- Matchup: Chicago State Cougars vs Mercyhurst Lakers
- Date: Sunday, January 25, 2026
- Venue: Mercyhurst Athletic Center, Erie, PA
- Broadcast: ESPN+
This page may include affiliate links at no extra cost to you, thanks for your support.
The Chicago State Cougars (2-17) are set to clash with the Mercyhurst Lakers (8-11) at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center this Sunday.
In their last outing, the Chicago State Cougars faced off against New Haven, only to fall short with a 62-56 loss. Chicago State recorded a field goal percentage of 43.4% (23 of 53) and managed to hit 4 out of 14 three-pointers. From the free throw line, they converted 6 of 8 attempts, achieving a 75.0% success rate. The Cougars secured a total of 19 rebounds, including 5 offensive boards, and made 13 assists in this match while forcing 16 turnovers and making 8 steals. Defensively, Chicago State allowed New Haven to shoot 41.7%, hitting 20 of 48 attempts. New Haven contributed with 14 assists and 5 steals, and secured 28 rebounds (8 offensive, 20 defensive), finishing the game without any blocks. New Haven was flawless from the free throw line, converting all 14 attempts, and netted 8 out of 27 from three-point range. The Cougars committed 17 fouls compared to New Haven’s 12.
CJ Ray stood out in this match, scoring 17 points on 8 of 18 shooting. He logged 39 minutes on the court and grabbed 4 rebounds, boasting a shooting percentage of 44.4% and providing 2 assists.
Chicago State enters this matchup with a season record of 2-17. They average 11.9 turnovers per game and commit 20.2 personal fouls nightly. On the boards, Chicago State pulls down an average of 31.4 rebounds and has tallied 198 assists this season, ranking them 359th nationally in assists. The Cougars shoot 30.8% from beyond the arc (100 of 325) and 75.7% from the charity stripe. They are averaging 65.6 points per game, sitting at 352nd in college basketball, while their field goal percentage stands at 39.6%.
Defensively, the Cougars are forcing 13.5 turnovers per game while committing 15.5 personal fouls. Currently, they rank 360th nationally for assists allowed, surrendering 365 to opponents this season. Chicago State’s defense permits a field goal percentage of 47.5% (509 of 1,072) and allows 37.8 rebounds per game. They give up 35.0% on three-point attempts and rank 327th in NCAA Division I for points allowed per game (80.5).
In their previous game, the Mercyhurst Lakers secured a 79-61 victory over Central Connecticut. They gathered 24 defensive rebounds and 8 offensive boards, totaling 32 rebounds in the match. The Lakers committed 8 turnovers while achieving 6 steals during the game. Central Connecticut recorded 11 personal fouls, resulting in 4 free throw attempts for the Lakers, all of which were successfully converted for a perfect free throw percentage. Mercyhurst excelled from three-point range, sinking 9 of 17 attempts (52.9%). They concluded the game shooting 33 for 60 from the field, resulting in a shooting percentage of 55.0%. The Lakers allowed Central Connecticut to score on 22 of their 60 attempts, allowing a shooting percentage of 36.7%. Mercyhurst limited Central Connecticut to 22.7% from beyond the arc by allowing 5 of 22 three-pointers and finishing the game 12 of 15 from the free throw line (80.0%). They permitted Central Connecticut a total of 25 rebounds (10 offensive).
Bernie Blunt III was instrumental for the Lakers, shooting 7 of 13 (53.8%) and providing 5 rebounds. He netted 20 points during his 31 minutes on the court, though he did not register any assists.
Mercyhurst holds an 8-11 record this season. Offensively, the Lakers are shooting 45.0% from the field, ranking them 209th nationally. They have accumulated a total of 1,271 points thus far (averaging 66.9 points per game) and collect 32.0 rebounds per game. Their assist average is 14.7 per game (150th in college) with a turnover rate of 10.3 per game. Mercyhurst commits an average of 18.1 personal fouls per game and converts 66.5% of free throw attempts.
Defensively, the Lakers are ranked 25th in the nation for points allowed per game (66.1). They force 13.5 turnovers per game while allowing opponents to shoot 43.0% from the floor (147th in college). The Mercyhurst defense yields a 33.5% success rate on three-pointers (117 of 349) and opponents are converting 71.1% of their free throw attempts. They allow an average of 11.7 assists and 35.0 rebounds per game, ranking 61st and 215th respectively in those defensive metrics.
Who will emerge victorious in today’s NCAA contest against the spread?
Prediction: Bet on Chicago State
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up or make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission always at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping us keep this site running.
