Mercer Hosts West Georgia On Saturday

Saturday, December 10

Macon, Ga.

2:00 PM ET

Mercer University

West Georgia

Photo courtesy of Judy Stapleton

Photo by: Judy Stapleton

12/9/2016 2:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Live Stats ESPN3

MACON, Ga. – Mercer returns to Macon to host West Georgia on Saturday before the finals break. The Bears and the Wolves will tip off at 2 p.m. in Hawkins Arena.

THE BEAR NECESSITIES
Date: Saturday, December 10 | 2 p.m.
Teams: Mercer (7-2, 0-0 SoCon) vs. West Georgia (1-3, 0-0 Gulf South)
Location: Macon, Ga. | Hawkins Arena
Game Notes: Mercer | West Georgia
Live Stats: MercerBears.com | Video: ESPN3 | Watch: American Sports Network
Twitter Updates: @MercerWBB

STELLAR START
Mercer has started the season with a 7-2 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.

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

Since the start of the 2014-15 season, Mercer has tallied a 26-9 mark in Hawkins Arena.

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 leads Mercer with 15.9 points per game.

Calloway has reached double figures in seven games this season and led the Bears in scoring in four games, including a 22-point performance at Georgia Tech on Wednesday. She also ranks third in the league and 140th nationally in ppg. Additionally, she ranks 87th nationally and fourth in the SoCon with 143 total points.

TWO FOR THREE
KeKe Calloway and Linnea Rosendal lead Mercer from outside the arc with 23 and 19 made three-pointers, respectively. Calloway is third in the SoCon and 49th nationally in made three pointers, while Rosendal ranks ninth and 109th. Calloway is also second in the conference and 19th nationally in three-point attempts.

BEARS ON THE BOARDS
Amanda Thompson leads Mercer on the boards with 8.4 rebounds per game this season, followed by Kayla Potts and Kahlia Lawrence with 5.7 and 5.0 rpg, respectively.

Thompson ranks fourth in the SoCon in both total rebounds (76) and rebounds per game. She grabbed a career-high 16 boards against Kennesaw State as she tallied her first career double-double.

SMOOTH CRIMINALS
As a team, Mercer has tallied 102 steals and is averaging 11.3 steals per game. The Bears lead the SoCon in both categories and rank 23rd and 35th 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.

IT'S FOR FREE!
As a team, the Bears have connected on 75.9 percent of their attempts from the free throw line this season. Mercer leads the league and ranks 29th nationally in free throw percentage. Mercer has hit over 80 percent of its free throws in four games this season.

Kahlia Lawrence is 24-for-29 from the free throw line, giving her an 82.8 percentage and ranking her first in the SoCon. KeKe Calloway has the highest percentage on the team, having gone 20-of-22 from the charity stripe so far this season for 90.9 percent.

In order to be ranked in free throw percentage, players must average 2.5 made free throws per game. Calloway is averaging 2.2 made free throws per game, putting her just out of reach to be ranked.

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 54 assists and is averaging 6.0 apg, leading the league in assists per game and ranking second in total assists. She is ranked 21st nationally in total assists and 25th in apg. Means also leads the conference with a 3.18 assist/ turnover ratio and ranks 20th nationally.

ALL ABOUT THE GIVE AND TAKE
In addition to leading the SoCon in assists and assists per game, Sydni Means has notched 28 steals and 3.11 steals per game. Means ranks second in the conference and 18th nationally in total steals and first in the league and 27th nationally in steals per game.

HOLDING ONTO THE BALL
The Bears are protecting the rock well this year and are third in the nation with just 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 +10.78 turnover margin thus far. Mercer is forcing 21.78 turnovers per game, ranking first in the SoCon and 25th nationally.

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.

SERIES HISTORY
Mercer leads the series 12-3, dating back to Mercer's first season, 1972. The Bears and the Wolves last met in 1980, a 97-81 Mercer win. West Georgia is a DII school and will be using the game as an exhibition and it will not count towards the team's record.

SCOUTING WEST GEORGIA
West Georgia is 1-3 on the season after picking up its first win on Dec. 3 against Augusta. The Wolves are being outscored by 5.7 points per game so far this season.

De'Ashia Jones leads West Georgia with 13.3 points per game and 11.3 rebounds per game. Aysha Harris is second with 12.0 ppg, followed by Jessica Brown with 11.3 ppg. A'Kia Harris has pulled down 9.0 rebounds per game, ranking her second for the Wolves.

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.