Erie, Pa. - Mercyhurst enters the middle of January with an overall record of 8-8 while going 4-4 to this point in PSAC play and look to find themselves above .500 once again after their next game. They'll try to so against Edinboro on Wednesday, January 17th, inside the Mercyhurst Athletic Center in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off in a clash of Erie County schools before going on the road to see Seton Hill on Saturday.

Where They Stand

Mercyhurst fell in their last game on the road to IUP on Wednesday, January 10th, by a final of 66-54 and now sit at 8-8 on the season while holding a record of 4-4 in the conference. That mark is good enough to be tied for fifth in the PSAC West alongside Slippery Rock. Edinboro currently finds themselves at the bottom of the conference going 3-6 in PSAC matchups while recording a 4-11 overall record. Atop the conference is Cal (Pa.) at 7-2, good enough to be tied with Gannon while IUP follows with a mark of 6-2.

Laker Leaders

Jeff Planutis leads the team in points per game with his mark of 17.1 while shooting 43.2% from the field, 38.5% from deep, and 83.3% from the free throw line while leading the team in points in nine games so far this season. Aidan Reichert has been the leading rebounder, grabbing 5.3 boards per game while Planutis leads the team also in assists (2.6) and steals (1.3). Luke Triggs has been the most efficient players from the field for Mercyhurst as he has registered a 60.7% field goal percentage while Sean Fullerton's mark of 44.2% from deep is tops on the team.

Scouting the Scots

Edinboro is 4-11 overall to this point in the year, going 3-6 in PSAC play. They managed to snap a six-game losing skid to Clarion on the 6th of January on their home court, 87-77, but then fell in their contest to Gannon, 117-96. The team's defense has not been up to par so far this year as they allow 81.4 points per game for the fifth most in the conference while allowing teams to shot the fourth-highest field goal percentage in the PSAC at 48.3%. The Fighting Scots have one of the top scorers in the conference in Bernie Blunt who averages 20.5 points per game for the third-most in the PSAC, shooting 34.8% from the floor, 25.0% from three, and 88.0% from the free throw line. He has been one of the best at the charity stripe with his 88.0% leading the conference while being one of only three players to attempt 100 or more free throws to this point in the season.

Scouting Seton Hill

The Griffins come into the matchup 10-5 on the season, winning four of their last six games including a victory over Clarion their last time out. Seton Hill has been one of the top defensive teams in the conference to this point, allowing on 72.6 points per game for the fifth-fewest in the PSAC while their 43.9% field goal percentage allowed comes in sixth. The team has just one player averaging double-digit points with Ryan Meis pacing the team. The senior guard is averaging 14.7 points per game while shooing 44.6% from the floor and 41.0% from three for the sixth best mark in the conference while attempting the second-most triples in all of the PSAC.

Next Game

The Lakers hit the road for their next game, making the short trip to see Gannon. That game will be played at the Cathedral Prep's Hagerty Family Events Center on Wednesday, January 24th, with a tip-off of 7:30 p.m. The team then returns to their friendly confines to see Cal (Pa.) on the 27th before their final home game of January on the 29th as Clarion comes to town for a 7:30 p.m. start.