ERIE, Pa. - The Mercyhurst men’s basketball team snapped a 39-39 tie with a game-ending 19-7 run while limiting Gannon to one field goal in the final 9:50 en route to a 58-46 victory Wednesday night at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
Wednesday’s rivalry game was typical for a Gannon-Mercyhurst contest played at the MAC. Neither program has scored more than 66 points during the last four meetings on Mercyhurst’s home floor. The winner failed to reach the 60-point plateau in two of those four battles.
So, it was no surprise when Wednesday’s affair turned into another slugfest. The game featured seven ties and five lead changes, but it was the Mercyhurst defense that excelled in the final 10 minutes.
Alfonso Scandrett’s (Greensboro, N.C./Northwest Guilford) lay-up with 9:51 remaining forged the game’s seventh tie at 39. Heiden Ratner broke the deadlock on Mercyhurst’s next possession, hitting a three-pointer and igniting the final run. The Lakers extended their lead to 51-44, before the Golden Knights managed their next field goal. The defensive performance lasted 6:23 between Gannon baskets.
However, the Peach Street kids were able to stay close with solid defense of their own and five free throws. Gannon held Mercyhurst to 3-of-8 shooting during that same stretch, but the Lakers hit four free throws and two three-pointers.
Jeremiah Wise’s lay-up at the 4:19 mark pushed the Mercyhurst lead to 51-43. Gannon followed with a Scandrett free throw and
George Johnson (Arlington, Va./Wakefield) lay-up, cutting the deficit to 51-46 with 3:28 to play.
Mercyhurst then kicked up its defense again and held Gannon without a field goal in the final 3:27. The Lakers tallied the final seven points while limiting the Golden Knights to 0-of-6 shooting in the final minutes.
Mercyhurst seemed to gain the upper hand midway through the first half, before Gannon rallied. The Lakers used a 13-1 run to assume an 18-10 lead. Elliot Engelmann’s three-pointer started the blitz which saw four different Lakers score. As was the case in the second half, Gannon struggled to score during the run. The Golden Knights went 6:27 without a field goal until Johnson made a lay-up with 9:41 left in the half.
The lay-up was part of seven consecutive points by Johnson. The senior guard’s three-pointer at the 7:56 mark brought Gannon within 18-17. His jumper 1:31 later put the Golden Knights back in front, 21-20. In all, Johnson scored nine points during a 13-2 run.
Head coach John T. Reilly’s club led 24-22, before Mercyhurst headed to the intermission with momentum after a 7-1 run in the final 2:41. Ratner’s three-pointer with 21 seconds left on the clock brought the home crowd to its feet and sent the Lakers into the break with a 29-25 advantage.
Johnson led all scorers with 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Scandrett recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 11 rebounds off the bench.
Gannon shot 38.6 percent (17-44) from the field, 6.3 percent (1-16) from three-point range and 57.9 percent (11-19) from the free throw line. The Golden Knights turned the ball over 20 times and were out-scored 14-6 in points scored off turnovers.
Ratner headlined the Mercyhurst attack with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Christian Cornelius chipped in 14 points off the bench, going 10-of-12 from the free throw line.
Mercyhurst shot 32.1 percent (17-53) from the floor, 22.7 percent (5-22) from behind the arc and 70.4 percent (19-27) from the charity stripe.
Gannon dropped to 9-10 overall and 4-3 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division. Mercyhurst improved to 14-6 overall and 4-3 in conference play. The two teams are tied for third place in the division, two games behind Clarion and two games ahead of three teams for the final playoff spots. The Golden Knights conclude a three-game road swing Saturday, February 6 at California (Pa.). Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.
For a complete box score from Wednesday’s Gannon-Mercyhurst men’s basketball game, please
click here.