Mercer University
Furman
Men's Basketball Rallies for 74-68 Win at Furman
2/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mercer men's basketball seniors T.J. Hallice and Darious Moten combined for 36 points and 16 rebounds to lead a come-from-behind 74-68 victory at Furman on Saturday.
Hallice finished with a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double while Moten tied for the team scoring lead with 19 points. Juniors Ike Nwamu and Jibri Bryan netted 19 and 16 points, respectively.
Mercer won its second-straight Southern Conference road game and improved to 14-11 (9-3 SoCon). The Paladins lost their third-straight and fell to 7-16 (4-8 SoCon).
Furman owned a 36-31 lead at intermission, but Mercer exploded for a 10-2 run out of the break to erase the deficit by the 16:16 juncture. Moten and Hallice were the catalysts of the charge, scoring eight of the 10 points to earn Mercer's first tie in over 14 minutes.
After a cutting Bryan layup knotted the game at 41, Nwamu squared up for a wing 3 with 15:19 to go that gave the Bears a lead they wouldn't relinquish. The game stayed tight until the 5:44 mark, when Nwamu drilled a 3 that capped a 7-2 run and gave the Bears a 62-55 advantage.
The lead stretched to nine inside the final media timeout, but the Paladins continued to fight and pulled within four on a Stephen Croone free throw with 35 seconds left. Croone misfired on the second of two attempts, and Moten grabbed the rebound and threw it ahead to Hallice for a game-sealing dunk.
Hallice's double-double was the first of his career and also featured four assists and two rebounds. Moten's 19 points were earned on 7-of-13 shooting to go along with six rebounds and three assists.
Nwamu was 4-of-8 from downtown and and 5-of-6 at the free throw stripe. Bryan scored all 10 of his points in the second half and also totaled four rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Mercer forced Furman into 12 turnovers and converted those miscues into 17 points. On the other hand, the Bears collected a season-high 20 assists with only six turnovers.
In the first half, Paladin fans were ignited when a block led to a fast-break 3, sparking an overall 9-2 run that put Furman up 19-13. The lead grew to 11 before the Bears outscored the Paladins 13-5 down the stretch to take a five-point deficit to the dressing room.
Mercer returns home to face Western Carolina on Feb. 12. Game time at Hawkins Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.
