Mercer University
USC Upstate
Bears Clinch Spot In Tourney, Down USC Upstate 61-47
2/4/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MACON, Ga. – A suffocating first-half defense set the tone in the Mercer men's basketball team's 61-47 win over USC Upstate at the University Center on Saturday evening.
The win pushes the Bears season-long winning streak to seven and in the process clinched a spot in the Atlantic Sun Tournament.
The Bears (18-7, 10-2 A-Sun) limited the Spartans (14-10, 7-4 A-Sun) to just 5-of-22 shooting (22.7%) in the first half and just 11 total points. It was the fewest points the Bears have allowed in a half all season.
"It was a tremendous effort, our guys paid attention to detail," head coach Bob Hoffman said. "We didn't close the game as well as we should have, but they (Upstate) are a good team."
After somewhat of a slow start, the Bears were able to tie the game up at six after the first media timeout. From there, the Bears settled down and put on a 26-7 run to end the half with a 32-11 lead. Langton Hall sparked the Bears in the first half going 3-of-6 with eight points from the field. Hall finished the night with a team-high 13 points.
Upstate utilized a full-court press throughout much of the game and picked up the defensive intensity in the second half. The Spartans mounted an early comeback in the second, cutting the Bears' lead to 10 after a Ricardo Glenn layup with 10:09 remaining.
Mercer sophomore Daniel Coursey, however seemed to shift the momentum back in the Bears' favor with a thunderous dunk on the very next play. After hitting his free throw attempt, the Bears' lead increased to 13.
Coursey finished the night with just five total points, but added four blocks to his season total. Coursey's 56 blocks this season now put him in sole possession of sixth place on Mercer's all-time single-season list.
The Bears led by as much as 16 in the second half, but Upstate hung around getting the score to within 10 with over two minutes to play. Several late rebounds and clutch free throw shooting from the Bears, clinched the Beas' seventh straight victory.
"It's just that time of year you just have to find a way to finish up," Hoffman said. "It was fun to see our guys compete and make plays, it was a tremendous effort."
Mercer finished the night 24-of-32 from the line with Jake Gollon scoring all 10 of his points from the charity stripe on 10-of-12 shooting. It was also Gollon's 19th game this season scoring in double figures.
"We have a nice team and they fit well together," Hoffman said. "We continue to believe in each other and they were ready when we needed them. So that was a big thing for us today."
Mercer now has a short turnaround before hosting an East Tennesse St. team that knocked off Kennesaw St. on Saturday, 64-59. The Bears and Buccaneers square off on Monday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m. from the University Center.
