Erie, Pa.- The Lakers will finally return home for their second home stand of the new year. Mercyhurst will host Wagner and LIU, who they played on the road in the last week. The Lakers took down Wagner 69-65 before they fell to LIU 72-63 in overtime. They'll be looking to get back to .500 in conference play before they head back out on the road.
 
Back in Erie:
The Lakers have experienced success at home this season as they hold a 5-2 record while defending their home court. The Lakers are going to be counting on their big playmakers to continue their productivity. Senior Aidan Reichert is fresh off of another NEC Prime Performer nod after he scored a combined 37 points over two games. Graduate Student Jeff Planutis has also continued his impressive year. Planutis has scored 10 or more points in all but three games this season. The duo has averaged 12.5 and 14.2 points per game, respectfully.
 
Scouting Wagner:
Mercyhurst took on the Seahawks last week for the first ever time and walked away with the win. But this time, they'll welcome them to Erie for the first ever time. The first matchup featured an eight-point comeback in which Reichert scored 22 points. Wagner bounced back with a 70-68 win over Saint Francis on Monday. The Lakers will look to shut down Zaire Williams who scored 15 points and Ja'Kair Sanchez, who is coming off a 24-point performance.
 
Scouting LIU:
In their most recent outing, the Lakers fell to LIU in an overtime thriller. LIU is currently undefeated in conference play, but they were tested by Mercyhurst. The Sharks had two players score 20 points as Malachi Davis and Jamal Fuller scored 23 points and 20 points, respectfully. The Lakers will look to slow them down and potentially be the first team to beat LIU in conference play.
 
Next Game:
The Lakers will welcome Wagner to town tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. as they try to sweep the season series. The action can all be caught on the NEC Front Row.