Mercer Set for Black Friday Test at App. State

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer Women's Basketball team returns to the hardwood on Black Friday as the Bears travel to Appalachian State for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff.

Both teams have struggled throughout the early part of the season as they enter the matchup on five-game losing skids.

BEAR NECESSITIES
Date: Friday, Nov. 29, 2019 | 6:30 p.m.
Teams: Mercer (1-5) at Appalachian State (0-5)
Location: Boone, N.C. | Holmes Convocation Center
Live Stats: appstatesports.com
TV: appstatesports.com
Twitter Updates: @Mercer_WBB
Game Notes: Mercer | Appalachian State

Protect The Rock
Possession has been a key to the offensive gameplan for the Bears throughout the early portion of the 2019-20 campaign as Mercer has held the advantage in turnovers in five of its first six games. In total, the Black and Orange own a 133-94 edge when it comes to taking care of the basketball.

Den Of Thieves
Mercer has been one of the most disruptive defensive units to play against this season, creating 83 steals through its first six games. At a clip of 13.8 steals per game the Bears rank 10th nationally and first in the SoCon in average steals and 5th in the country in total thefts.

The Bears have been ferocious as an entire unit, owning three of the top four individual steals leaders in the SoCon. Shannon Titus (20) leads the SoCon and ranks 11th nationally in steals, while Jaron Dougherty (14) and Jordan McLaughlin (13) rank third and fourth in the conference, respectively.

Last game, Mercer tallied 18 steals against Eastern Kentucky for its second-most in a single game this season.

Block Party
In addition to leading the Southern Conference in steals, the Bears have also been one of the best rim protecting teams in the conference. Mercer has blocked 21 shots (3.5 per game), trailing only ETSU for the most in the SoCon.

Jaron Dougherty's seven blocks leads Mercer and ranks fourth in the conference, while her 1.2 blocks per game is the third-best rate in the SoCon.

Trust the Titus Touch
Junior Shannon Titus has been one of the bright spots for the Bears through the early part of the 2019-20 campaign, leading the team in steals (20) and ranking second in scoring (11.8 ppg) and rebounding (3.0 rpg). The Johns Creek, Ga., native recorded her first double-double of the season on Sunday against Eastern Kentucky with 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. She added a personal best seven steals in the contest.

Last Time Out
Mercer dropped a heartbreaking 61-60 game in overtime to Eastern Kentucky on Sunday as the Bears returned home from a tough three-game road trip.

Mercer entered the fourth quarter down by seven but erased the deficit with just less than eight minutes remaining at 33 apiece following a McLaughlin fast-break layup. Neither side held more than a four-point advantage throughout the rest of regulation as the Bears headed into overtime for the first time this season. The home team's offense came to life at the start of the extra period, sprinting out to a 5-0 run through the first 1:13.

The Bears built a six point edge with 2:11 remaining in overtime after Dougherty completed a three-point play, but a 10-0 run by EKU pushed the visiting Colonels ahead. Mercer had a chance at the end of the game but was unable to complete the comeback.

Dougherty paced the offense with 15 points, followed closely by McLaughlin (14 points) and Titus (13 points). Titus recorded her first double-double of the season and third of her career with a career-high 14 rebounds, along wiht a personal best seven steals.

Series History
The Mercer-Appalachian State series is limited in size and modernity with the only two matchups being played in the '80s. The Mountaineers came out on top in both of those meetings, the most recent coming in 1988.

In the only meeting in Boone, N.C., Appalachian State escaped with a 69-64 victory.

Scouting the Mountaineers
Appalachian State has sputtered in the early going, being winless through the first five games of the 2019-20 season. The Mountaineers opened with three road tests at VCU (L, 66-38), Elon (L, 67-66 (OT)) and No. 6 South Carolina (92-50) before returning to Boone, N.C., to face Gardner-Webb (L, 67-56) and ETSU (L, 67-61).

The Mountaineers' leading scorer is Pre Stanley who is the only double-digit scorer on the team at an average of 17.2 points per game. Bayley Plummer is averaging 10.8 rebounds per game to lead the team, along with recording the most blocked shots on the team with eight. Ashley Polacek paces App. State with seven steals on the year and is the most lethal deep threat with seven treys.

Appalachian State was picked fifth in the Preseason Sun Belt. Plummer was voted to the All-Sun Belt Preseason Second Team, while Stanley garnered third team honors.

Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Women's Basketball, please follow the Bears on social media at @Mercer_WBB (Twitter), /MercerWBB(Facebook) and @MercerWBB (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.

Mercer Set for Black Friday Test at App. State

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jaron Dougherty

Jordan McLaughlin

Shannon Titus

Footer

Mercer University Athletics