Bears Look to Bounce Back at Western Carolina Wednesday Night

Wednesday, January 10

Cullowhee, N.C.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

Western Carolina

Bears Look to Bounce Back at Western Carolina Wednesday Night

1/9/2018 10:45:00 AM | Men's Basketball

By: Will Tharp

MACON, Ga. – Mercer's men's basketball team looks to snap a two-game losing streak as the Bears travel to Cullowhee, N.C., to take on the Western Carolina Catamounts Wednesday, Jan. 10. Tipoff for the Southern Conference tilt is 7 p.m. (ET) at the Ramsey Center.

GAMEDAY LINEUP
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018 | 7 p.m. (ET)
Teams: Mercer (7-8, 0-2 SoCon) vs. Western Carolina (6-9, 1-2 SoCon)
Location: Cullowhee, N.C. | Ramsey Center
Live Stats: MercerBears.com/LiveStats
TV: ESPN3
Radio: 97.3 FM, 103.3 FM, iHeart Radio and Sports Mic – Rick Cameron
Twitter Updates: @MercerMBB

SERIES HISTORY
• Overall: Western Carolina leads 7-6 in the series
• In Cullowhee: Mercer trails 2-3 on the road
• In Macon: Western Carolina leads 4-1 in the series
• Neutral: Mercer holds a 3-0 record on neutral grounds
• Current Streak: W2
• Last Meeting: W, 62-47 in Macon (1/30/17)

BEAR NECESSITIES
About The Catamounts
WCU enters Tuesday's contest with an overall record of 6-9 and a 2-1 ledger in the SoCon. The Catamounts defeated The Citadel (81-79) and UT-Chattanooga (75-63) before losing to Samford 85-71 on the road this past Saturday night. Junior forward Mike Amius tops the Catamounts in scoring with an 11.5 per game average, followed by Deriece Parks' 10.5 per game mark. Mercer and WCU have one common opponent thus far this season – Hiwassee. The Bears defeated Hiwassee 90-53 on Nov. 26 in Macon, while WCU knocked off Hiwassee 76-57 Nov. 15 in Cullowhee. Marc Gosselin is WCU's leading rebounder, pulling down 5.6 boards per outing. Senior guard Devin Peterson is one of the SoCon's top playmakers. He ranks 2^nd in the league in assist/turnover ratio (2.5), having dished out 45 assists while committing just 18 turnovers. Veteran coach Larry Hunter is in his 13^th season at the WCU helm and his 25^th year overall as a head coach. At WCU Coach Hunter has compiled a 186-219 record. He spent 12 seasons as head coach at Ohio University, where he was 204-148, making his overall head coaching mark stand at 390-367.

Series History
In a series that dates back to the 1978 season, Mercer trails 6-7 in games against Western Carolina. The Bears are 2-3 vs. WCU at Cullowhee and 1-4 against the Catamounts in Macon. Mercer has won all three of the neutral site meetings. In Southern Conference play, Mercer is 2-4 vs. the Catamounts; however, the Bears have won the last two meetings, including a 62-47 decision on 1/30/17 at Macon and a 70-50 triumph on 1/21/17 at Cullowhee.

Bears Held in High Regard
Mercer was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the Southern Conference men's championship by the league's head coaches. The Bears were narrow favorites to claim the SoCon crown, tallying four first-place votes and 71 total points with Samford a close runner-up, earning three first-place votes and 70 total points.

Where the Bears Rank in Southern Conference Statistics
Here's a look at where the Bears' rank near the top of the latest edition of the SoCon men's basketball statistics:

Team Statistics

1^st in rebounding defense (29.6)
2^nd in rebounding margin (+4.5)
2nd in field goal% (48.2%)
2nd in 3-pt. field goal% (42.4%) – 7th in NCAA
2nd in free throw% (74.2%)
3rd in assist/turnover ratio (1.2)
4th in scoring margin (+9.3)
4th in scoring offense (78.5)
4th in assists (15.8)

Individual Statistics (player must appear in at least 75% of team's games)

Ria'n Holland – 2nd in 3-pt. field goal% (53.4%) – 3rd in NCAA
Ria'n Holland – 2^nd in scoring (20.2)
Ria'n Holland – 3rd in 3-pt. field goals made per game (3.3)
Stephon Jelks – 2nd in defensive rebounds (5.6)
Stephon Jelks – 3^rd in 3-pt. field goal% (52.6%)
Stephon Jelks – 4th in field goal% (58.9%)
Stephon Jelks – 4^th in rebounding (7.1)
Jordan Strawberry – 3rd in assist/turnover ratio (2.4)
Demetre Rivers – 4th in free throw% (88.1%)

Holland & Jelks Rank High Nationally in Offensive Efficiency
In games played through Jan. 7, Ria'n Holland is rated #7 and Stephon Jelks is rated #15 in the nation in Offensive Efficiency according to Ken Pomeroy, a nationally acclaimed basketball statistician who produces the website Kenpom.com. Holland has an Offensive Efficiency rating of 136.7 while Jelks' rating is 134.4. The Offensive Efficiency rating is based upon a formula that examines total offensive possessions and individual points produced. The four components that make up the total offensive possessions include scoring possessions, missed field goal possessions, missed free throw possessions and turnovers.

