MERCYHURST (2-1, 0-0 NEC) at CANISIUS (1-2, 0-0 MAAC)
Tuesday, November 12 – 7:00 p.m.
Koessler Athletic Center (2,196) – Buffalo, N.Y.
TV: ESPN+
The Mercyhurst men's basketball team heads up I-90 for a midweek matchup against Canisius University on Tuesday night. Tipoff from the Koessler Athletic Center in Buffalo is set for 7:00 p.m. as the Lakers look to make it three straight wins before returning home to host Morgan State on Saturday.
Lakers Rolling Into Buffalo
Mercyhurst (2-1) is off to a strong start in its second season at the Division I level. After dropping the opener at Northwestern (70–47), the Lakers earned a signature 73–65 road win over Loyola Chicago before cruising past Penn State New Kensington 93–43 in their home opener.
Graduate guard Bernie Blunt III poured in 27 points against Loyola to lead the upset, while Mykolas Ivanauskas (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Cameron Johnson (14 points, 10 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles in the home win.
Through three contests, Mercyhurst is averaging 71.0 points per game and allowing 59.3, ranking among the NEC's top defensive teams early in the season.
Series Snapshot
Tuesday's game marks just the second all-time meeting between the Lakers and Golden Griffins. Mercyhurst claimed the inaugural matchup last season in Erie, defeating Canisius 62–52 for its second-ever Division I victory.
Who to Watch for the Lakers
Bernie Blunt III has paced the offense early, averaging 17.7 points per game while shooting better than 45 percent from the floor. The veteran guard was named an NEC Prime Performer after his breakout night at Loyola.
Mykolas Ivanauskas has been a force inside, averaging 10.0 points and 9.0 rebounds, while Jake Lemelman (8.7 ppg) has emerged as a reliable perimeter scorer.
Deshaun Jackson Jr. continues to lead the backcourt with 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, giving the Lakers steady playmaking and energy.
Gary Manchel's group has shown early defensive consistency, holding Penn State New Kensington to just 43 points in their most recent outing — the fewest allowed by the Lakers since joining Division I.
Scouting the Golden Griffins
Canisius (1-2) is led by head coach Jim Christian in his second season. The Golden Griffins opened their campaign with an 88–48 setback at Dayton, then downed Allegheny College 84–43 before falling to St. Bonaventure 89–70.
Junior forward Bryan Ndjonga leads Canisius at 14.3 points per game, with Kahlil Singleton (11.7 ppg) and Mike Evbagharu (8.0 ppg) adding balanced scoring.
The Griffins finished 3–28 overall last year, with all three victories coming in MAAC play, but an influx of transfers has added depth and experience to the roster.
By the Numbers
|
Category
|
Mercyhurst
|
Canisius
|
|
Points Per Game
|
71.0
|
67.3
|
|
Opponent Points Per Game
|
59.3
|
73.3
|
|
FG%
|
45.2
|
44.9
|
|
3FG%
|
29.9
|
35.3
|
|
FT%
|
67.3
|
63.6
|
|
Turnover Margin
|
+3.3
|
-4.0
|
|
Rebound Margin
|
+1.3
|
-2.7
|
What's Next
Mercyhurst returns to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center on Saturday, November 15, for a home matchup against Morgan State. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. in Erie.
