Mercer Hosts No. 7 Florida State On Wednesday

Wednesday, December 21

Macon, Ga.

7:00 PM ET

Mercer University

Florida State

Mercer Hosts No. 7 Florida State On Wednesday

12/20/2016 12:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Live Stats ESPN3

MACON, Ga. – On Wednesday, the Bears will play their final game before the holiday break and the Mercer women's basketball team is bringing No. 7 Florida State to Hawkins Arena for the contest.

THE BEAR NECESSITIES
Date: Wednesday, December 21 | 7 p.m.
Teams: Mercer (9-2, 0-0 SoCon) vs. Florida State (11-1, 0-0 ACC)
Location: Macon, Ga. | Hawkins Arena
Game Notes: Mercer
Live Stats: MercerBears.com | Video: ESPN3 | Radio: Fox Sports 1670
Twitter Updates: @MercerWBB

STELLAR START
Mercer has started the season with a 9-2 record, the best under Coach Gardner. It is also the best start through 11 games since Mercer also went 9-2 at the beginning of the 1980-81 season.

PUTTING THE "W" IN HAWKINS ARENA
Mercer is 5-0 at Hawkins Arena so far this season. The Bears have won their last 10 games at home, dating back to Feb. 4, 2016.

Since the start of the 2014-15 season, Mercer has tallied a 27-9 mark in Hawkins Arena.

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 (67.2) and scoring margin (11.9). Mercer is also second in assists per game (14.3).

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 second for Mercer with 16.3 points per game.

Calloway has reached double figures in nine games this season and led the Bears in scoring in five games, including a 21-point performance vs. West Georgia on Saturday, Dec. 10. She also ranks fourth in the league and 117th nationally in ppg. Additionally, she ranks 82nd nationally and fifth in the SoCon with 179 total points.

KEKE FOR THREE
KeKe Calloway leads Mercer and ranks third in the conference from outside the arc with 31 made three-pointers. Calloway also ranks 36th nationally in made three pointers. She is also first in the SoCon and 15th nationally with 94 attempted treys. Calloway is averaging 2.82 three-pointers a game, putting her first in the conference and 40th in the nation.

BEARS ON THE BOARDS
Amanda Thompson leads Mercer on the boards with 8.4 rebounds per game this season, followed by Kayla Potts with 5.8.

Thompson ranks fourth in the SoCon in both rebounds per game and total rebounds (92). She has grabbed at least nine rebounds in six of her last eight contests, including a career-high 16 against Kennesaw State. Additionally, she leads the SoCon and ranks 23rd nationally with 4 offensive rebounds per game.

SMOOTH CRIMINALS
As a team, Mercer has grabbed 116 steals and is averaging 10.5 steals per game. The Bears lead the SoCon in both categories and rank 34th and 47th nationally.

Mercer has also recorded three of the SoCon's top five single-game steals performances, which includes the Bears' season-high 19 against Georgia Southern.

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 67 assists and is averaging 6.1 apg, both of which lead the conference. She is ranked 21st nationally in total assists and 23rd in apg. Means also leads the conference with a 3.19 assist/ turnover ratio and ranks 19th nationally.

ALL ABOUT THE GIVE AND TAKE
In addition to leading the SoCon in assists and assists per game, Sydni Means has notched 32 steals and 2.91 steals per game. Means ranks first in the conference and 20th nationally in total steals and first in the league and 32nd nationally in steals per game.

HOLDING ONTO THE BALL
The Bears are protecting the rock well this year and are second in the nation with 11.0 turnovers per game. Against Florida Atlantic, Mercer committed just three turnovers, which is a nation-wide single-game low this season.

Mercer is also third in the nation in turnover margin, as the Bears have recorded a +9.91 turnover margin thus far. Mercer is forcing 20.91 turnovers per game, ranking first in the SoCon and 36th nationally.

SERIES HISTORY
Mercer leads the series 8-6, which includes a 2-1 mark in Macon. The Bears dominated the series early on, but Florida State owns a 6-3 record in the last 10 meetings.

SCOUTING FLORIDA STATE
Florida State is 11-1 on the season and is ranked No. 7 in the latest AP Poll. The Seminoles' lone blemish thus far is a two-point loss to defending national champions, UConn.

Shakayla Thomas leads FSU with 14.6 points per game, but Leticia Romero (14.0), Ivey Slaughter (11.8) and Imani Wright (11.0) are also averaging double figures in scoring.

Slaughter has pulled down a team-leading 6.0 rebounds per game, followed closely by Thomas and Brittany Brown with 5.8 rpg.

As a team, Florida State is outscoring its opponents 85.0-55.2 and outrebounding them 42.5-30.4.

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.