ERIE, Pa. - The fourth-ranked Mercyhurst men's basketball team matched the best start in program history as they held off a late second-half push from the host Gannon University Golden Knights to claim their sixth consecutive Porreco Pride of Erie Cup by a final of 73-66 on Saturday afternoon at the Hammermill Center.  The Lakers 11-0 start equals the mark set back in 2008-09 when the team began 11-0, but only finished 16-11.  

With his game-high 20 points on 8-11 shooting, including 3-3 from long-range coupled with three rebounds, three assists and two blocks Daniel Ogele was given the Game Changer Award.   

The Lakers began things quick as Ogele scored five points to give the guests a 5-2 edge a minute in.  Kevin Dodds and Cyril Ogbuagu responded for the home side with a 5-0 push to snag a 7-5 edge.  A triple by Nicholas Lang led to a dozen consecutive Lakers points to take a 19-7 lead, with buckets coming from Zach McIntire, MiyKah McIntosh, and Steve Cannady.  Chris Clancy, Braden Olsen and Dodds pulled the Knights within 22-16 with 6:26 to play in half one.  Four points each from Cameron Gross and Melkisedek Moreaux opened the margin back to double-digits at 30-18 at the 16:45 mark.  A pair of Zach McIntire three-balls kept the gap over ten, 36-24 with 90-ticks remaining in half one. Dodds and Olsen would cut it to 38-27 at the half.    

Mercyhurst started the second frame on a massive 10-0 charge with Ogele and McIntosh hitting from deep, while Gross and Ogele scored inside opening up 48-27 cushion with 3:36 gone.  Clancy along with Olsen organized a 10-2 push to cut the deficit down to 52-40 at the halfway point.  Back-to-back jumpers by McIntosh and Ogele made it 58-42, before nine straight Gannon points closed the gap to 58-51 at the 15:11 mark.  The home side would watch buckets from McIntosh, Ogele and Lang get the lead back into double-figures three times, but every time it was answered by a Golden Knights basket as Olsen hit from long range with two seconds left to make it 71-64.  However, Lang knocked down a pair on the line to seal up the win.  

Team Stat Pack
Field Goal % - Hurst, 48.1% (26-54) / Gannon, 45% (27-60)
Three Point % - Hurst, 47.1% (8-17) / Gannon, 25% (5-20)
Foul Shooting % - Hurst, 81.3% (13-16) / Gannon, 87.5% (7-8)
Rebounds - Hurst, 32 / Gannon, 29
Turnovers - Hurst, 7 / Gannon, 7
Points in Paint - Hurst, 28 / Gannon, 40
Bench Points - Hurst, 8 / Gannon, 20

Mercyhurst Individual Stats
Points - Ogele (20), McIntosh (13), McIntire (12), Gross (11)
Rebounds - McIntire (7), Cannady, Gross and McIntosh (4)
Assists - McIntosh (5), Cannady (4)

Gannon Individual Stats
Points - Olsen (20), Dodds (18), Clancy (14)
Rebounds - Dodds (7)

On Deck
The Lakers will wrap-up the 2020-21 regular season when they visit Clarion University on Wednesday night at 7pm.