Halftime Report
After a tough loss on the road their last time out, Mercyhurst looks much better today on their home court. They have jumped out to a quick 38-31 lead against Lafayette.
If Mercyhurst keeps playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 6-5 in no time. On the other hand, Lafayette will have to make due with a 4-6 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who’s Playing
Lafayette Leopards @ Mercyhurst Lakers
Current Records: Lafayette 4-5, Mercyhurst 5-5
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 2 p.m. ET
- Where: Mercyhurst Athletic Center — Erie, Pennsylvania
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $107.00
What to Know
Lafayette has enjoyed a four-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Mercyhurst Lakers at 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at Mercyhurst Athletic Center. Things are looking good forBDOCBSGame who are projected to snag an easy win in their upcoming match.
Lafayette fought the good fight in their overtime contest against Binghamton on Sunday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They were just a bucket shy of victory and fell 82-81 to the Bearcats. That makes it the first time this season the Leopards have let down their home crowd.
Despite their defeat, Lafayette saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Ryan Pettit, who posted 14 points plus five rebounds and three steals, was perhaps the best of all. Pettit had some trouble finding his footing against LIU last Friday, so this was a step in the right direction. Another player making a difference was Alex Chaikin, who posted 16 points.
Meanwhile, the oddsmakers predicted a rough game for Mercyhurst on Sunday and boy were they right. They were dealt a punishing 87-59 loss at the hands of San Fran.
Like Lafayette, Mercyhurst lost despite seeing results from several players. Jeff Planutis led the charge by going 8 for 10 en route to 19 points. Planutis’ performance made up for a slower matchup against California last Wednesday. The team also got some help courtesy of Bernie Blunt III, who scored 14 points plus four steals.
Mercyhurst struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only three offensive rebounds. That’s the fewest offensive rebounds they’ve managed all season.
Lafayette’s defeat ended a four-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 4-5. As for Mercyhurst, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost three of their last four matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-5 record this season.
Odds
Lafayette is a 4.5-point favorite against Mercyhurst, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Leopards as a 5-point favorite.
The over/under is 131.5 points.
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