. Both teams shot in the 30-percent range, but Mercyhurst bounced back from a 3-21 first half with an 11-22 performance in the final twenty minutes.

Leao finished with 20 points and 10 boards. Onana played a third straight stellar game, scoring 14 points. Ouegnin added 12 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals. Clark led The Rock with 17 points, while Taylor had 15 points and nine boards.

Mercyhurst is now 14-9 overall and 10-7 in the PSAC. Slippery Rock dropped to 15-6 overall and 12-5 in the conference. The Lakers head to Clarion for another PSAC contest on Wednesday, February 13. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Tippin Gymnasium.