Bears Host Bulldogs For Saturday Showdown

Saturday, January 28

Macon, Ga.

2:00 PM ET

Mercer University

Samford

Photo courtesy of Judy Stapleton

Photo by: Judy Stapleton

1/27/2017 1:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Live Stats ESPN3 Radio

MACON, Ga. – Mercer will wrap up its three-game home stand on Saturday when the Bears host the Samford Bulldogs at 2 p.m. The Bears and the Bulldogs have played close games over the past two years, with the average margin of victory just 6.3 points and only one game has been won by 10+ points.

THE BEAR NECESSITIES
Date: Saturday, January 28 | 2 p.m.
Teams: Mercer (16-4, 5-1 SoCon) vs. Samford (9-12, 2-4 SoCon)
Location: Macon, Ga. | Hawkins Arena
Game Notes: Mercer | Samford
Live Stats: MercerBears.com | Video: ESPN3 | Radio: Fox Sports 1670
Twitter Updates: @MercerWBB

STELLAR START
Mercer has started the season with a 16-4 record, the best under Coach Gardner. It is also the best start for the program since Mercer went 16-3 to start the 1979-80 season. The Bears have recorded the program's best non-conference record (11-3) in regular season play in the NCAA era.

PUTTING THE "W" IN HAWKINS ARENA
Mercer is 9-2 at Hawkins Arena so far this season. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, Mercer has tallied a 31-11 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 (66.7 ppg) and scoring margin (9.6), while ranking second in assists per game (14.4).

In SoCon games, Mercer is second in scoring offense (65.7 ppg) and scoring margin (8.8), while ranking first in assist per game (14.3).

LAWRENCE LEADING THE WAY
Kahlia Lawrence is leading Mercer and ranks second in the SoCon with 18.8 points per game. The junior also ranks 37th nationally in ppg. She has reached double figures in scoring 16 times this season, including 10 of the last 11 games, and topped 20 points in nine games.

Lawrence has scored 20+ points in five of six SoCon games, putting her atop the league standings with 22.2 ppg in SoCon play.

DUBS ON DUBS ON DUBS
Mercer is outscoring its opponents by 9.6 ppg this season, which is buoyed by three players averaging double figures in scoring. Kahlia Lawrence (18.8 ppg), KeKe Calloway (13.6 ppg) and Sydni Means (10.6 ppg) are leading the Bears offensively this season.

The Bears also have three players averaging double figures in SoCon games. Lawrence (22.2 ppg), Means (11.8 ppg) and Williams (11.2 ppg) are all averaging more points in conference play than overall this season.

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 134 assists and is averaging 6.7 apg, both of which lead the conference. She is ranked 13th nationally in both total assists and apg. Means also leads the conference with a 3.27 assist/ turnover ratio and ranks fifth nationally.

In SoCon play, Means is averaging 7.8 apg and has dished out a total of 47 assists, leading the league in both categories.

ALL ABOUT THE GIVE AND TAKE
In addition to leading the SoCon in assists and assists per game, Sydni Means has notched 56 steals and 2.80 steals per game and leads the conference in both categories. She ranks 26th nationally in total steals and 35th in steals per game. The junior point guard has recorded the SoCon's single-game highs for both assists (14) and steals (7). Means dished out 14 assists in the win over Furman last week, besting her previous career high (13) set at the end of December.

DEFENSE STANDING OUT
Mercer has focused more on defense this season and it has paid off. The Bears rank lead the SoCon and 32nd nationally in scoring defense, allowing opponents to score just 57.1 points per game. Mercer has held its opponents to less than 60 points in 11 games and less than 50 points in five games this season.

In league action, Mercer's opponents are averaging 56.8 ppg. The Bears have held SoCon opponents to less than 60 points in four of the six games thus far.

BEARS ON THE BOARDS
Amanda Thompson leads Mercer on the boards with 7.2 rebounds per game this season, followed by Alex Williams with 6.8 boards a game. Thompson ranks fifth in the SoCon in rebounds per game.

Williams is leading the Bears in SoCon play with 9.0 rpg, followed by Thompson and KeKe Calloway with 5.8 and 5.3, respectively. Williams is third in the league in rebounding against SoCon opponents.

SMOOTH CRIMINALS
As a team, Mercer has grabbed 194 steals and is averaging 9.7 steals per game. The Bears lead the SoCon in steals per game, while ranking second in total steals. Additionally, Mercer ranks 55th nationally in total steals and 61st in steals per game.

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.

HOLDING ONTO THE BALL
The Bears are protecting the rock well this year and are second in the nation with 10.3 turnovers per game. Mercer is also sixth in the nation in turnover margin, as the Bears have recorded a +8.15 turnover margin thus far. Mercer is forcing 18.45 turnovers per game, ranking first in the SoCon and 78th nationally.

Mercer has committed just 8.8 turnovers per game in SoCon play and has a turnover margin of 4.33, leading the conference in both categories.

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 has been solid for the Bears since returning to the starting lineup. She recorded her second double-double in SoCon play with 19 points and 11 rebounds against Furman last week. Williams is nearly averaging a double-double in SoCon play with 11.2 ppg and 9.0 rpg.

KEKE FOR THREE
KeKe Calloway leads Mercer and ranks fifth in the conference and 84th nationally from outside the arc with 46 made three-pointers. She is also second in the SoCon and 21st nationally with 162 attempted treys. Calloway is averaging 2.30 three-pointers a game, putting her fourth in the conference and 94th 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 98 made three-pointers.

SERIES HISTORY
Mercer leads the series 11-5, which includes a 6-2 mark in Macon. The Bears have won the last eight meetings between the teams and both of last season's games were decided by three points or less.

SCOUTING SAMFORD
Hannah Nichols leads the Bulldogs with 14.7 points per game, including a team-leading 12.8 ppg in SoCon play. Kassidy Blevins is second on the team with 10.3 ppg, but has missed Samford's last three games.

Samford is averaging just 29.4 rebounds per game and Samantha Fitzgerald has grabbed a team-leading 4.5 rpg. In SoCon play, Lydia McGee leads the Bulldogs with 3.8 boards a game, followed by Ellen Riggins' 3.7 rpg.

In conference play, the Bulldogs have been outscored 60.0-52.3 and outrebounded 33.3-29.3. Samford has hit 37.3 percent of it's shots from the field, but league opponents are connecting on 43.2 percent of field goals.

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.