Box Score

JOHNSTOWN, Pa.- Andy Hoying hit the game-winning jumper to lead the Mercyhurst men's basketball team to an 80-78 win at Pitt-Johnstown Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Lakers moved to 6-2 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division.
 
Jonathan Ouegnin made a steal with 19 seconds left, allowing Mercyhurst a chance at the final shot of regulation. The Lakers called timeout with 9.8 seconds showing on the clock. Coach Gary Manchel drew up a play, with the Mountain Cat defense covering the first two options, sending Ouegnin to look for Hoying at the right elbow. Hoying confidently launched from 14 feet, swishing the shot with 1.9 seconds to play. Adam Shaheen's shot at the buzzer came up short, giving the Lakers a key Western Division victory.
 
Mercyhurst trailed, 46-38, at halftime. Paul Bilbo opened the second half with a layup, but the hosts answered with a jumper. Onana sank a jumper of his own, and after a UPJ foul shot, Onana struck again. Ouegnin made a steal and a lay-in to cut the deficit to 49-46 with 17:13 remaining.
 
The Cats hit a three on their next possession. Ouegnin split two foul shots, but UPJ sank another three-pointer. After an empty Laker possession, the home team made a third straight trey to go up, 58-47, with 15:42 to play.
 
Greg Williams finally answered with a triple before UPJ scored again. On the Lakers' next possession, Williams drained a three from the right corner, pulling within seven points at the 13:47 mark. Pitt-Johnstown split two free throws before Callon Dailey made a jumper. Dailey followed with a steal and a lay-in to make it 63-59 with 10:49 remaining.
 
Sean Beins continued the momentum with a bucket and a free throw. Hoying's steal and putback gave Mercyhurst a 64-63 edge with 9:21 left. Ouegnin made a steal and sprinted in for a two-handed jam and then Onana stole the ball and found Ouegnin for another basket, stretching the margin to 68-63. The teams traded hoops on their next possessions. Lytle then split a pair of foul shots, but Pitt-Johnstown made a three-pointer to pull within a point.
 
Jumpers by Paul Wetherly and Shaheen put the hosts back in the lead with 5:12 showing on the clock. Shaheen hit two foul shots to take a 74-71 advantage at the 3:35 mark. Lytle grabbed an offensive board, setting up Ouegnin for a tying triple with under three minutes to play.
 
Bill Luther put the home team back up, but Lytle drained two free throws to even the score at 76. Dailey's steal set up a Hoying bucket for a 78-76 lead with 1:22 to go. Nate Snodgrass tied it up again with two free throws at the 1:01 mark. The Lakers were called for an offensive foul on their trip, allowing UPJ an opportunity to take the lead. Ouegnin made the steal and set up Hoying's heroics.
 
Hoying scored a career-high 17 points on 8-11 shooting. Lytle had his first double-double as a Laker, putting up 12 points and 12 rebounds. Ouegnin chipped in with 12 points, four assists, and four boards. Onana scored 11 points and Bilbo added six points and seven rebounds. Andrew Cressler led UPJ with 23 points.
 
Mercyhurst shot 32-64 (50 percent) to score a season-high 80 points. Pitt-Johnstown shot 28-51 (54.9 percent) from the floor. The Lakers tied a season best with seven turnovers.
 
In the first half, Lytle scored twice early, giving the Lakers a 4-2 edge after 2:40 of action. Following four UPJ points, Bilbo scored inside to even the score at 6. A Jean Onana jumper put the visitors up, 10-8, and then Andy Hoying sank a jump shot of his own. The Mountain Cats answered with a pair of three-pointers, but Hoying hit two more jumpers to keep the Lakers close at 18-14 with 12:24 remaining in the half.
 
Pitt-Johnstown came back with six consecutive points before Jonathan Ouegnin made a layup. H'ian Hale then assisted on a Terrence Ingram trey, making it 26-19 at the 8:50 mark. Sean Beins hit two foul shots, and after a UPJ hoop, Lytle scored in the lane. Lytle followed with another lay-in and then Onana drained a three to pull within 35-28 with 5:21 remaining in the period.
 
The hosts hit a shot and then Onana made another jumper. UPJ scored inside, but Hoying responded with a layup. Andrew Cressler hit a three-pointer, but Callon Dailey scored on the other end. Hoying capped the half with a three-point play in the final minute, sending the teams into the break with Pitt-Johnstown leading, 46-38.
 
Mercyhurst improved to 10-8 overall and 6-2 in the PSAC. UPJ dropped to 10-8 overall and 3-5 in the league. The Lakers head to Seton Hill for another Western Division contest on Wednesday, January 29.