Box Score
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CLARION, Pa. – In an old-fashion defensive struggle, Mercyhurst outscored Clarion by eight in the second half to hand the Golden Eagles a 52-43 defeat on Senior Day at Clarion University's Tippin Gym Sunday afternoon.
 
Clarion (5-18 overall, 3-12 PSAC West) trailed by one, 21-20, at halftime and led by one, 26-25, in the early moments of the second half before a 9-1 Mercyhurst run gave the Lakers (15-10, 11-4) the lead for good, 34-27.
 
The Golden Eagles got the game back within four points on three separate occasions in the final 9:34 of the half, the last being at 46-42 on an Anthony Baker layup with 2:09 to play.
 
But Mercyhurst answered with a layup from Andy Hoying with 1:50 to play and then hit 4 of 5 free throws in the final 43 seconds while Clarion's Aaron Johnson missed four of five in the final 1:25 including going 1 of 3 after being fouled taking a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left and the Golden Eagles down eight, 50-42.
 
Baker, one of three seniors along with Mike Kromka and Corey Bellovich honored before the game, led Clarion with 12 points while adding three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Johnson added 10 points off the bench, while Kromka had six points and seven rebounds and BJ Andrews six points.
 
Jean Onana led Mercyhurst with a game-high 22 points to go with seven rebounds. Callon Dailey chipped in with 11 points and six points.
 
Clarion started the game strong defensively holding Mercyhurst without a point for the first 5:07 of the game, and the Golden Eagles held a 13-4 lead with 10:51 to go in the first half thanks to five points from Kromka and 3-pointers from Bellovich, who finished with those three tallies, Baker and Marques Jones.
 
But after Kromka's jumper gave Clarion the 9-point lead, the Golden Eagles made one basket, a layup by Andrews, in the next 10 minutes allowing Mercyhurst to grab the lead, 19-15, on an Onana jumper with 1:49 left in the half.
 
Clarion ended the half strong with a layup by Johnson and a 3-pointer by Andrews to close within one at the break and then scored six of the first 10 points of the second half thanks to a pair of Baker 3-pointers to take its final lead of the contest at 26-25.
 
But Mercyhurst answered with the 9-1 run that started with five points from Dailey to take the lead back for good.
 
Clarion closes out its home season at 7 p.m. Monday when it hosts Central Penn in a makeup game from a game postponed because of snow Nov. 26 before closing out the season with a trip to Edinboro Wednesday.