Mercer University
5-1
Appalachian State
2-4
Leonard Drives Bears to Win Over Mountaineers, 71-70
11/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
NASHVILLE – The Mercer men's basketball team pulled out an impressive come from behind victory over Appalachian State on Friday evening by a final score of 71-70 in the second day of the Challenge in Music City in Nashville.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing by five points with under four minutes left on the clock, senior guard Phillip Leonard stepped up for Mercer and completely took over the game to deliver the Bears the victory. The senior scored five points over the next two minutes to tie the game at 67-67 with two minutes left. The Mountaineers retook the lead with their 13th three-pointer of the evening at the 0:41 mark to go up 70-67.
However Leonard refused to let the Bears lose, as he hit a layup with 15 seconds left to trim the lead down to one point. After two missed free throws by Appalachian State Leonard attacked the rim as he had done the entire evening and finished a layup with five seconds remaining in the game. After a timeout Appalachian State hoisted a desperation three that fell short to give the Bears the come from behind victory. Leonard scored the last nine points for Mercer down the stretch.
The Bears jumped out to a quick six point lead early against Appalachian State at 14-8 thanks in large part to sophomore guard Demetre Rivers' eight points. The Mountaineers battled back and built a nine-point advantage at 28-19 with over five minutes left in the half. The Orange and Black responded with 13 of the last 16 points of the first frame to take a one-point lead into the half at 32-31.
Rivers led the Bears in scoring after the first 20 minutes of action with eight points on 2-for-3 shooting, including 2-for-2 from distance. The guard tandem of Leonard and Jordan Strawberry each added seven points to bolster the Mercer offensive attack.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Leonard did it all for Mercer in the victory, leading the team in points, rebounds and assists. The senior scored a career-high 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting and went an impressive 7-for-8 at the free throw line. Leonard also grabbed six rebounds, dished out four assists and recorded a steal to round out his remarkable evening. Leonard is the first player to total 20+ points this season for Mercer.
MERCER STAT OF THE NIGHT
The free throw line played a major factor in the Orange and Black's victory on Friday evening. The Bears connected on 16-of-19 attempts for a percentage of .842. The Mountaineers struggled from the charity stripe, going 9-of-16 in the contest. To make matters worse for Appalachian State it missed four free throws in the final 30 seconds. Leonard led the way from the line, going 7-for-8 and Jestin Lewis and Rivers combined to go 7-for-7 to help the Bears to victory.
NOTABLES
- The win gives head coach Bob Hoffman 150 over his eight seasons at Mercer.
- With the win Mercer is now a perfect 4-0 against Appalachian State in the all-time series.
- Mercer shot 51 percent from the floor, going 25-for-49. This is the second time the Bears have shot above 50 percent in a game this season.
- The Bears outrebounded the Mountaineers 30-27, marking the fifth time this season Mercer has outrebounded an opponent.
- The Orange and Black owned an advantage down low, posting a 30-20 advantage in points in the paint.
- Demetre Rivers' 10 points match his career high.
- Rivers knocked down two three-pointers in the first half and has recorded a three-point make in all six games this season.
- Jordan Strawberry scored a season-high 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting.
- The Mercer bench impressed once again on Friday, outscoring Appalachian State 20-11 and has outscored its opponent in every game this season.
RECORD UPDATE
Mercer improves to 5-1 on the season with the road loss, while Appalachian State falls to 2-4 on the year.
UP NEXT
The Bears will take on Western Michigan in their third and final game in Nashville at the Challenge in Music City on Sunday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. EST.
STAY SOCIAL
For all the latest information and up-to-the-minute updates on Mercer men's basketball, please follow the team on Twitter at @MercerMBB.
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