Preview: Mercyhurst Lakers at Wagner Seahawks

NEW YORK (Interstat) — Two teams looking to halt recent slides will meet Saturday when the Mercyhurst Lakers visit the Wagner Seahawks in a Northeast Conference men’s basketball matchup at Spiro Sports Center.

Both squads enter with identical 6-10 overall records, though Wagner holds a 6-8 mark in all competitions. Each is coming off a narrow home loss on Thursday. Mercyhurst (6-10) fell 60-58 at Long Island, while Wagner (6-8) dropped a 71-69 decision to Saint Francis (PA).

The Lakers will lean on guard Jake Lemelman, who is coming off a strong 19-point, 4-assist performance in the loss to LIU. Over his last six games, Lemelman has averaged 13.2 points, including a 23-point outing in a road loss at Syracuse. His backcourt play will be critical for a Mercyhurst team seeking its first road win since Dec. 20.

Wagner counters with forward Binael Basil, who posted 10 points in the Seahawks’ last outing. Basil has shown versatility, recording 19 points against Maryland-Eastern Shore and a 9-rebound, 2-block performance against Manor last month. His activity inside will be a key factor against the Lakers.

The Seahawks have shown a capacity for high-scoring games, topping 100 points in an overtime win at Manhattan and 95 in another overtime victory against Bloomfield College. Consistency, however, has been elusive, as evidenced by recent home losses to Stonehill and Saint Francis.

Mercyhurst’s season has been marked by offensive struggles, including scoring 38 points in a loss at West Virginia and 47 at Davidson. The Lakers have lost three of their last four, with the lone win a 74-60 victory over Le Moyne.

This contest opens a crucial stretch of conference play for both teams. Following this game, Wagner embarks on a three-game road trip, while Mercyhurst returns home to host Stonehill on Jan. 17.

Tip-off is set for Saturday afternoon at Wagner’s Spiro Sports Center.