Mercer Tries to Finish Challenge in Music City Unbeaten
11/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
NASHVILLE – Mercer is 2-0 in its first two games at the Challenge in Music City in Nashville. The Bears defeated Tulane in the opener by a final of 71-61 on Thursday and followed with a thrilling 71-70 victory over Appalachian State on Friday. The Orange and Black will take on Western Michigan (3-3) on Sunday in the final game of the tournament. With a win the Bears will become just the second game to finish the Challenge in Music City with a 3-0 record, joining Valparaiso (2014).
GAMEDAY LINEUP
Date: Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015 | 7:00 p.m.
Teams: Mercer (5-1) vs. Western Michigan (3-3)
Location: Nashville, Tenn. | Nashville Municipal Auditorium
Game Notes: Mercer
Television: American Sports Network, WMUB, Cox Channels 112 (HD)
Radio: 97.3 FM The Bull Icons | iHeartRadio
Radio Talent: Rick Cameron
Livestats: MercerBears.com
Twitter Updates: @MercerMBB
Instagram Photos: @Mercer_MBB
THE SERIES: The Bears and Broncos will meet for the first time in program history on Sunday, Nov. 29 in the third and final game of the Challenge in Music City in Nashville.
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN: The Broncos have gone 1-1 at the Challenge in Music City, dropping the opening game to Stephen F. Austin by a score of 79-71 before bouncing back with a 68-58 victory over Liberty. Western Michigan shoots 46.3 percent from the floor and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc. The Broncos outerbound have outrebounded it's opponent by an averabe of 37.3 to 31.2 rebounds per game.
Western Michigan features three players that average double figures in scoring. The Broncos are led by junior Tucker Haymond, who averages 18.2 points per game entering Sunday. Haymond has scored 17+ points in five of six games this season. The junior is joined by Thomas Wilder and Kellen McCormick on the offensive attack. Wilder averages 15.5 points per game and McCormick has posted an average of 10.0 points per game off the bench.
WESTERN MICHIGAN'S LAST TIME OUT: The Broncos built an eight-point lead over Liberty over the opening 20 minutes and went on to win by 10 points with a final score of 68-58. WMU finished 26-of-51 from the field for a shooting percentage of 51.0 percent.
Haymond led the team with 16 points, aided by an 8-of-9 day from the free throw line. Anthony Avery Jr., added 14 points and seven rebounds, while McCormick chipped in 12 points off the bench to guide the Broncos to victory.
MERCER'S LAST TIME OUT: Trailing for much of the second half, Mercer's Phillip Leonard led the Bears to an impressive rally at the end of the game to scrape past Appalachian State on Friday, Nov. 27 in the second day of the Challenge in Music City. Leonard drove the lane for a layup with 5.0 seconds remaining on the clock to deliver the Orange and Black a 71-70 win. The senior guard scored the Bears' final nine points in the game en route to a career-high 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
MERCER FACTS AND FIGURES
LEAGUE LAURELS: Stephon Jelks was named the SoCon Player of the Week (11/24) after averaging 14 points, 13.5 rebounds and two assists per game. During the week the sophomore notched career highs in points (18) and rebounds (16). The 16 rebounds are the most for a player in the SoCon this season and the most for a Bear since Daniel Emerson recorded 18 against North Florida in 2010.
BOARDING SCHOOL: The Orange and Black have been dominant on the glass this season, averaging a SoCon best 41.5 rebounds per game. The Bears have also done a good job of limiting opponents rebound opportunites, posting a rebounding margin of 11.5 the best mark in the league. Mercer has recorded 50+ rebounds twice this season, grabbing a season-high 51 rebounds in the season opener against Allen and then adding 50 boards at Davidson.
LOCK DOWN D: Mercer has been outstanding on the defensive end this season, limiting opponents to a Southern Conference best 64.5 points per game. The Bears have held opponents to a combined shooting percentage of .373 from the field and .321 from beyond the arc. Mercer's best performance came against Alabama State, as the Bears held the Hornets to just 49 points in the contest.
'PHIL'ING IT UP: Senior point guard Phillip Leonard has stuffed stat sheets through six games this season. The senior leads the Bears in points per game (14.3) assists per game (5.5) and is third on the squad for rebounds (5.0). Leonard scored a career-high 23 points in the Bears' come from behind win over Appalachian State.
DOUBLE DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Stephon Jelks posted the first three double-doubles of his career in Mercer's last three games against Alabama State, Davidson and Tulane. The sophomore scored 10 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds against Alabama State. The Marietta, Ga., native followed with a career-high 18 points and 11 rebounds at Davidson. For an encore Jelks posted 10 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Tulane.
SUPER SUBS: The Mercer bench has been a major asset thus far this season. The Bears' bench has outscored the opposition's substitutes by a total of 146-76 for an average of +11.7 points per game. Mercer's bench has scored at least 19 points in each game this year.
STAIR CLIMBING: Freshman guard Ethan Stair has made an impressive debut over his first four games at Mercer. Stair scored a career-high 12 points twice against Tulane and Alabama State and is now averaging 9.5 points per game off the bench. The freshman is also adding 3.8 rebounds per game.
RIVERS MAKES A SPLASH: Since inserted into the starting lineup, the sophomore guard has made a big impact on the offensive end for the Bears. Rivers leads the team in three-pointers made, going 9-for-18 on the season with a make in each game. Rivers has scored 10 points three games and is averaging 2.8 rebounds per game.
Up Next: Mercer returns home for a pair of games on Wednesday, Dec. 2 against Hiwassee at 7 p.m. and then turns around to host Alcorn State on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 4:30 p.m.
STAY SOCIAL
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