Mercer Returns Home, Hosts Kennesaw State

Saturday, December 3

Macon, Ga.

2:00 PM ET

Mercer University

Kennesaw State

12/2/2016 1:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball

MACON, Ga. – After playing the last three games on the road, the Bears are back in Hawkins Arena and will host Kennesaw State on Saturday afternoon.

THE BEAR NECESSITIES
Date: Saturday, December 3 | 2 p.m.
Teams: Mercer (6-1, 0-0 SoCon) vs. Kennesaw State (1-5, 0-0 ASUN)
Location: Macon, Ga. | Hawkins Arena
Game Notes: Mercer | Kennesaw State
Live Stats: MercerBears.com | Video: ESPN3 | TV: American Sports Network
Twitter Updates: @MercerWBB

THANKFUL FOR A PAIR OF WINS
Over the Thanksgiving holidays, Mercer hit the road to take on Illinois and Houston. The Bears were able to put together a pair of wins, which includes the first win over a Big Ten team since 1976.

STELLAR START
Mercer has started the season with a 6-1 record, the best under Coach Gardner. It is also the best start since Mercer went 8-1 at the beginning of the 1980-81 season.

OUTSTANDING OFFENSE
So far this season, Mercer has proved that it will continue to put on a show on offense. The Bears are leading the SoCon in scoring offense (70.0) and scoring margin (11.7). Mercer is also second in assists per game (14.0).

IT'S FOR FREE!
As a team, the Bears have connected on 74.5 percent of their attempts from the free throw line this season. Mercer ranks third in the league and 52nd nationally in free throw percentage.

Kahlia Lawrence has hit the most free throws for the Bears, knocking down 20 of her 25 attempts for an 80.0 percentage, ranking her second in the SoCon. KeKe Calloway has the highest percentage on the team, having gone 16-of-18 from the charity stripe so far this season.

In order to be ranked in free throw percentage, players must average 2.5 made free throws per game. Calloway is averaging 2.3 made free throws per game, putting her just out of reach to be ranked.

LAWRENCE LEADING THE WAY ONCE AGAIN
Kahlia Lawrence was uncharacteristically quiet in Mercer's first two games, scoring just 11 and 13 points for the Bears. Since the first week, she has bounced back offensively and currently leads Mercer with 18.6 points per game. Lawrence ranks second in the Southern Conference and 58th nationally in ppg.

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP FOR CALLOWAY
KeKe Calloway finished her freshman season as one of Mercer's leading scorers in the SoCon Tournament. The guard has started her sophomore season in much of the same fashion as she is currently second for the Bears with 16.7 points per game.

Calloway has reached double figures in six games this season and led the Bears in scoring in three games. She also ranks fourth in the league and 120th nationally in ppg. Additionally, she ranks 82nd nationally and fourth in the SoCon with 117 total points.

KEKE FOR THREE!
In addition to scoring 16.7 points per game, Calloway has net a team-leading 17 three-pointers so far this season. The sophomore is third in the league and 64th nationally in three-pointers made. She also ranks second in the conference and 30th nationally in attempts.

BEARS ON THE BOARDS
Amanda Thompson leads Mercer on the boards with 7.7 rebounds per game this season, followed by Kahlia Lawrence and Kayla Potts with 5.4 boards per game.

Thompson ranks fourth in the SoCon in both total assists (54) and assists per game. She grabbed a season-high 11 boards at Houston and has led Mercer in rebounds five times this season.

Kayla Potts has stepped up for the Bears in the last two games, grabbing eight and nine rebounds, respectively, and upping her season high each game.

SHARING IS CARING
After finishing last season leading the SoCon in total assists and assists per game, Sydni Means is still on top. Means has dished out 43 assists and is averaging 6.1 apg, leading the league in both. She is ranked 24th nationally in total assists and 27th in apg. Means also leads the conference with a 4.30 assist/ turnover ratio and ranks 10th nationally.

SHE GIVETH AND SHE TAKETH AWAY
In addition to leading the SoCon in assists and assists per game, Sydni Means has notched a league-leading 22 steals this season. She also leads the conference with 23.14 steals per game. Means ranks 19th nationally in total steals and 26th in steals per game.

Mercer is also leading the conference in steals (81) and steals per game (11.6), while ranking 20th and 30th nationally.

HOLDING ONTO THE BALL
The Bears are protecting the rock well this year and are second in the nation with just 9.9 turnovers per game. Against Florida Atlantic, Mercer committed just three turnovers, which is a nation-wide single-game low this season.

Mercer is also leading the nation in turnover margin, as the Bears have recorded a +11.71 turnover margin thus far. Mercer is forcing 21.57 turnovers per game, ranking first in the SoCon and 34th nationally.

SERIES HISTORY
Mercer owns an 11-10 lead in the series with Kennesaw State, which includes a 6-4 mark in Hawkins Arena. The teams have only been playing each other since 2006 and until last season they met twice a year. Mercer has won six of the last seven games in the series.

SCOUTING KENNESAW STATE
Kennesaw State has started the season with a 1-5 record, picking up its lone win over Savannah State. Mercer and KSU have each played Georgia already this season. The Bears' lone loss came at the hands of the Bulldogs, 72-64, while UGA grabbed an 82-40 win over KSU on Tuesday.

Clara Young leads the Owls with 13.0 ppg, scoring most of her points from outside the arc. Young is 14-of-31 from downtown, leading KSU and ranking third in three-pointers per game (2.33). Young is also second in the league with 3.8 assists per game as she leads Kennesaw State with 23 assists.

Allison Johnson is Kennesaw State's leading rebounder with 7.7 rpg. Deja McPhee is second for the Owls with 4.7 boards a game. As a team, KSU has been outrebounded by an average of 66.2 rpg this season.

Kennesaw State is shooting 33.2 percent from the field, including 3.11 percent from outside the three-point line. The Owls' opponents have hit 46.5 percent of their shots this season.

How to Follow the Bears:
For complete coverage of Mercer Women's Basketball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerWBB (Twitter), /MercerWBB (Facebook) and @MercerWBB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.