Tony Boykins
Joe Mattis
Senior Tony Boykins scored a career-high 12 points during Wednesday's Porreco Pride of Erie Game.
37
Gannon GAN-M 3-13, 2-11 PSAC
48
Winner Mercyhurst MER-M 13-4, 10-3 PSAC
Gannon GAN-M
3-13, 2-11 PSAC
37
Final
48
Mercyhurst MER-M
13-4, 10-3 PSAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Gannon GAN-M 26 11 37
Mercyhurst MER-M 24 24 48

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Slippery Rock University

1/23/2016 | 3:00 PM

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Jan. 23 (Sat) / 3:00 PM
 Slippery Rock University

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Men's Basketball Team's Defensive Effort Unable to Overcome Offense During Porreco Pride of Erie Game (Video/Photos)



THE RUNDOWN
  • Score: at Mercyhurst 48, Gannon 37
  • Records: Gannon (3-13, 2-11 PSAC), Mercyhurst (13-4, 10-3 PSAC)
  • Location: Erie, Pa. - Mercyhurst Athletic Center
  • The Short Story: The Gannon men's basketball team went 3-of-21 from the field in the second half and dropped the inaugural Porreco Pride of Erie Game against Mercyhurst Wednesday night 48-37 at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Mercyhurst opened the game with a dunk, but never led again during the first half after the slam.
  • Junior Kevin Kuteyi (Lanham, Md./Duval) answered with a tying jumper and three-pointer to push Gannon in front 5-2.
  • Minutes later, back-to-back jumpers from sophomore Isaiah Eisendorf (Los Angeles, Calif./Springbrook, Md.) gave the Golden Knights a 9-3 edge 5:22 into the contest.
  • Mercyhurst cut the deficit to 9-8, but Gannon responded with six consecutive points to assume its biggest lead of the evening. Junior Emmanuel Matey (Lanham, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt), Eisendorf and senior Jean Yves Toupane (Dakar, Senegal/Lee (Maine) Academy) scored in succession to create a 15-8 lead midway through the first half.
  • The difference remained at seven, before Mercyhurst ended the half with a 7-2 run over the final four minutes and 39 seconds.
  • Kayode Ajenifuja's jumper with 97 ticks left capped the first-half scoring and sent the Lakers into the break down by a 26-24 count.
  • Senior Tony Boykins' (Kalamazoo, Mich./Loy Norrix) lay-up 15 seconds into the second half increased Gannon's lead to 28-24.
  • However, Mercyhurst appeared to take control after that. A three-pointer by Ajenifuja 1:56 into the second stanza tied the game at 29.
  • The contest was later tied at 31 when Mercyhurst generated a 15-3 run over the span of seven minutes and 58 seconds. The Golden Knights went 1-of-8 from the field with three turnovers during the run.
  • Gannon managed to cut the deficit to single digits (46-37) with three free throws, but a show time dunk by Ajenifuja brought an end to the 48-37 Mercyhurst victory.

GAME NOTES
  • Wednesday's contest represented the inaugural Porreco Pride of Erie Game. With the victory, Mercyhurst will hold onto the trophy until defending it February 24 at the Hammermill Center.
  • Boykins was the only Gannon player in double digits, scoring a career-high 12 points while finishing 5-of-7 from the floor.
  • Gannon shot 31.9 percent (15-47) from the field, 11.8 percent (2-17) from three-point range and 62.5 percent (5-8) from the free throw line. 
  • Mercyhurst's Damon Jones led all scorers with 18 points, including four three-pointers. As a result, he received the inaugural Porreco Pride of Erie Game Changer Award.
  • Ajenifuja added 15 points and eight rebounds on 7-of-14 shooting.
  • Mercyhurst shot 38.3 percent (18-47) from the floor, 33.3 percent (6-18) from behind the arc and 54.5 percent (6-11) from the charity stripe.
  • The Lakers produced a 17-6 scoring edge in points off turnovers.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • Mercyhurst snapped a three-game losing streak in the all-time series, winning for the first time since a 58-54 verdict on December 7, 2013 at the Hammermill Center.
  • Gannon's brief two-game win streak at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center was snapped as the Lakers posted a home victory for the first time in the series since a 44-36 win on February 20, 2013.
  • Mercyhurst cut its deficit in the all-time series to 50-21.
  • The 85 combined points were the fewest in the series since that aforementioned 44-36 score.
  • Neither program has reached the 60-point plateau during the last seven meetings.
  • Gannon out-rebounded its fourth consecutive opponent.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon returns home Saturday, January 23 to host Slippery Rock at the Hammermill Center.
  • It will be Gannon's Athletics Hall of Fame Game as the 2016 inductees will be honored at halftime. The Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet is scheduled after the doubleheader in the Waldron Campus Center's Yehl Ballroom.
  • Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.
  • The contest can be heard live on Jet Radio 1400 and via the 90.5 WERG online stream at www.wergfm.com.
  • The Gannon-Slippery Rock women's teams will open the doubleheader with the annual Pink Zone Game at 1 p.m.
  • Admission to the entire doubleheader will be FREE of charge due to the Pink Zone/Athletics Hall of Fame festivities.
  • The Gannon men's team has won four consecutive home games against Slippery Rock, holding a 15-5 advantage in the all-time series at the Hammermill Center.
  • The Golden Knights hold a 23-13 edge in the overall series.
  • Gannon had won six consecutive games against Slippery Rock until the Rock eliminated the Golden Knights from the NCAA Tournament last year in the first round.
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Players Mentioned

Tony Boykins

#33 Tony Boykins

G
6' 3"
Senior
Communication Arts
Isaiah Eisendorf

#2 Isaiah Eisendorf

F
6' 6"
Sophomore
Psychology
Jean Yves Toupane

#24 Jean Yves Toupane

G/F
6' 7"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
Emmanuel Matey

#1 Emmanuel Matey

G
5' 10"
Junior
Accounting
Kevin Kuteyi

#5 Kevin Kuteyi

G
6' 1"
Junior
Sports Management

Players Mentioned

Tony Boykins

#33 Tony Boykins

6' 3"
Senior
Communication Arts
G
Isaiah Eisendorf

#2 Isaiah Eisendorf

6' 6"
Sophomore
Psychology
F
Jean Yves Toupane

#24 Jean Yves Toupane

6' 7"
Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
G/F
Emmanuel Matey

#1 Emmanuel Matey

5' 10"
Junior
Accounting
G
Kevin Kuteyi

#5 Kevin Kuteyi

6' 1"
Junior
Sports Management
G