MERCYHURST (0-0, 0-0 NEC) at MARQUETTE (0-0, 0-0 Big East)
Monday, November 2 – 7:30 p.m. EST (6:30 p.m. CT)
Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
TV: ESPN+
The Matchup
Mercyhurst opens the 2026-27 season on the road against Marquette. Tip-off from Fiserv Forum is set for 7:30 p.m. EST, and it is the regular-season opener for both teams. The Lakers and Golden Eagles are meeting for the first time. Mercyhurst then stays on the road at Notre Dame on Thursday, Nov. 5, before returning to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center to host PSU Shenango on Saturday, Nov. 7. Live coverage will be available on ESPN+.
The Opponent
Marquette opens its 2026-27 season under sixth-year head coach Shaka Smart, who is 110-61 at Marquette and 382-203 overall. The Golden Eagles are coming off a 12-20 season (7-13 Big East) and have added transfers for the first time in years, including 6-11 Sananda Fru (Louisville) and Nolan Minessale (St. Thomas).
Marquette returns three key contributors. Nigel James Jr. averaged 16.4 points and 4.9 assists per game last season. Royce Parham added 12.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, and Adrien Stevens averaged 7.9 points while shooting 37.5% from three.
The Golden Eagles' non-conference schedule includes Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin, Mississippi State and an appearance in the Battle 4 Atlantis against Virginia and Texas A&M. Marquette played exhibitions at Green Bay on Oct. 19 and against Michigan State on Oct. 25.
Last Time Out
Mercyhurst closed 2025-26 with a 79-70 loss to LIU in the NEC Championship game, finishing 17-17 (10-8 NEC). The Lakers reached the title game in their first NEC-eligible season. They clinched the No. 3 seed with a 75-72 overtime win at Stonehill in the regular-season finale, then beat FDU 70-61 in the quarterfinals and Stonehill 56-51 in the semifinals.
Mercyhurst enters 2026-27 picked second in the NEC Preseason Poll, receiving two first-place votes. Jake Lemelman and Tennessee Rainwater were both named to the Preseason All-NEC Team.
Fresh Faces
Only five players return from last year's team, which means 25.7% of last season's scoring and 22.2% of its minutes. The Lakers rebuilt through the transfer portal with a mix of experience and youth.
Graduate forward Deraje Agbaosi comes from Cal State LA, where he earned Second Team All-Conference honors by averaging 13.4 points and 7.0 rebounds. He has been the standout of the preseason, and his career high is 23 points at Fresno Pacific on Nov. 24, 2025.
Geoff Sprouse, a graduate guard, arrives from American after averaging 9.2 points and shooting 39.0% from three. His career high is 28 points at Lafayette last season.
Marcus Jackson (UAlbany, Siena), Daemar Kelly (Northern Illinois, Saint Francis, Quinnipiac) and Johnathon Pierce (Sacred Heart, Pensacola State) add experience. Freshmen Hunter Te Ratana (Auckland, New Zealand), Markus Maxwell-Grimes and Shane Kirker round out the group.
Rainwater, a Preseason All-NEC pick who arrives from Le Moyne after a stop at Utah Tech, is out until at least mid-December with an injury.
Laker Leaders
Junior guard Jake Lemelman leads the returners. He averaged 13.9 points and a team-high 108 assists (3.2 per game) last season while shooting 42.9% from the field, 39.6% from three and 86.4% from the line. His career high is 27 points against Wagner on Feb. 19, 2026.
Cameron Johnson, Brady Conner, Chris Leman and Or Faran also return, and Johnson's growth is expected to be key.
By the Numbers
Last season the Lakers ranked first in the NEC in assists per game (14.6) and turnover margin (+3.2), and second in scoring defense (67.4 points per game). Marquette averaged 75.2 points per game in 2025-26.
A Look at the Series
This is the first meeting between Mercyhurst and Marquette. Gary Manchel, the eighth head coach in program history, enters his 24th season as the Lakers' head man with a career record of 535-378, including 405-252 at Mercyhurst.
