Mercer University
18-10, 8-7SoCon
Western Carolina
12-16, 7-8SoCon
Catamounts Use Strong Second Half to Upend Mercer, 72-65
2/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University men's basketball team fell to Western Carolina on Thursday evening by a final score of 72-65. The Bears were unable to fend off the Catamounts in the second half, as the visitors outscored Mercer 39-31 to capture the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bears and Catamounts battled back and forth throughout the opening 20 minutes of action. Mercer jumped out to an early 12-3 lead over the first five minutes of action, connecting on five of its first six shots. Western Carolina fought back and took its first lead of the night at 16-15. The two teams traded runs the rest of the half and Mercer took a 34-33 lead into the intermission.
Despite taking a 34-33 lead into the intermission, Mercer was unable to fend off a strong second half performance by the Catamounts. Western Carolina took a 44-42 lead with 16 minutes and two seconds remaining and Mercer was never able to recover. Western Carolina's lead stretched to as much as 11 points in the second half despite the Bears cutting it to single digits in the game's final minutes.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Phillip Leonard did a little bit of everything for Mercer on Thursday evening. The senior scored 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Leonard also did work on the boards, grabbing a team-high seven rebounds. The point guard was great in his distribution, dishing out a game-high seven assists without recording any turnovers.
MERCER STAT OF THE NIGHT
The Bears connected on eight treys on Thursday night, reaching the mark for the eighth time this season. Mercer knocked down 47.1 percent of their three-point opportunities in the game, while finishing just 39.3 percent from inside the arc.
NOTABLES
- The Orange and Black are now to 4-7 in the all-time series with Western Carolina.
- The Bears are 11-2 in games played in Hawkins Arena during the 2015-16 season.
- Mercer was out-rebounded for just the second time this season, as WCU posted a 32-27 edge on the glass.
- The Orange and Black were limited to 30.8 percent shooting in the second half, however, they were proficient from beyond the arc as they knocked down 5-of-11 from deep in the period.
- Rivers led the Bears with a game-high 19 points, connecting on three shots from downtown. The sophomore has led the team in scoring four times this season. The 6-foot-8 guard also had a career-high two blocked shots.
- Jelks tied a career-high with four makes from distance, as the forward's 17 points helped him reach double-figures for the 25th time in his career and the 19th time this season.
- Phil Leonard came up short in his bid for a triple-double, finishing with 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. He has now reached the seven-helper mark eight times in 2016-16.
RECORD UPDATE
Mercer drops to 18-10 on the season and 8-7 in SoCon play, while Western Carolina is now 12-16 on the year and 7-8 in conference action.
UP NEXT
The Bears are back in Hawkins Arena for their home finale on Saturday, Feb. 20, as they host ETSU. Tip is slated for 4:30 p.m. with a Senior Day ceremony before the game.
STAY SOCIAL
For all the latest information and up-to-the-minute updates on Mercer men's basketball, please follow the team on Twitter at @MercerMBB.
