Mercer University
Tennessee
Men's Basketball Sees Comeback Thwarted in 64-54 Loss at Tennessee
12/22/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Junior Ike Nwamu netted a career-high 30 points, and Mercer whittled a 14-point second half deficit to four before succumbing to Tennessee, 64-54 at Thompson-Boling Arena Monday night.
Mercer dropped to 6-6 on the year while Tennessee remained unbeaten at home and improved to 6-4.
Nwamu's hit 9-of-18 field goals, including six 3-pointers en route to his career-high scoring total. The Greensboro, N.C. native also added three rebounds and an assist in 37 minutes of work.
Nwamu hit his two first shots of the night and Mercer led 5-2 before Tennessee's Devon Baulkman cashed in on a triple to tie the game. The Bears continued to pressure the Vols defensively, forcing six turnovers in the first 11 minutes while mounting a 13-8 advantage.
The Vols scored the game's next seven points to regain the lead, and ultimately finished the half on a 19-2 run to take a 27-15 advantage into the dressing room. The turning point came as the Bears were assessed a bench technical following a Tennessee made basket with 1:19 on the clock. The infraction resulted in a six-point swing, and Mercer went from being within four to behind 12 in the final two minutes of the period.
The tables turned in the second half when Tennessee's bench was assessed a technical foul, opening the gates to a 13-5 surge that brought the visitors within four with 9:04 to play. Nwamu fueled the charge, scoring eight of his points during the stretch.
A media timeout halted the rally, and Tennessee responded out of the break with six points in 40 seconds. The blitz pushed the margin back to double-digits, and the Bears would get no closer than nine the rest of the way.
Seniors T.J. Hallice and Darious Moten each added seven points and combined for 12 rebounds. Junior Jibri Bryan tallied six points, three rebounds, three steals and two assists while his classmate Phillip Leonard notched five assists, five rebounds, two points and a steal.
Mercer's 15-point first half was a season-low, as the team struggled through 4-of-22 shooting from the floor. Nwamu hit all four of Mercer's shots in the period, scoring all but two of the team's first half points.
The Bears resume a season-high six-game road swing at Georgia on Dec. 27. Game time is slated for 6 p.m.
