NEW YORK (Interstat) — Malachi Davis made a floating jumper with 11 seconds remaining Thursday night to lift Long Island to a 60-58 men’s basketball victory over Mercyhurst at the Wellness, Recreation & Athletic Center. The Sharks led 39-26 at halftime but were outscored 32-21 after the break. The Lakers, led by Jake Lemelman’s 19 points, erased the deficit and tied the game at 58 on a Mykolaus Ivanauskas tip-in with 2:13 left. Davis then hit the decisive shot for Long Island. Davis finished with 18 points and six assists for the Sharks. Jomo Goings added 15 points. Mercyhurst’s Bernie Blunt contributed nine points. Long Island improved to 9-7, while Mercyhurst fell to 6-10.

NEW YORK (Interstat) — Malachi Davis sank a floating jumper in the lane with 11 seconds remaining to lift Long Island to a 60-58 victory over Mercyhurst in a Northeast Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at the Wellness, Recreation & Athletic Center. The Sharks, who led by as many as 18 points in the first half, survived a furious second-half comeback by the Lakers and a game-high 19 points from Mercyhurst guard Jake Lemelman to escape with the win before an announced crowd of 324. Long Island appeared in complete control after a dominant first half, taking a 39-26 lead into the break. The Sharks shot 48 percent from the floor before halftime and capitalized on nine Mercyhurst turnovers, converting them into 13 points. Jomo Goings led the early charge, scoring 15 of his 18 points in the opening period, including three 3-pointers. The second half was a stark reversal. Mercyhurst emerged from the locker room with a 15-2 run, fueled by eight points from Lemelman and stifling defense that held Long Island without a field goal for the first six and a half minutes. A 3-pointer by Bernie Blunt capped the surge and gave the Lakers their first lead at 41-39 with 16:58 to play. The game settled into a tense, back-and-forth affair from there, featuring six lead changes and five ties in the final 15 minutes. Neither team led by more than four points. Long Island relied on its work on the glass, securing 13 offensive rebounds that led to 13 second-chance points, a key factor in a game where both teams struggled offensively. With the score knotted at 58-58 following a tip-in by Mercyhurst’s Mykolaus Ivanauskas with 2:13 left, both teams endured a scoring drought filled with missed shots and turnovers. Long Island regained possession after a Mercyhurst shot clock violation with under a minute to play. Following a timeout, Davis, who finished with 18 points and six assists, isolated at the top of the key, drove left and released a soft jumper over a defender that dropped through the net for a 60-58 lead. Mercyhurst had a final chance to tie or win. After using its last timeout, the Lakers inbounded to Deshaun Jackson, whose driving layup attempt over Greg Gordon rolled off the rim as time expired. Gordon secured the defensive rebound to seal the win. The game was a defensive struggle, with both teams posting offensive ratings below 100. Mercyhurst shot 45.5 percent from the field but was hampered by a 4-for-13 performance from 3-point range and a 4-for-7 showing at the free throw line. Long Island countered by making 13 of 19 free throws and winning the battle in the paint, 36-32. Lemelman, a sophomore from Newton, Massachusetts, led all scorers for the Lakers. Davis, a junior from Toronto, paced the Sharks, while Goings, a junior from Washington, D.C., added 18 points. Greg Gordon of Chicago contributed 13 points and a key block late for Long Island. The loss dropped Mercyhurst to 6-10 overall. The Lakers will look to rebound quickly as they travel to face Wagner on Saturday. Long Island improved to 9-7 and will host Saint Francis (Pa.) on Saturday.

Preview: Mercyhurst Lakers at Long Island Sharks NEW YORK (Interstat) — The Long Island Sharks look to continue their momentum in Northeast Conference play when they host the Mercyhurst Lakers on Thursday afternoon at the Wellness, Recreation & Athletic Center. The Sharks (8-7) enter on a two-game winning streak following a 74-55 road victory at Chicago State on Sunday. Guard Jamal Fuller has been instrumental, averaging 20.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists over the last two contests. In the win over Chicago State, he posted 21 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Long Island has found success at home this season, including a decisive 70-60 win over La Salle last month. Greg Gordon (14 points, seven rebounds) and Jomo Goings (15 points, five rebounds, four assists) provided key support in the latest victory. Mercyhurst (6-9) snapped a two-game skid with a 74-60 home win over Le Moyne on Sunday. The Lakers are led by forward Qadir Martin, a defensive force who blocked five shots and added nine points and seven rebounds in that outing. Martin has recorded multiple blocks in four of his last five games, including a 20-point, three-block performance in a win over Binghamton on Dec. 20. However, the Lakers have struggled on the road, losing their last four away from home by an average of 19.5 points. Guard Bernie Blunt, who scored a team-high 18 points against Le Moyne, will need to provide consistent scoring support alongside Martin. This matchup is the first of a home-and-home series between the teams, who will meet again in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 21. Long Island holds a slight edge in the standings and will aim to defend its home court against a Mercyhurst team seeking its first road win since November. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST on Thursday, Jan. 8.