Friday, November 25
Savannah, Ga.
5:00 PM ET
Mercer University
4-1
70
vs
66
East Carolina
4-2
1
2
F
East Carolina
20
46
66
Mercer
31
39
70
Team Stats
ECU
MER
FG%
.404
.426
3FG%
.313
.379
FT%
.750
.875
RB
38
34
TO
11
8
STL
6
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
26
FGM
9
3FGM
4
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
Mercer Tops East Carolina, 70-66, in Dramatic Fashion
11/25/2016 7:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SAVANNAH, Ga. – Trailing for the first time all game with 47 seconds remaining, Ria'n Holland hit a three, Demetre Rivers registered a steal and Jordan Strawberry sank two crucial free throws as Mercer held on to defeat East Carolina, 70-66, in a semifinal game at the Savannah Invitational Friday evening.
Holland scored a career-high 26 points, including 14 of the final 16 points in the game for Mercer (4-1). East Carolina (4-2) was led by Kentrell Barkley's 20 points, 17 of which came in the second half.
The win sent Mercer to the championship game of the inaugural Savannah Invitational.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Ria'n Holland scored a career-high 26 points but it was his three-pointer from well beyond NBA range with 20 seconds left on the clock that put the Bears on top for the second and final time in the game. Over half of his points came at a critical juncture – he was responsible for 14 of Mercer's final 16 points in the game. Holland was 9-for-20 from the field including 4-for-10 from beyond the arc and hit 4-of-5 free throws while also bring down four rebounds, dishing out two assists and getting credited with one steal.
STAT OF THE GAME
East Carolina shot 40.4 percent from the field, the most any opponent has claimed early this season. Most of that number comes thanks to a hot second half for the Pirates as ECU shot 48.6 percent in the final 20 minutes of the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mercer was hot for most of the first half and took an 11-point lead into halftime. Stephon Jelks led the way with 10 points with two fouls to his tally.
But a very different game emerged after halftime. East Carolina came out refreshed and recharged and Jelks was called for two more fouls before the first media time out, sending him to the bench with four fouls with plenty of time left to play.
The Pirates, led by Barkley, slowly fought its way back into the game. A double-digit lead was cut to a tie for the third time with 1:48 to go. Andre Washington hit the first of two free throws with 47 seconds left to give the Pirates their first lead of the game.
Mercer had the ball with six-tenths of a second differential between the game clock and the shot clock. Well within NBA range, Holland drained a three with 20 seconds left push Mercer ahead, 68-66. On East Carolina's ensuing possession, Demetre Rivers stripped the ball from B.J. Tyson and sent the ball to Jordan Strawberry, who was fouled while streaking towards the basket.
Strawberry hit both free throws with six seconds left on the clock and Tyson would miss a desperation three with two seconds remaining, as Holland grabbed the rebound to clinch the win.
COACH HOFFMAN'S COMMENTS:
"[East Carolina] made unbelievable adjustments, they were going right at us, they have tremendous athletes and we were able to hang on. The energy we got gave us an opportunity to finish the game. It just says a lot about these guys and their willingness to do what they have to do to win the game."
"This was a big-time team effort and a big-time team win because of the energy and effort that we played with from the very beginning."
On Ria'n Holland:
"He is such a competitor. He is going to find ways. He puts a lot of stuff into that six-foot body. He was tired but he found ways to get to the basket. We made a couple of cuts and back cuts and our guys were trying to find him because they knew he wanted it. In the final play where we put it in his hands, we ran a double screen, which we had done earlier in the game. I thought East Carolina's bigs were switching and maybe got lost but he hit a deep three from the same spot he missed a little earlier. He has great confidence in his abilities and so do our players and so do our staff."
RECORDS UPDATE
For complete coverage of Mercer Basketball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerMBB (Twitter), /MercerBasketball (Facebook) and @Mercer_MBB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
NOTABLES
Holland scored a career-high 26 points, including 14 of the final 16 points in the game for Mercer (4-1). East Carolina (4-2) was led by Kentrell Barkley's 20 points, 17 of which came in the second half.
