Sunday, December 18
Auburn, Ala.
1:00 PM ET
Mercer University
5-6
74
at
76
Auburn
8-2
1
2
F
Mercer
32
42
74
Auburn
30
46
76
Team Stats
MER
AU
FG%
.441
.400
3FG%
.400
.375
FT%
.706
.771
RB
41
26
TO
15
7
STL
2
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
24
FGM
9
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
Buzzer Beater Lifts Auburn over Mercer
12/18/2016 3:41:00 PM | Men's Basketball
AUBURN, Ala. – T.J. Dunans hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lift Auburn to a 76-74 victory over Mercer on Sunday.
Dunans grabbed the inbounds pass with 1.1 seconds left and fired up the winning shot from the left corner for the Tigers (8-2), who have won two straight minus a pair of suspended starters.
Ria'n Holland had scored five points in the final 11 seconds to give Mercer (5-6) a 74-73 lead. Auburn fumbled away its first chance to grab the win but cashed in on the last-gasp attempt.
Mustapha Heron scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half for Auburn. Dunans scored 13 points and made three 3-pointers while TJ Lang had 11. Freshman Austin Wiley made the go-ahead basket with 45 seconds left in his Auburn debut.
Holland scored 24 points for the Bears. He hit a runner in the lane and then followed an Auburn free throw with a layup with 3.8 seconds left, drawing a foul and making the free throw for the Bears.
Auburn made 9 of 25 3-pointers three days after tying the SEC record with 21.
Jordan Strawberry added 13 points for Mercer and Demetre Rivers scored 10. Strawberry's six assists moved him into ninth place all-time at Mercer with 243 career assists.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Ria'n Holland gets the nod after scoring a game-high 24 points with six rebounds Sunday. In the effort, five of his points came in the final 11 seconds to giver Mercer a lead late.
STAT OF THE GAME
Mercer recorded an impressive 41 rebounds in the game to Auburn's 26, out-rebounding the Tigers by 15.
COACH HOFFMAN'S COMMENTS
"I thought it was a great, great college basketball game. With the run that they made, we stood it, that's a better point for us. Plus the toughness and togetherness we had today. We didn't get it done today, but I think we've made a stride in the right direction for what we want to accomplish. We're not into moral victories. We wanted the 'W' today and we didn't get it today, but I saw some things today that we can carry-on to get better."
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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.
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Dunans grabbed the inbounds pass with 1.1 seconds left and fired up the winning shot from the left corner for the Tigers (8-2), who have won two straight minus a pair of suspended starters.
Ria'n Holland had scored five points in the final 11 seconds to give Mercer (5-6) a 74-73 lead. Auburn fumbled away its first chance to grab the win but cashed in on the last-gasp attempt.
Mustapha Heron scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half for Auburn. Dunans scored 13 points and made three 3-pointers while TJ Lang had 11. Freshman Austin Wiley made the go-ahead basket with 45 seconds left in his Auburn debut.
Holland scored 24 points for the Bears. He hit a runner in the lane and then followed an Auburn free throw with a layup with 3.8 seconds left, drawing a foul and making the free throw for the Bears.
Auburn made 9 of 25 3-pointers three days after tying the SEC record with 21.
Jordan Strawberry added 13 points for Mercer and Demetre Rivers scored 10. Strawberry's six assists moved him into ninth place all-time at Mercer with 243 career assists.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Ria'n Holland gets the nod after scoring a game-high 24 points with six rebounds Sunday. In the effort, five of his points came in the final 11 seconds to giver Mercer a lead late.
STAT OF THE GAME
Mercer recorded an impressive 41 rebounds in the game to Auburn's 26, out-rebounding the Tigers by 15.
COACH HOFFMAN'S COMMENTS
"I thought it was a great, great college basketball game. With the run that they made, we stood it, that's a better point for us. Plus the toughness and togetherness we had today. We didn't get it done today, but I think we've made a stride in the right direction for what we want to accomplish. We're not into moral victories. We wanted the 'W' today and we didn't get it today, but I saw some things today that we can carry-on to get better."
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RECORDS UPDATE
- Mercer: 5-6 (0-3 Away)
- Auburn: 8-2 (6-0 Home)
- Mercer hosts La Salle Thursday night at Hawkins Arena on ESPN3.
- Auburn faces Oklahoma in the Hall of Fame's Birthday of Basketball event Wednesday night in Uncasville, Conn.
- Auburn now leads the all-time series over Mercer, 17-16.
- Jordan Strawberry moved into ninth place in Mercer's career assist ledger. He now has 243 assists in his career.
- Sunday's game marked the sixth time this season Mercer has registered 40-plus rebounds. The 15-rebound advantage is a season-high against a Division I opponent.
- Ria'n Holland has now scored 20-plus points in four games this season.
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.
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