Erie, Pa.—After a tough pair of contests last week that saw No. 25/RV Men's Basketball take down then-first-place Pitt-Johnstown and fall on the road to Indiana (Pa.), the Lakers will host Seton Hill Wednesday before heading back on the road to Clarion Saturday.
The Matchups
The Lakers have never lost a game to the men of Seton Hill since the two teams first met in 2013. That trend continued when Mercyhurst traveled to Greensburg Jan. 8 and dealt the Griffins an 82-76 loss.
The Lakers are 35-28 all-time against Clarion in their series dating back to 1972. The Lakers reached 100 points for the second time this season when they won 101-66 on Jan. 10 in Clarion.
Defensive Display
Both teams on Saturday put an emphasis on defense, with the Lakers able to make just 26 percent of their shots from the floor. Mercyhurst's defense has been one of the best in the country this season, as they are second in Division II with a turnover margin of 8.1, helped by 11 steals per game (fourth in DII). They also feature an assist/turnover ratio of 1.49, good for 13th in the country.
Hanging On
The Mercyhurst men had a good display against a surging Pitt-Johnstown team on Wednesday, coming away with a 90-61 win after the Mountain Cats had just defeated IUP. But after a tough day shooting from the floor on Saturday led to a loss against the Crimson Hawks, the Lakers have slipped to No. 25 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches national poll. They are still receiving votes in the latest Division II Sports Information Directors of America national media poll.
Scouting the Griffins
Seton Hill currently occupies the bottom spot in the PSAC West with a 3-17 record (3-12 in PSAC play). They are coming off a pair of games against Clarion that both went into overtime. On Saturday, Seton Hill edged out Clarion 93-92 at home. The Golden Eagles used the extra time to their advantage at home on Monday, defeating the Griffins 83-77. The Griffins have five players averaging 10 or more points this season, led by Samuel Tabe's 14.2.
Scouting the Golden Eagles
Clarion finds themselves in the bottom half of the PSAC West standings with an 8-10 overall and 4-9 conference record after the aforementioned pair of games against Seton Hill. Gerald Jarmon leads the Golden Eagles with 18.6 points per game, followed by Connor Ferrell's 16.8 and Lawrence Lemon's 13.2 points per game.
