MERCYHURST (11–11, 6–3 NEC) vs CHICAGO STATE (2-19, 0–8 NEC)
Saturday, January 31– 2:00 p.m. EST
Mercyhurst Athletic Center, Erie, Pa.
TV: NECFrontRow
Stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=610999

Mercyhurst will travel to Chicago State after a three game home stint for their second meeting of the season. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. EST. at the Jones Convocation Center. The Lakers will meet the Cougars after most recently coming off home win as they faced New Haven and surpassed the Chargers 70-51. The Lakers met Chicago State once already this season at home winning the matchup 61-59. Live coverage will be available on NECFrontRow.

Last Time Out
Mercyhurst most recently met NEC foe New Haven where they won 70-51.

Mykolas Ivanauskas led the Lakers in points and rebounds tallying 14 points and grabbing nine rebounds.

Deshaun Jackson Jr. also stood tall defensively grabbing eight rebounds, providing two assists and scoring six points.

Qadir Martin scored 12 points for the Lakers and grabbed four rebounds.

Jake Lemelman and Bernie Blunt III each grabbed 10 points, with Blunt III tallying six assists in the contest.

Laker Leaders 
Blunt III is fourth in the NEC in points per game averaging 16.0. He is tenth in FG% shooting 42.3%, second in free throw% shooting 84.6%, and is seventh in 3-PT field goals per game averaging 2.0 per game.

Lemelman is eighth in the NEC in FG% shooting 43.0% and seventh in assists averaging 3.0 per game. Lemelman is also 11th in steals averaging 1.3 per game. Qadir Martin is first in the NEC in blocks averaging 2.5 per game and is eighth in rebounds averaging 6.2 per game.

Ivanauskas is tenth in the NEC in rebounds averaging 5.8 per game. Jackson Jr. has also gotten his name on the NEC leaderboard sitting at tenth in assists averaging 2.8 per game.

The Matchup: Chicago State 

The Chargers are coached by Landon Bussie who is in his first season with the Cougars. He is 66-83 overall and 2-19 with Chicago State. The Lakers havemet the Cougars three times in program history. They met last week, January 25, where they won 61-59. Coach Gary Manchel has met the Chargers three times in program history and is 2-1 overall. Chicago State is 2-18 overall and 0-8 in conference play as they still search for their first win in NEC play.

The Cougars are led in points by Doyel Cockrill III who averages 13.3 points per game, Marcus Tankersley who averages 12.9 points per game, and CJ Ray who averages 12.3 points per game. Ray shoots 41.1% from the field and averages a team high 4.0 rebounds per game.

Cockrill III shoots 43.0% from the field, 43.0% from three, and 83.3% from the free throw line. Tankersley shoots 43.9% from the field, Cockrill III is eleventh in points per game in the NEC.

Braelon Bush is eighth in the NEC in assists, averaging 3.0 per game, while Tankersley is sixth in field goal percentage.