Holland Ranks as one of the SoCon's Best Performers
Despite missing three games earlier this season due to injury, Holland has exhibited the type of play indicative of an all-conference performer. Holland was named the Southern Conference Player of the Week for his performance in the team's opening two games. He went for 31 points in the 88-79 loss at Central Florida and then came back with a 16-point effort in the victory over Toccoa Falls. That 31-point effort vs. UCF was at the time, the second-highest output in his Mercer career. The 6-0 product of Fayetteville, N.C., had scored a career-best 32 points last season vs. The Citadel, before eclipsing that mark with a 33-point career-high effort Dec. 17 at La Salle, a game in which he drained 10 of 19 field goal attempts, including six of nine from three point range. Holland was named to the Paradise Jam All-Tournament team as he averaged 18.3 points during the three-game stretch, including a 29-point effort in the victory over Drexel. The 6-0 senior went for 24 points on seven of 10 shooting from the field, including six of eight behind the three point arc in the victory over Florida A&M. Holland played superbly in an 80-79 nail biting loss at Alabama Dec. 19, tallying 21 points. His 20 points led all scorers in the Dec. 28 triumph over Kennesaw State. In the 12 games that he has played, he leads the team in scoring (20.2), which ranks 2^nd in the SoCon and is the league's second leading three-point field goal shooter at 53.4%, which ranks 3^rd in the NCAA. Holland was 1^st nationally in that category before he experienced an uncharacteristic 0-6 three-point shooting performance in Saturday's loss at Furman. Holland has scored in double figures in 39 of the 44 career games he has played at Mercer, including all 12 games this season.

This and That
Mercer continues to rank among the nation's leaders in three point marksmanship despite a subpar performance against Furman, when the Bears were just 3-17 from behind the arc, including 0-8 in the second half. The Bears are 2^nd in the SoCon in three-point shooting % (42.4%), which ranks 7th in the NCAA … Mercer shot a season-best 60.3% from the field in the Bears' win over Kennesaw State. Mercer broke open a fairly close contest by hitting a blazing 72.4% of its field goal attempts in the second half of that contest. On the flip side, the Bears hit a season-low 39.2% from the floor in the Dec. 31 loss to East Tennessee State … The Bears are second in the SoCon in field goal shooting, knocking down 48.2% of their attempts … Mercer is also 2^nd in the conference in free throw shooting, making 74.2% of their charity tosses … Demetre Rivers is playing his best basketball of the season the past few outings. Rivers tallied a season-high 24 points vs. Alabama. In that contest, the senior connected on six of eight field goal attempts, including three of four behind the arc, and nailed nine of 10 free throw attempts. Rivers helped ignite a furious rally for the Bears down the stretch, scoring five points in the closing seconds to almost lead Mercer to the upset win over the Crimson Tide. Rivers tallied 11 points in the victory vs. Kennesaw State and his spectacular shot block that landed up in the stands earned the #2 rating on the Dec. 28 edition of ESPN's SportsCenter Top 10 Plays of the Day. Rivers is the team's leading free throw shooter (88.1%), which ranks 4th in the SoCon and the team's second leading point producer (10.1) … Stephon Jelks turned in a season-high 22 point effort vs. La Salle. In that contest, the 6-7 senior was seven of eight from the floor, including three of four behind the arc, and a perfect five for five from the charity stripe. Jelks flirted with a triple-double in the win over Florida A&M, scoring 12 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and handing out seven assists in that contest. Jelks leads the club in rebounding (7.1), which ranks 4^th in the SoCon and is the Bears' 3rd leading scorer (9.9). He also has been extremely accurate scoring the basketball, hitting 58.9% of his field goal attempts (best on the team and 4th best in the SoCon) and hitting 84.6% of his charity tosses. Jelks is knocking down 52.5% of his three point tries, which ranks 3rd in the Southern Conference … Senior Desmond Ringer is coming off two outstanding performances. The 6-8 post man delivered a double-double showing vs. ETSU, a game in which he tallied 10 points and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds. Against Furman, Ringer equaled his career-high with 22 points on seven of eight shooting from the field and a perfect eight for eight at the free throw line. Ringer is averaging 8.1 points per game and is shooting 84.2% from the free throw line … Jordan Strawberry continues to rank among the SoCon leaders in assist/turnover ratio (2.4), which ranks third in the league. The senior guard has dished out 57 assists (3.8 per game/6th in the league) while committing just 24 turnovers. Strawberry played an extremely efficient floor game in the win over Kennesaw State, handing out seven assists with no turnovers. He is also Mercer's 4^th leading scorer with 8.5 per game average. Strawberry only played four minutes against Furman due to an illness … Freshman Marcus Cohen came off the bench for the ailing Strawberry against Furman and turned in a career-best 14-point performance … The Bears are receiving other strong contributions off the bench. Ethan Stair is averaging 6.9 points and 2.2 rebounds per outing. Cohen (5.5 ppg), Cory Kilby (4.1 ppg), and Jaylen Stowe (3.5 ppg) are all averaging 13 or more minutes of playing time per contest. Kilby came off the bench to contribute 11 points vs. Kennesaw State … Mercer has four players hitting 80% or better from the free throw line, including Rivers (88.1%); Jelks (84.6%); Ringer (84.2%); and Holland (82.3%).

