EASTON, Pa. — Mercyhurst fell to Lafayette 79-71 on Friday night at Kirby Sports Center. The game was tightly contested through the first half, with both teams entering the break tied at 34. The Lakers' defense was highlighted by eight blocks and nine steals.

Lafayette opened with a 7-0 run before the Lakers responded with strong play inside. Mykolas Ivanauskas put the Lakers on the board with a layup at the 16-minute mark, beginning to chip away at the deficit.

Deshaun Jackson Jr. later converted a layup at the eight-minute mark to give the Lakers their first lead at 22-21. Jackson added a fastbreak finish at the four-minute mark, pushing the lead to 30-21 before Lafayette closed the half with a surge to tie it 34-34.

The Lakers regained momentum early in the second half, as Jake Lemelman knocked down a jumper one-minute into play, followed by a fastbreak layup from Bernie Blunt III to reclaim a brief advantage. Christian Gamble helped fuel the early run, but Lafayette countered and held a narrow lead for much of the half.

Ivanauskas contributed timely scoring with a layup and tip-in as the Lakers stayed within striking distance. Lemelman hit a crucial three-pointer at the three-minute mark to tie the game at 68, but Lafayette answered with a series of makes down the stretch, sealing the win behind late free throws.

Blunt III led Mercyhurst with 17 points and went 4-for-4 at the line. Ivanauskas added 14 points and two blocks. Jackson chipped in eight points, two steals and three assists. Lemelman finished with 12 points, eight assists and three steals.