Box Score

Clarion, Pa. - Mercyhurst men's basketball got their first win of the season Friday night, defeating Frostburg State by a final of 98-82. Mercyhurst used hot starts to both the first and second halves to help them move out in front and grab the double-digit win.

How it Happened

Mercyhurst's offense was off and running in the early going as they staked themselves to a 15-4 lead in the opening four minutes of action. Jeff Planutis did a lot of the heavy lifting in that time with eight points to his line on a perfect 3-3 shooting to help the Lakers establish themselves early. His final bucket came the hard way as he made the putback layup while being fouled before making the free throw to make it an 11-point game.

Frostburg managed to work their way back into the game after falling behind early. The Bobcats made it a single-digit game with a three-point make with just under 11 minutes to go in the opening half before continuing to close the gap. With just under two minutes to go in the half, Frostburg pulled even at 36-36 before the front 20 minutes came to a close with the score at 43-38 in favor of the the Lakers with the team able to hit a handful of free throws in the waning seconds.

The Lakers came out of the locker room as the hotter team as they were able to resecure a double-digit lead in the opening minutes of the second half. Mercyhurst went on a 10-2 run in the first three minutes of the second to help them reclaim the momentum with an and-one opportunity by Aidan Reichert capping off the run.

While the Bobcats were able to begin to put something together on offense as the second half continued, Mercyhurst never allowed things to get close after building up their lead. Every time their counterpart came down the court and made a shot, the Lakers were there with a make of their own. Their advantage remained in double-digits for most of the final 20 minutes, staying above 20 through stretches, to help them end up on top in the end by a final of 98-82.

Next Game

Mercyhurst rounds out their weekend tomorrow when they return to Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium on the campus of Clarion as the team is set to face Bluefield State with tip-off set for 4:00 p.m.