Thursday, November 16
Macon, Ga.
7 P.M.
Mercer University
3-0
72
vs
45
Georgia Southern
1-2
1
2
3
4
F
Georgia Southern
10
11
7
17
45
Mercer
27
5
27
13
72
Team Stats
GS
MER
FG%
.286
.438
3FG%
.391
.538
FT%
.615
.900
RB
37
38
TO
24
10
STL
5
13
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
Photo by: Judy Stapleton
Mercer Rolls Over Georgia Southern in Home Opener
11/17/2017 10:19:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Hot starts to both halves earn Mercer third straight win
MACON, Ga. – A pair of double-digit runs to open the first and third quarters powered Mercer to a dominant 72-45 win over Georgia Southern in its home opener at Hawkins Arena on Thursday night.
Â
Mercer (3-0) started the game on a 16-0 run and followed it up with an 11-0 run at the beginning of the third quarter en route to its third straight win of the early season. Georgia Southern fell to 1-2 overall. The night opened in high spirits as Mercer's 2016-17 Southern Conference regular season championship and WNIT banners were unveiled before tip-off.
Â
Stat of the Match
The Bears forced 24 turnovers against Georgia Southern, leading to 27 of their 72 points. Mercer outscored the Eagles 27-5 on points off turnovers and have forced at least 24 turnovers in all three games this season.
Â
Player of the Game
After a slow start shooting the ball (1-of-4), Sydni Means turned it around with a red-hot third quarter and finished with 12 points, five assists, four steals and three rebounds. Means connected on all four of her shots in the third quarter, finishing the night 5-of-9 from the field.
Â
How It Happened
Mercer claimed a 16-0 lead by the 6:15 mark of the first quarter and eventually led 27-10 heading into the second frame. The Bears shot 52 percent (10-of-19) from the field in the quarter, highlighted by a 10-point output from KeKe Calloway, who finished with a game-high 17 points.
Â
A difficult second quarter gave Georgia Southern an opportunity to creep back into the contest, as Mercer shot only 16.7 percent in the frame. Linnea Rosendal scored all five of Mercer's points in the quarter while the Eagles cut their deficit to 11 points, 32-21.
Â
An 11-0 run to open the second half was powered by three fast-break buckets by Sydni Means (two) and Kahlia Lawrence (one). Mercer extended its lead to 20 by the 7:33 mark of the third quarter and never looked back, taking a 59-28 lead into the final quarter of play. Means was the catalyst in the decisive quarter, going 4-of-4 from the field for 10 points while adding three assists, one rebound and one steal.
Â
The Eagles outscored Mercer, 17-13, in the fourth quarter, but the game was out of reach at that point as Ally Welch and Kayla Potts came off the bench and shot a combined 3-of-3 for six points.
Â
Notables
» Lawrence, Means and Calloway all reached double-digits in points for the third time this season.
» Rosendal's 15 points were a season-high and marked the first time she reached double-digits.
» Mercer has won four straight against the Eagles and leads the all-time series, 36-30. The Bears are 5-3 against Georgia Southern under Head Coach Susie Gardner.
» Thursday's win marked Gardner's 293rd career win, leaving her seven shy of No. 300.
» Freshmen LaKaitlin Wright and Shannon Titus made their collegiate debuts, checking in during the fourth quarter.
» Mercer scored 16 points off the fast break after another impressive defensive effort of 24 forced turnovers.
» Mercer was 9-of-10 from the free throw line; four Bears were a perfect 2-of-2.
Â
Coach's Corner
"We had a great start and played with a lot of intensity tonight at home," Gardner said. "One of our goals was to play four quarters, and we didn't play well at all in the second quarter, which is very disappointing. I thought we came back out after halftime, put pressure on [Georgia Southern] and got things back in our favor.
Â
"Switching over to a half-court trap led to a lot of turnovers and transition baskets for us in the second half and that really changed the momentum for the rest of the game."
