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2025–26 Mercyhurst Lakers men's basketball team

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The 2025–26 Mercyhurst Lakers men's basketball team represented Mercyhurst University during the 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lakers, led by 24th-year head coach Gary Manchel, played their home games on Owen McCormick Court in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center in Erie, Pennsylvania as second-year members of the Northeast Conference.

ConferenceNortheast Conference
Record17–17 (10–8 NEC)
Headcoach
Assistant coaches
  • Joe Causgrove
  • Derek Spanellis
  • Chance Wright
  • Kyle Milligan
Quick facts Mercyhurst Lakers men's basketball, Conference ...
2025–26 Mercyhurst Lakers men's basketball
ConferenceNortheast Conference
Record17–17 (10–8 NEC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Joe Causgrove
  • Derek Spanellis
  • Chance Wright
  • Kyle Milligan
Home arenaOwen McCormick Court
Seasons
← 2024–25
2026–27 →
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More information Conf., Overall ...
2025–26 NEC men's basketball standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
LIU †15–3 .83324–11  .686
Central Connecticut12–6 .66718–12  .600
Mercyhurst *10–8 .55617–17  .500
Le Moyne *10–8 .55615–17  .469
New Haven **9–9 .50014–17  .452
Stonehill8–10 .44412–21  .364
Fairleigh Dickinson8–10 .44411–21  .344
Wagner8–10 .44414–17  .452
Chicago State5–13 .2787–25  .219
Saint Francis5–13 .2787–24  .226
† 2026 NEC tournament winner
* ineligible for the 2026 NCAA tournament due to transition from Division II
** ineligible for both the 2026 NEC tournament and the 2026 NCAA tournament due to transition from Division II
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Previous season

The Lakers finished the 2024–25 season 15–16, 9–7 in NEC play, in third place.[1] Due to their transition from Division II to Division I, the Lakers were ineligible to participate in the NEC tournament.[2]

Preseason

On October 27, 2025, the NEC released their preseason coaches poll. Mercyhurst was picked to finish fourth in the conference.[3]

Preseason rankings

More information Place, Team ...
NEC Preseason Poll
Place Team
1LIU*
2Central Connecticut
3Stonehill
4Mercyhurst
5Fairleigh Dickinson
6Chicago State
7Saint Francis
8Wagner
9Le Moyne
10New Haven
(*) Unanimous selection
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Source:[3]

Preseason All-NEC Team

More information Player, Position ...
Preseason All-NEC Team
Player Position Class
Bernie Blunt III Guard Graduate Student
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Source:[4]

Roster

More information Players, Coaches ...
2025–26 Mercyhurst Lakers men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
G 1 Sean Lang 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)205 lb (93 kg) GSLinganore High School New Market, Maryland
G 2 Brady Conner 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)200 lb (91 kg) FrArchbishop Alter High School Bellbrook, Ohio
F 3 Cameron Johnson 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)200 lb (91 kg) JrLake Erie Shepherdstown, West Virginia
G 4 Bernie Blunt III 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)180 lb (82 kg) GSEdinboro Morgantown, Pennsylvania
F 5 Mykolas Ivanauskas 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)215 lb (98 kg) SoSunrise Christian Academy Chicago, Illinois
G 7 Deshaun Jackson Jr. 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)175 lb (79 kg) SoNewport High School Covington, Kentucky
G 10 Christian Gamble 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)195 lb (88 kg) SrSidwell Friends School Silver Spring, Maryland
G 11 Jake Lemelman 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)165 lb (75 kg) SoMacDuffie School Newton, Massachusetts
F 12 Qadir Martin 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)215 lb (98 kg) SoSt. Peter's Boys High School Staten Island, New York
F 13 Chris Leman 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)220 lb (100 kg) FrWorcester Academy New Orleans, Louisiana
G 15 Kaden Fuhrmann 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)195 lb (88 kg) GSTaylor Liberty Township, Ohio
G 21 Emilis Butkus 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)220 lb (100 kg) SrRollins Klaipėda, Lithuania
G 23 Or Faran 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)203 lb (92 kg) FrShimon Ben Zvi Givatayim Givatayim, Israel
G 33 Vladimir Pavlovic 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)200 lb (91 kg) JrCalifornia Herceg Novi, Montenegro
F 34 James Thomas 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)230 lb (104 kg) SrChatham Sharpsville, Pennsylvania
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: November 16, 2025

