Box Score

ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst men's basketball team lost, 53-50, to #6 Indiana (Pa.) Saturday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. Callon Dailey scored 20 points in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division contest.
 
As expected, the game was a rugged affair. IUP entered as the top scoring defense in the country, while Mercyhurst ranked seventh in that category. Defense controlled the day, as the teams shot a combined 40 percent from the field, including 6-36 from three-point range. Both teams posted season lows in points.
 
A Brandon Norfleet layup made it 45-32 IUP with 7:43 remaining. The Lakers rallied from there, making the Crimson Hawks sweat in the final minutes. Layups by Dailey and Jonathan Ouegnin made it a nine-point difference. Ouegnin then found Dailey, who was fouled while sinking a baseline jumper. Dailey finished the three-point play, making it 45-39 with 4:58 left.
 
Indiana answered with the first of two backbreaking three-pointers on its next trip down. Devante Chance hit from the top of the key for a 48-40 lead. After two Jean Onana free throws, Brandon Norfleet made a trey to give the visitors a 51-42 lead at the 3:03 mark.
 
Mercyhurst kept battling, as Onana connected on a jump shot and then Dailey hit a long two-pointer from the corner. James Ewing blocked a Marcel Souberbielle layup try on the other end and, after a timeout, scored inside to pull within 51-48 with 40 seconds showing on the clock.
 
The Lakers had two fouls to give and then sent Devon Cottrell to the free throw line with 22 seconds to go. Cottrell missed the front end of his one-and-one opportunity, leaving the door open for the hosts. After a timeout, Onana made a layup with two seconds left, but Souberbielle converted a pair of foul shots and then blocked Dailey's half-court heave at the buzzer.
 
Dailey led with 20 points on 8-12 shooting. Onana added nine points, while Ewing chipped in with six points and four rebounds. Souberbielle paced IUP with 14 points.
 
Mercyhurst shot 20-52 (38.5 percent) and held the Hawks to 20-48 (41.7 percent) field goal shooting.
 
Indiana got out to a 9-0 lead in the first five minutes of action Saturday. Greg Williams made a triple to put the Lakers on the board, but the margin swelled to 10 on a Mathis Keita bucket. Jumpers by Dailey and Williams made it 13-7, but IUP eventually held a 19-9 advantage with 6:30 left in the period.
 
Ewing started the home team's turnaround with a layup. Dailey followed with a jump shot and a trey to make it a five-point game. Anthony Lytle's jumper got the Lakers within three at the 2:20 mark. Indiana came back with a quick 7-0 spurt to regain control. The Hawks headed into the half with a 31-21 advantage.
 
Mercyhurst dropped to 7-7 overall and 3-1 in the PSAC. IUP moved to 14-0 overall and 4-0 in the league. The Lakers close their three-game home stand with another Western Division match on Wednesday, January 15, against Edinboro. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at the MAC.