Mercer AT UNCG For First SoCon Road Game

Thursday, January 12

Greensboro, N.C.

7:00 PM ET

Mercer University

UNCG

Photo courtesy of Judy Stapleton

1/11/2017 3:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Live Stats SDN Video

MACON, Ga. – The Bears are on the road for the first time in conference play and will kick off the road trip at UNCG on Thursday. The Bears and the Spartans are set to tip off at 7 p.m. at Fleming Gym in Greensboro, N.C.

THE BEAR NECESSITIES
Date: Thursday, January 12 |7 p.m.
Teams: Mercer (12-4, 1-1 SoCon) vs. UNCG (9-8, 0-2 SoCon)
Location: Greensboro, N.C. | Fleming Gym
Game Notes: Mercer
Live Stats: UNCGSpartans.com | Video: SoCon Digital
Twitter Updates: @MercerWBB

STELLAR START
Mercer has started the season with a 12-4 record, the best under Coach Gardner. The Bears have recorded the program's best non-conference record (11-3) in regular season play in the NCAA era.

ROAD WARRIORS
Mercer is 5-2 on the road this season and both losses were at the hands of Power Five teams. Since joining the league, Mercer has gone 11-3 in SoCon road games.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
In Mercer's win over ETSU last week, both Sydni Means and Alex Williams recorded double-doubles. Means notched 15 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as she also flirted with a triple-double. Williams tallied 22 points and 11 rebounds in her fourth career double-double.

LAWRENCE LEADING THE WAY
Kahlia Lawrence is leading Mercer and ranks second in the SoCon with 18.2 points per game. The junior also ranks 46th nationally in ppg. Lawrence notched her seventh career double-double last week with 27 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Davidson. She has reached double figures in scoring 13 times this season and topped 20 points in six games.

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 15.0 points per game.

Calloway has reached double figures in 10 games this season and led the Bears in scoring in six games, including a 21-point performance vs. West Georgia in December.

KEKE FOR THREE
KeKe Calloway leads Mercer and ranks fourth in the conference from outside the arc with 40 made three-pointers. Calloway also ranks 54th nationally in made three pointers. She is also first in the SoCon and 13th nationally with 139 attempted treys. Calloway is averaging 2.50 three-pointers a game, putting her third in the conference and 67th in the nation.

After making two three-pointers in Mercer's win over Paine, Calloway earned a spot on the Bears' career made three-pointers leaderboard. She currently sits in 10th place with 92 made three-pointers.

WILLIAMS BACK IN THE STARTING LINEUP
Alex Williams started the first four games of the season for the Bears before missing six games due to injury. Williams has been back on the floor for Mercer since Dec. 18 but re-entered the starting lineup on New Year's Eve. Williams scored a season-high 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the win over Paine. She gave an even better performance in the win over ETSU, scoring a career-high 22 points and pulling down a season-high 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.

DEFENSE STANDING OUT
Mercer has focused more on defense this season and it has paid off. The Bears rank 2nd in the SoCon and 50th nationally in scoring defense, allowing opponents to score just 58.1 points per game. Mercer has held its opponents to less than 60 points in eight games and less than 50 points in four games this season.

BEARS ON THE BOARDS
Amanda Thompson leads Mercer on the boards with 7.4 rebounds per game this season, followed by Alex Williams with 5.6 boards a game. Thompson ranks fifth in the SoCon in rebounds per game and total rebounds (118).

SMOOTH CRIMINALS
As a team, Mercer has grabbed 163 steals and is averaging 10.2 steals per game. The Bears lead the SoCon in both categories and rank 36th and 52nd nationally, respectively.

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 103 assists and is averaging 6.4 apg, both of which lead the conference. She is ranked 15th nationally in total assists and 20th in apg. Means also leads the conference with a 3.12 assist/ turnover ratio and ranks eighth nationally.

ALL ABOUT THE GIVE AND TAKE
In addition to leading the SoCon in assists and assists per game, Sydni Means has notched 43 steals and 2.69 steals per game and leads the conference in both categories. She ranks 30th nationally in total steals and 40th in steals per game. The junior point guard has recorded the SoCon's single-game highs for both assists (13) and steals (7). Means dished out 13 assists in the win over Paine, setting a new career high.

HOLDING ONTO THE BALL
The Bears are protecting the rock well this year and are second in the nation with 10.4 turnovers per game. Mercer is also fourth in the nation in turnover margin, as the Bears have recorded a +8.94 turnover margin thus far. Mercer is forcing 19.38 turnovers per game, ranking first in the SoCon and 59th nationally.

SERIES HISTORY
Mercer leads the series 6-0, which includes a 5-0 mark since joining UNCG in the SoCon prior to the 2014-15 season. The Bears are 3-0 in Greensboro, which includes last season's overtime win.

SCOUTING UNCG
UNCG notched a 9-6 record in non-conference play and has opened SoCon action with an 0-2 record. The Spartans fell to Furman, 65-55, and Wofford, 54-48, to start conference play last weekend.

Freshman Nadine Soliman leads UNCG with 18.1 points per game. The rookie ranks second in the league in field goals made (119) and attempted (291).

Te'ja Twitty is second in scoring for the Spartans with 10.6 ppg and leads the team with 7.6 rpg. Jade Scaife is second for UNCG with 5.9 rpg. As a team, UNCG ranks first in the league in rebounds per game (41.5) and rebound margin (6.2).

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.