Erie, Pa.—In a close game that came down to the final possession, No. 7/9 Mercyhurst Men's Basketball fell 70-67 to visiting No. 10/8 Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
How it Happened
The Crimson Hawks jumped out to an early lead, going on an eight-point run to go up 12-2 at 14:15 in the first half. The lead ebbed and flowed from there, shrinking to as low as three points and growing to 10 multiple times. When the dust cleared, the teams headed to the locker room with IUP up 38-33.
Mercyhurst was quick to strike in the second half, with Nicholas Lang nailing a three in the opening seconds to make the deficit two points. The Lakers got to within one a minute later before the Crimson Hawks drove the lead back up to 12 points, their largest of the game.
Senior MiyKah McIntosh nailed a three-pointer at 7:44 and followed it up with a three-point play when he was fouled on a fast-break layup to tie the game 59-59 at 7:22. It was the first time since the beginning of the game that the score was tied.
The Crimson Hawks took back control and, though the Lakers would pull to within one point multiple times, hold the lead for the duration of the game. Down by three with seven seconds left, the Lakers took a timeout, but did could not tie the game in the final seconds.
By the Numbers
McIntosh led all scorers with 25 points, making it the third game this season in which he has scored 25 or more. Freshman Aidan Reichert had the second-most points for the Lakers with 15.
Coach's Corner
Up Next
The Lakers are slated to travel to Kutztown for a 3 p.m. tip on Saturday for a crossover matchup.
