Mercer University
Campbell
Williams Nets 35 in 77-64 Loss to Campbell
2/5/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MACON, Ga. – Mercer freshman Briana Williams poured in 35 points on 13-of-26 shooting as the Bears fell to Campbell, 77-64, in Saturday afternoon's Atlantic Sun women's basketball game at the University Center.
Campbell improved to 10-12 (9-4 A-Sun) with the win while Mercer fell to 1-21 (1-12 A-Sun).
Williams scored 20 of her game-high 35 in the second half, including 17 in the final 11 minutes of play. Williams' 35-point output marked the third time the freshman has topped the 30-point plateau. Her other two 30+ point performances came in a win at Belmont (32) and a loss versus Jacksonville (41).
After Campbell took a six point lead into halftime, (34-28) each team played even through the opening 3:56 of the second half. At the 16:04 mark, freshman Brittnee Hazel established position in the low post, leading to a conventional three point play and trimming Campbell's lead to 36-33.
Later in the half, Mercer found itself behind 43-37 before Campbell ripped off a 12-2 run, capped by Lauren Yesh's layup with 11:06 to go. Yesh accounted for six of the Camels' 12 points during the charge.
Mercer trailed by at least 10 for the next 8:11 of game time, before Williams nailed a pull-up jumper that brought the Bears to within nine (68-59) with 2:27 to go.
A three-pointer by Williams cut Campbell's lead to seven with just 1:21 left in the game, but the Camels outscored Mercer 7-0 the rest of the way to secure the road win.
Sophomore Monique Spry led the Camels with 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Bench scoring was also a key factor, as Campbell's reserves outscored Mercer's 22-2.
Hazel chipped in 13 points for the Bears, her fifth-straight contest scoring in double figures.
Campbell took its first advantage of the contest when Amanda O'Neill collected an offensive board and scored the put-back for a 5-4 lead.
The visitors broke away from a 12-12 tie with consecutive three-pointers, taking an 18-12 advantage midway through the first half.
The majority of Campbell's offense in the first stanza came from beyond the arc, as the Camels launched 17 three pointers in the opening 20 minutes. Campbell's half-court offense keyed on the long ball partially in response to Mercer's defensive presence in the paint, as the Bears tallied four blocks in the opening nine minutes of the contest.
Mercer returns to action for a mid-week tilt on Thursday, February 10 against in-state rival Kennesaw State. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the University Center.
