12/10/24
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – Lackawanna College men's basketball has lost its last four games and will try to right the ship against the Vikings from Mercer County CC on the road Tuesday, December 10^th, in Region XIX Division II men's basketball action.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00pm ET inside the Mercer gymnasium in the Physical Education building on campus in West Windsor Township, NJ. The game is the second of two for the evening, with the women's teams starting at 5:00pm ET. Both games will have a video livestream available via the Mercer County CC livestream on Vimeo, linked HERE.  
 
About Lackawanna College
The Falcons (6-7, 1-3) have dropped four straight games, including three in a row in Region XIX DII play. Their last game was a 95-65 setback on the road at Middlesex College this past weekend. The #22 Colts took a 15-point lead at halftime, but the Falcons managed to close the gap with an 11-4 run to make it 51-43 nearing the midway point of the second half. Lackawanna also had it within ten at just under ten minutes to play at 66-56, but Middlesex pulled away for a comfortable win, as the Falcons struggled from the field. You can read the recap HERE.
 
The Falcons are averaging 75.7 points per contest, while giving up 70.5. Lackawanna is shooting 38.9% from the field and just 23.8% from downtown. Meanwhile, the Lackawanna opponents are hitting 44.4% and 33%, respectively. Lackawanna has a + 3.8 rebounding margin, with 43.3 boards per game this year. The Falcons have a 0.8 assist/turnover ratio, with 168 assists vs. 202 turnovers. Lackawanna has forced 219 turnovers so far this season, a 16.8 turnovers per game average, and is averaging eleven steals per contest.
 
First-year guard Evan Laybourn-Boddie (Wilkes-Barre, PA) is averaging 15.9 points per game this season, 19th in Region XIX and ninth in Division II. He's shooting 35.6% from the floor and 73.7% from the free throw line. Laybourn-Boddie leads the team with 31 three-point makes, 44 assists and 34 steals this season. Laybourn-Boddie has scored double-digits ten times this season, putting up a season-high 28 points in the win against SUNY Onondaga on November 10^th, making eleven shots, four of which were three-pointers, while putting up five steals, four assists, and four rebounds. He had a season-high six rebounds three times this season, coming against SUNY Ulster on November 12^th, Jamestown on November 17^th, and against Essex County College on November 19^th. Laybourn-Boddie had a season-high six assists to go with his 26 points, six rebounds, and three steals in the overtime win against Jamestown. Laybourn-Boddie was held to just eight points on 3-for-13 shooting in the loss to Middlesex on Saturday, grabbing three boards.
 
Sophomore guard Shawnn Smith (Philadelphia, PA) is second on the team, averaging 15.4 points per game this season, which is tenth in Region XIX DII. Smith is shooting 44.9% from the floor and is 22-for-23 from the free throw line. He averages six rebounds per game and has 24 assists, second on the team. He has scored 20 points or more in three games this season and has scored double-figures in nine of ten games he's played. Smith had 23 points and seven rebounds, while playing all 40 minutes, in a loss to Montgomery County CC on November 6^th. He set a season-high with nine rebounds in the loss to PSU Scranton on November 4^th. Smith matched that season-high with nine rebounds against Essex, while also scoring 18 points and dishing out a pair of assists in the win for Lackawanna. Smith matched his season-best with nine rebounds and 15 points, along with a season-high five assists in the loss at Delaware Tech. Smith has not played the last two games for Lackawanna College.
 
Sophomore guard Nick Marabito (Upper Darby, PA) is averaging 13 points per game through his eight appearances this season. Marabito is shooting 31.1% from the floor, and has made 15 threes, second on the team. Marabito is a 73.5% free throw shooter and averages 2.9 rebounds per game this year. Marabito has scored in double-figures seven times this year, with his season-high coming against Essex, where he had 20 points on a season-high seven makes and three made three-pointers. Marabito scored struggled from the field in the loss to Middlesex, shooting 3-for-19, but made seven free throws and finished with 14 points. He also set season-highs in rebounds (6) and assists (4).
 
First-year stretch forward Noah McIntosh (Philadelphia, PA) is fourth on the team with 8.8 points per contest this year. McIntosh is shooting 40.7% from the floor and averages 3.5 rebounds per contest this season. He also has nine assists, eleven steals, and eight blocks. Noah has scored double-figures in five games this season, putting up a season-high 20 points against Jefferson CC on November 9^th, hitting nine shots and pulling down seven rebounds. McIntosh hadn't scored more than five points in his last six games heading into the Middlesex game, but broke out against the Colts for 16 points and four rebounds in the loss.
 
