Box Score
WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Ralph Hegamin led three players in double figures with 17 points as host West Chester held on late for a 75-71 victory over a determined Mercyhurst squad in a PSAC crossover men’s basketball game Saturday afternoon inside Hollinger Field House.
West Chester (10-2) rebounded from its first two losses of the season last week to halt the skid while Mercyhurst fell to 9-3 on the season.
Mercyhurst scored 10 of the final 16 points of the contest with 4:39 remaining to cut a 10-point lead down to four. The Lakers had crawled to within two (73-71) with 24 seconds remaining. However, Hegamin nailed two free throws with 16 ticks left to ice the game.
West Chester had led by as many as 19 points early in the second half. However, Mercyhurst went on an 18-7 run over a 7:20 span that cut the deficit to eight points and put the Lakers back into the game.
Heiden Ratner sparked that rally with 11 of his team-high 15 points. Jeremiah Wise, who had five points during the spurt, also finished with 15 points for Mercyhurst. Christian Cornelius posted 14 points for the Lakers.
Kehinde Roberts scored 13 points for West Chester and Kevon Davis had 11. Sandy Tanner scored eight points, grabbed five rebounds, registered four steals and dished out four assists.
West Chester shot 48 percent for the game (24-for-50), but more importantly made 24 of its 30 free throw attempts (80 percent). Hegamin was a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe.
West Chester is back in action on Sunday with a 3 p.m. contest against visiting Slippery Rock in the final crossover contest of the year before the Rams begin Eastern Division play next weekend.
