Women’s Basketball Begins Three-Game Home Stand on Sunday

MACON, Ga. – Mercer Women's Basketball will welcome Big South foe, Winthrop, into town on Sunday for the first of three consecutive home games for the Bears. Sunday's game will be played inside Hawkins Arena and will tip off at 2 p.m.

BEAR NECESSITIES
Date: Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017 | 2 p.m.
Teams: Mercer (8-2) vs. Winthrop (1-8)
Location: Macon, Ga. | Hawkins Arena
TV: ESPN3
TV Talent: Todd Wilson (Play-by-Play) / Sybil Blalock (Analyst)
Live Stats: mercerbears.com/livestats
Twitter Updates: @MercerWBB
Game Notes: Mercer | Winthrop

Big South Success
The Bears are 2-0 against Big South opponents this season. Mercer defeated Campbell on a game-winning shot by the final score of 58-57 in Buies Creek, N.C. on Nov. 30. The Bears also upended Big South foe UNC Asheville on Sunday in Asheville, N.C. by the final score of 67-56. The Southern Conference is 8-5 against the Big South this season.

Creeping on Milestones
The Bears are nearing several milestones, most notably Coach Gardner inching towards 300 career wins. Sydni Means is just nine assists shy of 500 career assists, while Kahlia Lawrence is 180 points away from the 2,000-point plateau. Rachel Selph rounds out the milestone watch, needing 27 more blocks to reach 100 career blocks.

1st and 3rd
The Bears' top quarters appear to be the first and the third quarters of each game. Mercer is outscoring opponents 151-111 in the opening quarter, while also holding a 199-135 advantage in the third frame. Mercer averages 19.9 points in the third quarter accounting for just over 30 percent of its offense in the third stanza.

Last Time Out
The Bears earned their fifth consecutive win on Sunday, besting UNC Asheville by the final score of 67-56 to improve to 8-2 on the season. Mercer overcame a three-point deficit at the end of the first quarter to tie the game by halftime. The Bears then outscored the Bulldogs, 38-27, in the final two quarters to claim the 11-point advantage. With the win, Mercer improved to 4-4 all-time against Asheville.

Kahlia Lawrence led the Bears with her first double-double of the season and ninth of her career. Lawrence finished with a game-high 23 points while pulling down a game-best 10 rebounds. Amanda Thompson chipped in 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, while Sydni Means added nine points and six assists.

Series History
The Bears hold an 8-3 overall record against the Eagles of Winthrop. Mercer defeated Winthrop in last season's meeting, 71-48 in Rock Hill, S.C. The Bears are 1-1 against the Eagles under the guidance of Coach Gardner. Neither team has won consecutive games in the series since Mercer claimed back-to-back meetings in 2001 (67-49) and 2003 (64-58).

Clipping the Eagles
Winthrop enters Sunday's showdown with a 1-8 overall record. The Eagles have dropped six consecutive contests, most recently falling to No. 14 Duke by the final score of 101-30. Winthrop is 0-2 against Southern Conference opponents this season, falling to ETSU (74-63) and Wofford (73- 68). The Eagles dropped the five-point contest to the Terriers in overtime.

Winthrop is led in scoring by Kayla Brown, averaging 11.5 points per game. Emily Kelley ranks second on the team in points per game, averaging 8.2 points. Winthrop is led in rebounds by Ronata Rogers, averaging 7.7 boards per contest while chipping in for 7.1 points.

The Eagles average just 51.8 points per game, yielding 75.7 points to opponents. On the season, Winthrop has netted .324 percent of its shots, including .282 percent from downtown. The Eagles have the tendency to turn the ball over, averaging 21.9 turnovers per game, while forcing 15.7 from the defensive side.

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.

Women’s Basketball Begins Three-Game Home Stand on Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Kahlia Lawrence

Sydni Means

Rachel Selph

Amanda Thompson

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