Box Score Erie, Pa.- Mercyhurst finally got back to action on Friday night when they kicked off their first ever NEC slate with a huge comeback win over Stonehill. The 76-69 win saw Mercyhurst come back from an 11-point deficit in the second half to secure their first NEC win.
 
How it Happened:
Mercyhurst started off hot as Senior Aidan Reichert, Graduate Student Jeff Planutis and Senior Bernie Blunt III all sank shots to give them a 7-0 lead. But from there, Stonehill went on a 13-2 run. The struggles on the offensive end continued for Mercyhurst as in just under ten minutes the Lakers were only able to sink three field goals after their 7-0 start. At the seven minute mark, Todd Brogna helped Stonehill extend their lead to 24-14. But quick points from Planutis, Blunt and Reichert helped to draw the game back to within six points just minutes later. With just one second remaining in the half, James Thomas got a layup to put the deficit at eight to end the first period.
 
As the second half opened, Stonehill aimed to widen their lead, but the trio of Planutis, Blunt and Reichert wouldn't let that happen. The trio accounted for the first 20 points scored by the Lakers in the second period of play. A Planutis layup at the 9:57 mark made the score 57-52 as Mercyhurst continued to chip away. A little over three minutes later, Blunt blew past the Stonehill defense for a layup that gave Mercyhurst their first lead since early in the first half. The Lakers allowed just nine more points in the contest as they were able to complete the comeback to snag a 76-69 win.
 
Highlights:
Planutis, Blunt and Reichert all showed up big time for Mercyhurst on Friday. Planutis dropped 23 points and grabbed three rebounds as he continued to show why he's one of the best players in the NEC this season. Reichert scored 22 points and grabbed eight boards in the win. In his return from injury, Blunt scored 15 as the trio helped Mercyhurst pick up a big conference win. The win serves as the Lakers first since December 10^th.
 
Next Game:
Mercyhurst will be back in action on Sunday when they welcome Central Connecticut to town for their last home game until January 24^th. The action will kick off at 1:00 p.m. and can all be caught on the NEC Front Row.