ERIE, Pa. — The Mercyhurst men's basketball team fell to Stonehill 62-57 in a close overtime NEC matchup at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center on Saturday. Mercyhurst [7-11, 2-3 NEC] led by eight at halftime, but Stonehill [6-12, 3-2 NEC] surged ahead with a 37-point second half. Despite the Lakers' nine steals and 32 points in the paint, Stonehill capitalized on free throws, converting 13 of 24 attempts to secure the win.

Mercyhurst opened the first half with strong defensive plays, forcing 12 turnovers and snagging eight steals. Jake Lemelman facilitated early scoring with an assist and a layup, contributing to a 7-2 advantage. Cameron Johnson added to the lead with a 3-pointer at 13:29, maintaining a slight edge over Stonehill.

In the latter half, the Lakers capitalized on Stonehill's turnovers, highlighted by Qadir Martin's fast-break dunk at 2:07. Mercyhurst's effective inside scoring allowed them to extend their lead. The half concluded with the Lakers leading 26-18.

Mercyhurst opened the second half with a successful jumper from Christian Gamble, maintaining a lead early on. Stonehill responded with a series of layups, briefly tying the game before Mercyhurst regained control. Lemelman and Martin contributed key baskets, pushing the score to 34-28 in Mercyhurst's favor.

Midway through the half, Stonehill narrowed the gap with a three-pointer, but the Lakers held strong with baskets from Bernie Blunt III and Gamble, extending the lead to 41-38. The teams exchanged scores, with Martin's layup helping Mercyhurst stay ahead 49-44.

As the half drew to a close, Stonehill managed to tie the game at 51-51, but Mercyhurst briefly regained the lead with a jumper from Lemelman. Despite efforts from both teams to pull ahead, the half ended with the score tied at 55-55, setting up a tense five minute overtime period.

Overtime began with the Skyhawks finding an early bucket, but Sean Lang shifted momentum with a steal that led to a layup, bringing the score to a 57-57 tie. However, Stonehill responded with a three-pointer by Hermann Koffi, reclaiming the lead. The Lakers struggled with shooting accuracy, converting only 1 of 10 field goal attempts despite strong efforts on the boards, securing five rebounds. As the half concluded, the visiting team extended their lead to 62-57.

Lemelman scored 13 points and collected seven rebounds. Martin led the team with 15 points and four blocks, adding eight rebounds to his performance. Lang contributed defensively with three steals and added four assists.

The Lakers hold a record of 7-11 overall and 2-3 in NEC play following the recent game. Stonehill is now 6-12 on the season and 3-2 in NEC competition. 

The Lakers will return home Monday as they face CCSU at 2:00pm.