Men's Basketball | 11/13/2014 10:07:00 AM

FAIRMONT, W. Va.- The Mercyhurst men's basketball team opens the 2014-15 season at the Joe Retton Classic this weekend. The Lakers face Fairmont State on Friday, November 14, at 8 p.m. and then take on West Virginia Wesleyan the next day at 6 p.m. Both contests will be played at Fairmont State University.
 
Mercyhurst won 17 games last season, finishing second nationally in scoring defense. It advanced to the PSAC Tournament Final Four for the second time in three seasons and defeated national power Indiana (Pa.) for a fourth consecutive year. The Lakers also posted their first-ever road playoff win, taking down IUP in the PSAC Tournament Quarterfinals.
 
Coach Gary Manchel, who begins his 12^th season at Mercyhurst, saw his squad voted to finish third in the PSAC Western Division this season. Jean Onana led the team with 10.8 points per game, while Callon Dailey added 8.1 points a game and anchored the Mercyhurst defense.
 
Fairmont State went 20-11 last season. Thomas Winbush put up 14.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on his way to earning Mountain East Conference (MEC) Freshman of the Year honors. The Falcons advanced to the MEC Tournament Semifinals last year, falling to eventual NCAA Runner-Up West Liberty. FSU was picked to place second in the MEC this season.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan went 20-12 in 2013-14, tying for third in the MEC. It fell to Fairmont in the first round of the MEC Tournament. Chris Dewberry scored 9.4 points per game, third-most on the team and most among returning Bobcats. Gary Nottingham takes over as the new head coach at Wesleyan. The Bobcats were tabbed to finish 10^th in the MEC Preseason Poll.
 
Mercyhurst has faced FSU just three times in program history, with the most recent meeting in the 1994-95 season. The Lakers have never met WVWC in program history.