Â
Records Update
» Mercer: 3-0
» Georgia Southern: 1-2
Â
Next Game
Mercer stays at home to welcome in-state and SEC foe Georgia (2-0) to Hawkins Arena at 2 p.m. Sunday. The undefeated Bulldogs defeated Virginia, 64-61, on the road Thursday.
Â
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.
Â
Â
Mercer (3-0) started the game on a 16-0 run and followed it up with an 11-0 run at the beginning of the third quarter en route to its third straight win of the early season. Georgia Southern fell to 1-2 overall. The night opened in high spirits as Mercer's 2016-17 Southern Conference regular season championship and WNIT banners were unveiled before tip-off.
Â
Stat of the Match
The Bears forced 24 turnovers against Georgia Southern, leading to 27 of their 72 points. Mercer outscored the Eagles 27-5 on points off turnovers and have forced at least 24 turnovers in all three games this season.
Â
Player of the Game
After a slow start shooting the ball (1-of-4), Sydni Means turned it around with a red-hot third quarter and finished with 12 points, five assists, four steals and three rebounds. Means connected on all four of her shots in the third quarter, finishing the night 5-of-9 from the field.
Â
How It Happened
Mercer claimed a 16-0 lead by the 6:15 mark of the first quarter and eventually led 27-10 heading into the second frame. The Bears shot 52 percent (10-of-19) from the field in the quarter, highlighted by a 10-point output from KeKe Calloway, who finished with a game-high 17 points.
Â
A difficult second quarter gave Georgia Southern an opportunity to creep back into the contest, as Mercer shot only 16.7 percent in the frame. Linnea Rosendal scored all five of Mercer's points in the quarter while the Eagles cut their deficit to 11 points, 32-21.
Â
An 11-0 run to open the second half was powered by three fast-break buckets by Sydni Means (two) and Kahlia Lawrence (one). Mercer extended its lead to 20 by the 7:33 mark of the third quarter and never looked back, taking a 59-28 lead into the final quarter of play. Means was the catalyst in the decisive quarter, going 4-of-4 from the field for 10 points while adding three assists, one rebound and one steal.
Â
The Eagles outscored Mercer, 17-13, in the fourth quarter, but the game was out of reach at that point as Ally Welch and Kayla Potts came off the bench and shot a combined 3-of-3 for six points.
Â
Notables
» Lawrence, Means and Calloway all reached double-digits in points for the third time this season.
» Rosendal's 15 points were a season-high and marked the first time she reached double-digits.
» Mercer has won four straight against the Eagles and leads the all-time series, 36-30. The Bears are 5-3 against Georgia Southern under Head Coach Susie Gardner.
» Thursday's win marked Gardner's 293rd career win, leaving her seven shy of No. 300.
» Freshmen LaKaitlin Wright and Shannon Titus made their collegiate debuts, checking in during the fourth quarter.
» Mercer scored 16 points off the fast break after another impressive defensive effort of 24 forced turnovers.
» Mercer was 9-of-10 from the free throw line; four Bears were a perfect 2-of-2.
Â
Coach's Corner
"We had a great start and played with a lot of intensity tonight at home," Gardner said. "One of our goals was to play four quarters, and we didn't play well at all in the second quarter, which is very disappointing. I thought we came back out after halftime, put pressure on [Georgia Southern] and got things back in our favor.
Â
"Switching over to a half-court trap led to a lot of turnovers and transition baskets for us in the second half and that really changed the momentum for the rest of the game."
Â
Records Update
» Mercer: 3-0
» Georgia Southern: 1-2
Â
Next Game
Mercer stays at home to welcome in-state and SEC foe Georgia (2-0) to Hawkins Arena at 2 p.m. Sunday. The undefeated Bulldogs defeated Virginia, 64-61, on the road Thursday.
Â
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.
Â
Mercer Men's Basketball Presser 3.2.26
Tuesday, March 03
Mercer Women's Basketball Presser 3.2.26
Tuesday, March 03
Mercer Women's Basketball 2026 | vs. Chattanooga | Full Game Highlights
Sunday, March 01
Mercer Men's Basketball 2026 | vs. East Tennessee St | Full Game Highlights
Sunday, March 01