Senior Leadership
Six seniors return from last year's team. Those senior leaders include: Desmond Ringer, Jordan Strawberry, Ria'n Holland, Demetre Rivers, Rashad Lewis, and Stephon Jelks. Holland is the team's leading returning scorer at 17.2 points per game; Jelks paced the club with 6.7 rebounds per outing; while Strawberry dished out a team-best 4.3 assists per contest.

Speaking of Seniors
Mercer is one of only two teams in the nation to start five seniors this season, with Texas Tech being the other. The Bears are currently 7-8 on the year and were rated in the CollegeInsider.com Top 25 Mid-Major poll for the majority of the early portion of the season, while the Red Raiders of the Big 12 Conference sport a 14-1 record and are currently ranked No. 8 in this week's Associated Press poll.

Returning Firepower
Mercer returns all five starters from last season's club. Those five starters – Ria'n Holland, Jordan Strawberry, Demetre Rivers, Desmond Ringer, and Stephon Jelks – combined to score a total of 1,744 of the team's 2,269 points on the season. That translates to nearly 77% of the Bears' offensive output from last year. In total, nine players are back from the 2016-17 team.

Preseason Watch List
Holland was named to the 2017-18 Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List, as announced by CollegeInsider.com earlier this season. The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the nation's top NCAA Division I mid-major player. Holland is one of 51 mid-major players included on the preseason watch list. The award is named after Lou Henson, who coached college basketball for 41 years and was sixth all-time in career Division I wins (779) when he left the game in 2005. Holland is one of four players from SoCon teams included on the watch list. Players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro-Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt and West Coast. The winner of the 2017-18 Lou Henson Award will be announced on March 31, 2018 at the CollegeInsider.com Awards Event in San Antonio, Texas, the site of the men's NCAA Basketball Championship.

Holland was also named to the preseason All-Southern Conference team as selected by the league's coaches prior to the start of this year.

Coach Hoffman-Led Bears Own 10 Power Conference Wins
Under Head Coach Bob Hoffman's leadership, Mercer has posted some impressive victories over power conference programs. Two of those victories have come against Alabama; both times on the Crimson Tide's home court in Tuscaloosa. The Bears' most celebrated power conference victory came against No. 6 Duke in the NCAA Championship Tournament, when Mercer knocked off the Blue Devils 78-71 on March 21, 2014 in Raleigh, N.C. Most recently on this win list, Mercer defeated Arkansas 69-66 on Dec. 19, 2015 in Fayetteville, Ark.
Here's a complete list of Mercer's power conference wins under Coach Hoffman:

Mercer 69, Arkansas 66 – December 19, 2015 – Fayetteville, Arkansas
Mercer 78, Duke 71 – March 21, 2014 – Raleigh, North Carolina
Mercer 79, Ole Miss 76 – December 22, 2013 – Oxford, Mississippi
Mercer 77, Seton Hall 74 – November 16, 2013 – Macon, Georgia
Mercer 75, Tennessee 67 – March 20, 2013 – Knoxville, Tennessee
Mercer 66, Alabama 59 – December 22, 2012 – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Mercer 61, Florida State 56 – December 2, 2012 – Tallahassee, Florida
Mercer 65, Georgia Tech 59 – December 22, 2010 – Atlanta, Georgia
Mercer 78, Auburn 74 – November 19, 2008 – Auburn, Alabama
Mercer 72, Alabama 69 – November 16, 2008 – Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Coach Hoffman Closing In On 500 Victories
Mercer head coach Bob Hoffman has certainly achieved a great deal of success during his coaching career and he is closing in on a milestone that will only add to his list of superlative accomplishments. Coach Hoffman heads into Wednesday's SoCon contest against Western Carolina with 497 victories at the collegiate men's level, just three shy of 500. Coach Hoffman accumulated 243 wins as the head coach at Oklahoma Baptist from 1990-99; 68 victories while at Texas Pan-American (1999-2004); and he has won 186 games as Mercer's head coach (2008-present). Coach Hoffman has led Mercer to unprecedented success during his tenure with the Bears. The two-time Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year has directed Mercer to 18 post-season victories and 10 power conference wins. Twice the Bears have won a school-record 27 games (2011-12 and 2013-14) under his leadership.

What's Next
Mercer returns home to host SoCon foe Samford Saturday, Jan. 13. Tipoff time is set for 4 p.m. at Hawkins Arena.

How to Follow the Bears:
For complete coverage of Mercer Basketball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerMBB (Twitter), /MercerBasketball (Facebook) and @Mercer_MBB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.

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