ERIE, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst men's basketball team suffered a 71-61 loss to Pittsburgh-Johnstown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action on Saturday at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

Connor Polce, Malcolm Walters and Nohah Vickers led the Lakers in scoring, finishing with nine points apiece. Walters also had four assists while Durrell McDonald totaled eight rebounds.

For visiting UPJ (11-6, 6-5), Dale Clancy, Jake Laravie and Isaac Vescovi had 14 points apiece. Levi Masua hauled down 13 rebounds.

The Lakers (7-8, 5-6) took a 6-1 lead to open the game before Johnstown enjoyed a 16-4 stretch to take a 17-10 lead. MU came back with a 9-2 run of its own, tying the contest at 19-all, but that was the last knot of the game. UPJ grabbed the lead -- never ahead by more than five points for the rest of the first half -- and took a 33-31 advantage into intermission.

The Mountain Cats then led the entire second half -- eventually widening the gap to double-figures. UPJ pushed its lead to nine points and then Mercyhurst closed it back to four, but that was as close as the hosts would get before Pitt-Johnstown used timely baskets and a 9-for-9 performance from the free-throw line down the stretch to hold off the Lakers.

UPJ outrebounded Mercyhurst, 36-30, and had a better day from the field as well. While the Lakers were 21 of 57 from the field (36.8 percent) and 7 of 26 from three-point land (26.9), the Cats were 23 of 50 (46.0) and 4 of 11 (36.4), respectively. Johnstown was also more productive at the charity stripe, going 21-for-24 (87.5) while Mercyhurst finished 12-for-16 (75.0).

The Lakers will return to action on Wednesday with a 7:30 p.m. PSAC home game against crosstown-rival Gannon.