Box Score EVANSVILLE, IN—The Mercyhurst men's basketball team fell to No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State 55-51 in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on Wednesday.
Jason Massy led the Lakers with 17 points followed by
Derrick Ellis Jr. and
Zach McIntire, both with eight apiece. Massey also led Mercyhurst with six rebounds.
For Northwest Missouri State, Trevor Hudgins led the Bearcats with 20 points in the win.
Over two minutes into the contest, Northwest Missouri State scored the first points of the game on a Ryan Welty 3-pointer. At the 16:22 mark of the first, Massey responded with a layup of this own. Massey then gave the Lakers the lead off another good layup with 14 minutes to go in the half.
After a made three pointer by the Bearcats' Joey Witthus,
Trystan Pratapas of Mercyhurst hit one of his own making the score 9-8. The made three would give MU the lead and its first basket in over three minutes of play.
Just as the Bearcats would open the lead to four,
Nelson Maxwell knocked down a three to push the deficit to only one at 17-16 with 2:39 to go in the first. With just under a minute to go in the half, Massey sank another basket to cut the Bearcat lead to only two before
Patrick Smith tipped one home to tie the game with six seconds to go in the half. But, as time expired Trevor Hudgins made a jumper to take a 24-22 lead into the half.
This would go on record as the lowest scoring half for both teams this season.
Right ouf of the half, NMS went on a 5-0 run, forcing Mercyhurst to take a timeout. Out of the timeout, the Lakers scored on a
MiyKah McIntosh three. With just under 14 minutes to go in the game, Northwest Missouri State (36-0) extended its lead to seven until Pratapas responded with a three pointer to cut the Bearcat lead to only four.
NMS pushed the lead to as many as 11 until MU came charging back and would only be down five after a
Zach McIntire basket and ensuing free throw.
With under one minute remaining in the game, Mercyhurst (26-8) trailed, 49-43, before another McIntire basket and free throw to trim the deficit to three points. Mercyhurst gained possession down 49-46 in the final minute, but failed to convert on offense, thus allowing the Bearcats to pull away.
Today's winning point total tied an Elite Eight record for lowest points in a win by Northwest Missouri State.
Northwest Missouri State outshot Mercyhurst, 47.7 to 39.2 percent. The Bearcats also outrebounded the Lakers, 31-27. In turnovers, MU forced NMS to commit 10 turnovers compared to the Lakers' eight.
This will end the Lakers historic season with a record of 26-8, tying their most wins in a single season. With the Elite Eight appearance, this was the furthest Mercyhurst men's basketball has ever advanced in school history.