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Schedule and results

More information Date time, TV, Rank# ...
Date
time, TV		 Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 3, 2025*
8:00 pm, B1G+		 at Northwestern L 47–70  0–1
 Welsh–Ryan Arena (4,607)
Evanston, IL
November 6, 2025*
9:00 pm, ESPN+		 at Loyola Chicago W 73–65  1–1
 Joseph J. Gentile Arena (2,016)
Chicago, IL
November 8, 2025*
3:00 pm, NECFR		 Penn State New Kensington W 93–43  2–1
 Owen McCormick Court (118)
Erie, PA
November 12, 2025*
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 at Canisius L 55–58  2–2
 Koessler Athletic Center (815)
Buffalo, NY
November 15, 2025*
4:00 pm, NECFR		 Morgan State W 86–72  3–2
 Owen McCormick Court (372)
Erie, PA
November 20, 2025*
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 at Miami (OH)
Marshall MTE		 L 71–76  3–3
 Millett Hall (1,633)
Oxford, OH
November 23, 2025*
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 at Marshall
Marshall MTE		 L 60–69  3–4
 Cam Henderson Center (3,433)
Huntington, WV
November 30, 2025*
3:00 pm, ESPN+		 at West Virginia L 38–70  3–5
 Hope Coliseum (10,319)
Morgantown, WV
December 5, 2025*
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 at Lafayette L 71–79  3–6
 Kirby Sports Center (1,144)
Easton, PA
December 7, 2025*
2:00 pm, NECFR		 Bethany (WV) W 80–51  4–6
 Owen McCormick Court (321)
Erie, PA
December 13, 2025*
2:00 pm, ESPN+		 at Davidson L 47–80  4–7
 John M. Belk Arena (2,130)
Davidson, NC
December 17, 2025*
7:00 pm, ACCNX		 at Syracuse L 62−76  4−8
 JMA Wireless Dome (12,258)
Syracuse, NY
December 20, 2025*
2:00 pm, NECFR		 Binghamton W 82−61  5−8
 Owen McCormick Court (182)
Erie, PA
NEC regular season
January 2, 2026
7:30 pm, NECFR		 Fairleigh Dickinson L 67–74  5–9
(0–1)		 Owen McCormick Court (257)
Erie, PA
January 4, 2026
2:00 pm, NECFR		 Le Moyne W 74–60  6–9
(1–1)		 Owen McCormick Court (150)
Erie, PA
January 8, 2026
7:00 pm, NECFR		 at LIU L 58–60  6–10
(1–2)		 Steinberg Wellness Center (324)
Brooklyn, NY
January 10, 2026
1:00 pm, NECFR		 at Wagner W 70–69  7–10
(2–2)		 Spiro Sports Center (948)
Staten Island, NY
January 17, 2026
2:00 pm, NECFR		 Stonehill L 57–62  7–11
(2–3)		 Owen McCormick Court (956)
Erie, PA
January 19, 2026
2:00 pm, NECFR		 Central Connecticut W 79–61  8–11
(3–3)		 Owen McCormick Court (567)
Erie, PA
January 23, 2026
11:30 am, NECFR		 at New Haven W 61–57  9–11
(4–3)		 Hazell Center (487)
West Haven, CT
January 25, 2026
2:00 pm, NECFR		 Chicago State W 61–59  10–11
(5–3)		 Owen McCormick Court (356)
Erie, PA
January 29, 2026
7:00 pm, NECFR		 New Haven W 70–51  11–11
(6–3)		 Owen McCormick Court (900)
Erie, PA
January 31, 2026
2:00 pm, NECFR		 at Chicago State L 74–78  11–12
(6–4)		 Jones Convocation Center (141)
Chicago, IL
February 5, 2026
7:00 pm, NECFR		 Saint Francis W 98–89  12–12
(7–4)		 Owen McCormick Court (932)
Erie, PA
February 7, 2026
3:30 pm, NECFR		 at Fairleigh Dickinson L 52–55  12–13
(7–5)		 Bogota Savings Bank Center (789)
Hackensack, NJ
February 12, 2026
7:00 pm, NECFR		 at Le Moyne L 57–58  12–14
(7–6)		 Ted Grant Court (578)
DeWitt, NY
February 14, 2026
2:00 pm, NECFR		 at Saint Francis W 97–79  13–14
(8–6)		 DeGol Arena (910)
Loretto, PA
February 19, 2026
7:00 pm, NECFR		 Wagner L 80–83 OT 13–15
(8–7)		 Owen McCormick Court (671)
Erie, PA
February 21, 2026
2:00 pm, NECFR		 LIU W 91–83  14–15
(9–7)		 Owen McCormick Court (956)
Erie, PA
February 26, 2026
7:00 pm, NECFR		 at Central Connecticut L 78–80  14–16
(9–8)		 William H. Detrick Gymnasium (914)
New Britain, CT
February 28, 2026
2:00 pm, NECFR		 at Stonehill W 75–72 OT 15–16
(10–8)		 Merkert Gymnasium (415)
Easton, MA
NEC tournament
March 4, 2026
7:00 pm, NECFR		 (3) (6) Fairleigh Dickinson
Quarterfinals		 W 70–61  16–16
 Owen McCormick Court (1,027)
Erie, PA
March 7, 2026
12:00 pm, NECFR		 (3) (5) Stonehill
Semifinals		 W 56–51  17–16
 Owen McCormick Court (567)
Erie, PA
March 10, 2026
7:00 pm, ESPN2		 (3) at (1) LIU
Championship		 L 70–79  17–17
 Steinberg Wellness Center (1,562)
Brooklyn, NY
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern.
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Sources:[5][6]

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