ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst men's basketball team will travel downtown to face off against crosstown rival Gannon in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division showdown for first place. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Saturday, January 31, at the Hammermill Center. Admission into the game will be free and donations will be accepted to benefit breast cancer awareness.
 
Mercyhurst is coming off a big win at home over California (Pa.), 58-57, and now has won six straight games. They look to match their season-high win streak (7) Saturday against Gannon at the Hammermill Center. The Lakers currently rank 19th among all NCAA Division II programs in turnover margin (4.3), 20th in scoring defense (63.2) and 26th in free throw percentage (75.3). Damon Jones leads the team in scoring, averaging 11.2 points per game off the bench, while James Ewing takes care of the dirty work, grabbing 5.4 rebounds, a team-high.
 
The Golden Knights enter Saturday winning two straight games after handing Slippery Rock its first home loss of the season Wednesday night, 74-71. Gannon trailed by as many as nine points in the second half but rallied to defeat The Rock for the fifth consecutive time. The Golden Knights lead the country in scoring defense, holding opponents to just 56.8 points per game. Gibran Smith leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game, while Raphell Thomas-Edwards paces the team in rebounding, grabbing 8.9 boards a game. 
 
Mercyhurst has won three of the last four match-ups played at the Hammermill Center. The Golden Knights look to complete their first season sweep over the Lakers since the 2008-09 season after beating Mercyhurst earlier in the year, 46-44, at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
 
Live stats, audio, and video will be available to follow along during the game at the links provided.
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