First-year forward Tyrick Moy (Williamsport, PA) is averaging 7.5 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game this season, leading the Falcons in rebounding. Moy also has 13 assists and is shooting 53.2% from the floor. Moy has scored double-figures three times this season, putting up a season-high 17 points and eight rebounds in the win against Jamestown. Moy scored all eight points in overtime for the Falcons. Moy's season-high in rebounding came against Ulster, where he pulled down 12 boards and scored nine points on November 12^th. Moy scored eight points and had seven rebounds in the loss to Middlesex on Saturday.
 
Sophomore guard Jasier Carter (North Brunswick, NJ) is averaging seven points per game this season, shooting 52.4% from the floor. Carter averages 4.8 rebounds per game and has 15 assists and nine steals this season. Carter scored a season-high 20 points against Raritan, along with a season-best eight rebounds against the Lions. He scored double-figures twice this season, putting up 14 points against SUNY Ulster on November 12^th. Against Middlesex, he had nine points on 4-for-6 shooting.
 
First-year forward Elijah Smith (Washington, D.C.) is averaging 4.9 points per game this season, and pulling down five rebounds per contest, fourth on the team. Smith has made nine appearances, shooting 40.9% from the floor. He has scored double-figures twice this season, setting his season-best with 12 points in the loss to Del Tech, where he also had five rebounds in 19 minutes. He set his season-high with 14 boards and nine points in the loss to Harcum on November 21^st. He also had eleven points and four rebounds in the loss to SUNY Niagara back on November 16^th. Smith did not play against Middlesex on Saturday.
 
First-year forward Jaden McMeekin (Pittsburgh, PA) is averaging 3.8 points per game this season. McMeekin is shooting 29.4% from the floor, making eleven three-pointers so far this season. McMeekin averages 3.3 rebounds per contest, with 25 assists and 14 steals this season. McMeekin scored his season-high seven points in the loss to Niagara on November 16^th, grabbing four boards. On November 17^th against Jamestown, he set a season-high in rebounds (5) and had four assists, while scoring six points in the overtime win. McMeekin was scoreless in the loss to Middlesex on Saturday, but had four rebounds and set a season-high with five assists. He has 13 assists in his last three games.
 
Head coach Kirk Fallon is in his second season as the head coach, and his fifth overall with Lackawanna College men's basketball. Fallon came to the Falcons after a successful two seasons coaching girls basketball at Susquehanna Community HS. Fallon led the Lady Sabers to back-to-back PIAA District 2 championships and a 40-17 record in his two years. Before that, he was also a college basketball assistant at Keystone College for four seasons, where he was involved a lot of the logistics for the program. Kirk has a Bachelor's degree from Marywood, where he played three seasons for the Pacers. He's a northeast PA native, graduating from Susquehanna as a 1,000-point scorer. Fallon is 14-25 in his career at Lackawanna as head coach.
 
About Mercer County CC
The Vikings (4-5, 2-2) had won a pair of games, including a buzzer-beating win against Middlesex back on November 26^th, in Region XIX DII play before dropping a home game to Essex this past Saturday by a 90-76 score. The visitors shot a scorching 63% from the floor and Mercer, despite hitting ten three-pointers, couldn't keep pace. Mercer had 19 turnovers, while Essex had just six, and the Wolverines outrebounded Mercer by 42-37 and went 12-for-16 from the free throw line, while Mercer was just 6-for-13.
 
Mercer has had no trouble scoring, averaging 91.2 points per game this season and shooting a blistering 52.5% for the year, which includes hitting nearly 40% from downtown. But the Vikings have also surrendered a lot on defense, with opponents scoring 93 points per game and shooting 49.5% from the field. Mercer has topped 90 points five times this year, but their opponents have gone for 90+ in five games, including their last four. Mercer is 2-3 in those five games. Mercer has a -1.7 rebounding margin this season, averaging 33.3 boards per game. The Vikings average nearly 20 turnovers per contest, while taking the ball away just over 14 times per game. They average just over eight steals per game, and their opponents are blocking an average of five shots per contest this year.
 