The win sent Mercer to the championship game of the inaugural Savannah Invitational.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Ria'n Holland scored a career-high 26 points but it was his three-pointer from well beyond NBA range with 20 seconds left on the clock that put the Bears on top for the second and final time in the game. Over half of his points came at a critical juncture – he was responsible for 14 of Mercer's final 16 points in the game. Holland was 9-for-20 from the field including 4-for-10 from beyond the arc and hit 4-of-5 free throws while also bring down four rebounds, dishing out two assists and getting credited with one steal.
STAT OF THE GAME
East Carolina shot 40.4 percent from the field, the most any opponent has claimed early this season. Most of that number comes thanks to a hot second half for the Pirates as ECU shot 48.6 percent in the final 20 minutes of the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mercer was hot for most of the first half and took an 11-point lead into halftime. Stephon Jelks led the way with 10 points with two fouls to his tally.
But a very different game emerged after halftime. East Carolina came out refreshed and recharged and Jelks was called for two more fouls before the first media time out, sending him to the bench with four fouls with plenty of time left to play.
The Pirates, led by Barkley, slowly fought its way back into the game. A double-digit lead was cut to a tie for the third time with 1:48 to go. Andre Washington hit the first of two free throws with 47 seconds left to give the Pirates their first lead of the game.
Mercer had the ball with six-tenths of a second differential between the game clock and the shot clock. Well within NBA range, Holland drained a three with 20 seconds left push Mercer ahead, 68-66. On East Carolina's ensuing possession, Demetre Rivers stripped the ball from B.J. Tyson and sent the ball to Jordan Strawberry, who was fouled while streaking towards the basket.
Strawberry hit both free throws with six seconds left on the clock and Tyson would miss a desperation three with two seconds remaining, as Holland grabbed the rebound to clinch the win.
COACH HOFFMAN'S COMMENTS:
"[East Carolina] made unbelievable adjustments, they were going right at us, they have tremendous athletes and we were able to hang on. The energy we got gave us an opportunity to finish the game. It just says a lot about these guys and their willingness to do what they have to do to win the game."
"This was a big-time team effort and a big-time team win because of the energy and effort that we played with from the very beginning."
On Ria'n Holland:
"He is such a competitor. He is going to find ways. He puts a lot of stuff into that six-foot body. He was tired but he found ways to get to the basket. We made a couple of cuts and back cuts and our guys were trying to find him because they knew he wanted it. In the final play where we put it in his hands, we ran a double screen, which we had done earlier in the game. I thought East Carolina's bigs were switching and maybe got lost but he hit a deep three from the same spot he missed a little earlier. He has great confidence in his abilities and so do our players and so do our staff."
RECORDS UPDATE
- Mercer: 4-1 (1-1 Neutral)
- East Carolina: 4-2 (0-1 Neutral)
- Mercer: Championship game of the Savannah Invitational on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
- Mercer will face the winner of the Air Force vs. Akron game
- East Carolina: Consolation game of the Savannah Invitational on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 5 p.m.
- East Carolina will face the loser of the Air Force vs. Akron game
For complete coverage of Mercer Basketball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerMBB (Twitter), /MercerBasketball (Facebook) and @Mercer_MBB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
NOTABLES
- Mercer now leads the all-time series over East Carolina, 3-2.
- The win marked the Southern Conference's first win over a team from The American this season.
- Mercer is now 21-30 against current members of the American Athletic Conference.
- East Carolina, at 40.4 percent, became the first team to shoot over 37 percent from the field against Mercer.
- Ria'n Holland scored a career-best 26 points in the game.
- The win marked the fifth time in Bob Hoffman's nine seasons at Mercer that the Bears have started a year 4-1.
- The victory marked Mercer's first win in Savannah since 2006. The Bears are now 4-1 all-time in Savannah.
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