Boxscore

ERIE, Pa. – Behind four players in double-figures, Mercyhurst College powered past California University (Pa.) 88-74 and clinched its first berth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament since joining the league last season. 

The Lakers (18-9, 8-6 PSAC West) earned the Western Division's No. 3 seed and will travel to No. 2 Clarion on Tuesday, March 2nd for a quarterfinal matchup. The winner of that contest advances to the PSAC Final Four on March 4-5, hosted by the highest remaining seed in the Eastern Division. 

Meanwhile, the Vulcans (18-11, 6-8 PSAC West) are eliminated from the postseason. 

On an afternoon where Mercyhurst honored eight senior players in a pre-game ceremony, Nnamdi Nnadili made the most of his last game at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center, scoring a shared game-high 19 points while adding seven assists, one shy of his career mark. 

Nnadili finished the game 8-of-13 from the floor, including 2-of-5 from long distance. 

Fellow senior Christian Cornelius added 15 markers on 4-of-10 shooting and added a 7-of-9 performance at the charity stripe. Another senior, Jeremiah Wise, posted 15 tallies on 5-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point land and finished a perfect 2-for-2 at the free-throw line. Junior Shelton Jackson rounded out the double-digit efforts with 14 points, hitting 2-of-3 3-point attempts while adding 6-for-7 from the free-throw line. 

California had three players in double-figures, led by Jerial Nixon with 19, Joe Berenato with 16 tallies and Kelsey Williams with 15 markers. 

Wise helped to break open the game early, scoring 10 of the Lakers first 20 points to build a comfortable 10-point lead just under seven minutes into the game. 

However, the Vulcans used a 16-7 run in the next six minutes to cut the Lakers lead to one-point, 27-26, with 7:37 remaining. Berenato scored eight of points during that stretch, nailing two 3-pointers while adding a layup. 

From there, the two squads battled back and forth with momentum swinging slowly towards the Vulcans near the end of half. 

The Lakers would stretch their lead back to six points thanks to a pair of free throws from Wise, a layup from Ryann Bradford and a clutch 3-pointer from Elliot Engelmann to give Mercyhurst a 34-28 advantage with 5:54 remaining in the opening stanza. 

However, the Lakers would not score again until 1:55 when Cornelius hit a layup to regain the lead after Cal's Chad Tipton hit a 3-pointer to give the Vulcans their first advantage of the game. 

Cal answered with a layup by Nixon after Berenato stole the ball but a pair of Cornelius free throws ended the half, giving the Lakers a slim 38-37 lead heading into the locker room. 

In the second half, the Lakers stretched their lead back to double-digits when Jackson hit a 3-pointer. It was also a Jackson 3-pointer in the Lakers first possession of the second stanza that helped open the Lakers scoring blitz. The 3-pointers bookended a 15-6 run for a 53-43 advantage. 

After a period in which the Vulcans tried to pressure the Lakers with traps and full-court presses, Mercyhurst responded with another hot streak as five different players scored in a 12-6 run for a 65-49 advantage at 11:27. 

From there, Mercyhurst slipped into a cold spell and did not make a shot until Nnadili's layup at 8:18 broke a 3-minute scoreless streak in which the Vulcans cut the lead to single-digits before Nnadili scored. 

However, the Lakers were able to regroup and finished out the game on a tear, hitting 11-of-14 from the charity stripe to stretch the lead to as many as 20 on five different occasions. 

Mercyhurst finished shooting a season-high 56.6 percent from the field, nailing 30-of-53 field goals and 8-of-16 from 3-point range. The Lakers also made their second-highest total from the free-throw line, draining 20-of-25. 

In comparison, the Vulcans hit 47.5 percent (29-of-61) and made it to the free-throw line just 11 times, making nine of those attempts. 

Notes:
The Lakers advance to the PSAC Tournament for the first time since joining the league in 2008-09. This is the fifth time that seventh-year head coach Gary Manchel has guided the Lakers to the postseason. 

The 88 points scored against California is the most against a PSAC West opponent this season and the fourth-highest total in 2009-10. 

The Lakers shot a season-best 56.6 percent from the field, knocking down 30-of-53 attempts. The Lakers also posted their second-best percent age at the charity stripe, hitting 80 percent (20-of-25).
Nnamdi Nnadili has led the team in scoring in each of the last three games.