Sophomore Jayson Love leads the Vikings at 19.3 points per game this season, fifth in all of Region XIX and second in Division II. Love is shooting 54.4% from the floor and 42.6% from downtown. He's averaging 4.9 rebounds per game, second on the team, while dishing out just over two assists per game and putting up 1.4 steals per game. Love has scored double-figures in all nine games this season, going over 20 points on four separate occasions this year. His season-best came against Middlesex in the win at the buzzer, scoring 28 points on 9-for-18 shooting and knocking down all seven of his free throws. He also had 26 points in the 109-103 win at Delaware Tech on December 3^rd, where he matched his season-high with five assists in the win. Against Cecil on November 14^th and Raritan Valley on November 21^st, he set his season-high with nine rebounds. In the loss to Essex, he had ten points and five rebounds.
 
First-year player Joell Idrovo is second on the team at 16.7 points per game this season, sixth in Region XIX DII. Idrovo is shooting at 62.7% from the floor and is a 48.9% shooter from three-point range, while also making 74.2% from the free throw line this year. He averages 3.3 rebounds per game, 1.7 assists per game, and just over a steal per game for the Vikings. He has hit double-figures in scoring in his last eight games, including a season-best 24 points off the bench on 9-for-11 shooting in the win at Middlesex, along with his season-best five assists. He also had 22 points on 8-for-10 shooting in the win against Delaware Tech. Idrovo had 19 points and a season-high nine rebounds in the win against Gloucester on November 9^th. Idrovo had 13 points and three rebounds in the loss against Essex.
 
First-year player Torren Greene is averaging 11.6 points per game, third on the team, and shooting 51.9% from the floor. Greene averages 2.8 rebounds per game and just over two assists per game this year. He's hit double-figures in eight of nine games, setting a season-best with 15 points on the road at Cecil on November 14^th. He also posted a season-high seven rebounds in the victory. Against Delaware Tech, Greene had eleven points and a season-best seven assists in the win. He had eight points, three rebounds, and two assists in the loss to Essex this past weekend.
 
Sophomore Nasir Collins is averaging eleven points per game this season, shooting 52.3% from the floor and hitting 40% from downtown. Collins leads the Vikings in rebounding (9.6 per game), assists (4.4 apg), and steals (2.4 spg). He has seven games in double-figures points this year, posting a season-best 13 points in two games. The first came against Cecil, where he had 13 points and eleven rebounds. The other game came against Essex this weekend, where he scored 13 and posted a season-best 13 rebounds in the loss. Collins has four double-doubles this season. He fell two assists shy of a triple-double in the win against Middlesex, posting ten points, ten rebounds, and a season-high eight assists in the win. Against Essex, he also set his season-high with six steals. He has six or more assists in his last three games.
 
The head coach for Mercer County CC is Howard Levy, now in his 17^th year at Mercer and 16^th overall season of competition. Levy has seen highs and lows in his time with the Vikings, helping the Vikings through some lean seasons and guiding them to some big successes, including a 23-4 season in the 2014-2015 campaign. Levy is a Princeton University graduate, where he starred for the legendary Pete Carril in 1983 and 1984. After graduating in 1985 from Princeton, Levy won a gold medal as a member of the US team at the 1985 Maccabiah Games in Israel, then played for the Albany Patroons in the Continental Basketball Association under soon-to-be legendary NBA coach Phil Jackson. Levy started coaching in 1986 at Trenton State College, then spent three years at George Washington University while pursuing a law degree. He eventually spent time as a volunteer assistant with the Tigers at Princeton for eleven seasons, until taking over the Vikings in 2008. Levy has a 189-241 record in his time at Mercer.
 
The Match-Ups
Mercer beat the Falcons twice last year, including ending Lackawanna's season in New Jersey by an 81-73 margin. The lone bright spot for the Falcons came when Aamir Mack scored his 1,000^th point, becoming just the 12^th Falcon, ever, to cross the 1,000-point barrier. Tuesday's contest is important to both teams in Region XIX DII play. The Falcons need to start accumulating wins to climb back into the top five teams, while Mercer is hoping to separate themselves from Morris (2-2) and Essex (2-2) in spots 3-through-5.
 
Tip-off for Tuesday night's game is scheduled for 7:00pm ET inside the Mercer gymnasium in the Physical Education building on campus in West Windsor Township, NJ. The game is the second of two for the evening, with the women's teams starting at 5:00pm ET. Both games will have a video livestream available via the Mercer County CC livestream on Vimeo, linked HERE.  
 
Lackawanna comes back home for one more time in 2024 on Thursday, December 12^th, when the Falcons will host Region XIX DIII opponent Sussex County CC. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00pm ET inside the historic Lackawanna College Student Union gymnasium in Scranton.