Box Score

ERIE, Pa.- The Mercyhurst men's basketball team beat Slippery Rock, 56-52, Wednesday night at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. Jean Onana, Paul Bilbo, and Andy Hoying combined for 36 points to lead the Lakers to a crucial Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division victory.
 
The Lakers improved to 13-9 overall and 9-3 in the PSAC. Slippery Rock fell to 17-8 overall and 8-5 in the conference. Both teams have clinched PSAC Tournament berths. Mercyhurst is a game behind West-leading IUP with four games remaining in the regular season. With tonight's win, the Lakers have closed in on a home game in the PSAC Tournament. The top two teams earn byes with the next two teams getting to host in the first round.
 
On Wednesday, it was another typical Mercyhurst slugfest. With 7:20 left, Antonio Butler tied the game at 43. On the Lakers' next trip, Jean Onana hit a three-pointer. While The Rock tried to regain the lead, Mercyhurst would never relinquish its advantage. After a Rock foul shot, Hoying converted two free throws with 6:13 to go.
 
Maurice Lewis-Briggs came back with two Rock free throws before Bilbo split a pair at the line. Lewis-Briggs made it 49-48 with 3:28 showing on the clock, but Onana drained a deep trey for a 52-48 margin with just over two minutes left. Butler scored inside, but Jonathan Ouegnin went up for an offensive rebound and redirected a shot in for a 54-50 lead with 1:03 remaining.
 
The visitors hit two foul shots and then made a defensive stop. After a timeout, Lewis-Briggs ended up with the ball on the right side. Bilbo took a charge with seven seconds left, snuffing out a Rock opportunity. Hoying sealed the outcome with two free throws a few seconds later.
 
Onana hit three threes on his way to 13 points. Bilbo added 12 points and four rebounds, while Hoying had 11 points and two steals. Lewis-Briggs paced The Rock with 15 points.
 
In the first half, Bilbo made a layup to open scoring and then hit two foul shots for an early 4-0 lead. Baskets by Anthony Lytle and Callon Dailey kept the hosts ahead, but The Rock hit a three to go ahead, 9-8, with 15:07 left. Hoying's triple put the Lakers back up and then Greg Williams scored inside to expand the margin.
 
A Josh Martin three put the visitors up, 16-13, before Terrence Ingram connected from long range to even the score with 10:39 to play in the period. After a Rock three-point play, Onana answered with a trey. Buckets by Bilbo and Hoying eventually gave Mercyhurst a 23-22 edge late in the frame, but two Butler jumpers put SRU ahead, 29-27, at the break.
 
Lewis-Briggs scored to start the second half, but Onana came back with a jump shot. After a Bilbo free throw, Onana hit again. Two Ouegnin foul shots made it 34-31 with 16:05 showing on the clock. A Bilbo three-point play gave the Lakers a 41-35 lead at the 11:54 mark, but Slippery Rock closed the gap and eventually tied the match at 43.
 
The win is Mercyhurst's ninth of the season when scoring fewer than 70 points. That number leads the PSAC. The Lakers head to Edinboro for another Western Division game on Saturday, February 15.