INDIANA, PA – The fifth-ranked Crimson Hawks nearly completed a 15-point second half comeback, but could not close it out in the remaining minute as Mercyhurst defeated IUP 65-62 for its first loss of the season on Wednesday night in the Kovalchick Complex.
 
Trailing 59-44 with 4:36 left in the game, the Crimson Hawks mounted their comeback, starting with free throws by Shawn Dyer (Marion, Ohio/Marion Harding) and Jeremy Jeffers (Wilson, N.C./Greenfield School) to cut the deficit to 12 with just under four minutes to play.
 
After a Mercyhurst foul shot, Devante Chance (Philadelphia, Pa. /Electrical & Technology Charter) drilled a three-pointer and then helped force a turnover, which led to a bucket by Devon Cottrell (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Gateway) to make it a 60-52 game with 2:41 left. Two more free throws by the Lakers pushed their lead back to double-figures, but back-to-back threes by Brandon Norfleet (Virginia Beach, Va. /Landstown) and Chance all of a sudden made it a 62-58 game with 1:41 on the clock.
 
Another three-pointer by Chance with 33.1 one the clock cut Mercyhurst's lead to 63-61, the closest the Crimson Hawks had been since the 12:48 mark of the second half. Chance would get fouled attempting a three from the corner with two seconds left and IUP down by four, but made just one of his first two before intentionally missing the third. That rebound would fall into the hands of the Lakers, as they held on for the win.
 
The loss for the first for the Crimson Hawks this season, as they fall to 7-1 overall and 1-1 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Mercyhurst improves to 4-3 and 2-1.
 
Chance ended the game with a team-high 15 points, drilling 4-of-7 from three-point range, to go along with six assists and three steals in the full 40 minutes. Dyer added 11 points for the Crimson Hawks.
 
IUP fell victim to a hot-shooting Mercyhurst team, as the Lakers went 21-of-41 from the field for a percentage of 51.2. The Crimson Hawks shot 41.5 percent, finishing 22-of-53. The Lakers also went 7-of-11 from three-point range and 16-of-20 from the foul line.
 
The Crimson Hawks outrebounded Mercyhurst 29-to-22, including 15 on the offensive end.
 
It was a back-and-forth game in the first half with four ties and six lead changes. The Lakers held a three-point lead at 16-13 at the midway point before a 9-0 run by IUP put the Crimson Hawks up by six as they eventually took a slim 33-31 lead into the break.
 
The Lakers started the second half on an 8-2 run and later went on a 12-0 run over a long 6:35 span to take a 56-43 lead with 6:13 to play. They would take their 59-44 lead on a three-pointer with 4:36 to play.
 
This is the first of two straight tests for the Crimson Hawks, who will hit the road to play the other team in Erie, PSAC West-leading Gannon (3-4, 3-0) on Saturday. Tipoff for that game is set for 7:30 p.m.