Box Score
Millersville, Pa. - One year ago, Mercyhurst clipped the Millersville men's basketball team in overtime, and on Sunday in Pucillo Gymnasium, it was another heartbreaker for the Marauders. A late steal and free throws by Heiden Ratner lifted the Lakers past the Marauders 73-72 in overtime.
It was a bad case of deja vu for Millersville (5-8), which has now dropped seven in a row. On Jan. 11, 2009 in Erie, Pa., Millersville held a two-point lead with 39 seconds left but saw it wiped away in overtime, 70-66.
This time around, the Marauders led 72-71 with 28 seconds left in overtime after
Jason Blake hit 1-of-2 from the line. On Mercyhurst's (10-3) next possession, Jordan Armstrong was fouled and sent to the line with 11 ticks on the clock. The Mercyhurst forward missed both, and the Marauders collected the rebound.
Victory appeared to be in hand as the Marauders possessed the ball with time running out. But the quick hands of Ratner snatched it away, and he was fouled in the process.
Ratner calmly stepped the line and drilled both free throws to give the Lakers a 73-72 edge with seven seconds remaining. Millersville's last chance came from the right hand of
Nigel Davis, but his 15-foot jumper rimmed out as the buzzer sounded.
Ratner led the Lakers with 19 points and three steals, and he was perfect from the line, hitting all eight of his attempts. Millersville was paced by Blake's 21 points and three steals. Davis added 12 points, and
Palmer McDurfee scored 15 including three crucial 3-pointers late.
The two clubs traded leads 17 times and the score stood tied 15 times. Mercyhurst's largest lead was nine points, and that was achieved at 15-6 with 10:10 left in the first half. The Marauders battled back and took a 25-24 lead into the half. Millersville built its largest lead to 45-42 at the 9:06 mark of the second period, but it took the Lakers just 1:36 to turn the three-point deficit into an eight-point lead.
Ratner eerily foreshadowed the game's finish as in an eight-second span, he recorded two steals and two lay-ups deep in Millersville's backcourt to spark the Mercyhurst rally. Christian Cornelius' lay-up at the 7:30 mark put Millersville down eight.
The Marauders trailed 63-58 after a pair of Ratner free throws with 1:27 remaining. On Millersville's next offensive set, they missed three shots but grabbed three offensive rebounds, and Blake managed a tip-in for two on the fourth try. The Marauders forced a miss and with 31 seconds left in regulation, McDurfee drilled a 3-pointer to even the score at 63 and send the game into overtime.
During the five minute overtime session, neither team led by more than two points.
The Marauders shot 22-of-55 from the field, but struggled at the line, converting 22-of-39 shots. Mercyhurst hit 25-of-59 from the field and 21-of-30 from the charity stripe. Mercyhurst's bench also contributed 41 points.
Millersville, now 1-1 in overtime games this season enters PSAC Eastern Division play Wednesday at home against West Chester. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m.
