Mercer Caps Calendar Year Versus Jacksonville

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer Women's Basketball team will play its final game of 2019 when Jacksonville comes to Hawkins Arena on Sunday for a 2 p.m. tipoff.

BEAR NECESSITIES
Date: Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019 | 2 p.m.
Teams: Mercer (3-9) vs. Jacksonville (7-5)
Location: Macon, Ga. | Hawkins Arena
Live Stats: mercerbears.com/livestats
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Craig Lawson and Sybil Blalock
Radio: 100.9 "The Creek", Sports Mic
Radio Talent: Rick Cameron
Twitter Updates: @Mercer_WBB
Game Notes: Mercer | Jacksonville
Promotion: N/A

A Decade of Dominance
As the 2010s come to a close, you can see the upward trend of the program since head coach Susie Gardner took the reins in 2010. Not only has Gardner become the winningest coach in program history with a record of 172-127, but her teams have also been some of the best on the court since Mercer added women's basketball in the 1970s.

Under Gardner, the Bears of the 2010s have the most conference wins out of any decade in program history with 89, as well as posting the second-best totals in wins and winning percentage (.575 pct.), trailing only the 1970s in both categories.

Mercer captured the last four four SoCon regular season crowns and two tournament titles after joining the conference for the 2014-15 season.

One Man's Trash…
The Bears have been opportunistic with their offense through the early portion of the 2019-20 campaign, averaging 19.3 points per game off turnovers. Mercer has reached double digits in points off turnovers in all 12 games so far while eclipsing the 20-point mark five times.

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 (2.8 spg), rebounds (7.6 rpg) and blocks (1.3 bpg) while ranking second in scoring (13.4 ppg).

The John's Creek, Ga., native currently ranks eighth all-time in blocks at Mercer with 65 denials, three shy of tying Christy Cogley for seventh. Additionally, she recorded the 100th assist and steal of her career last game against Gardner-Webb.

Last Time Out
Mercer was unable to take advantage of double-doubles from Shannon Titus and Jaron Dougherty as the Bears dropped a hard-fought 65-62 decision to Gardner-Webb on Dec. 20.

While the Bears lost the turnover battle for just the third time this year, 22-16, they recorded at least 20 assists for just the second time and shot 41.0 percent (25-of-61) from the floor and 45.5 percent (5-of-11) from beyond-the-arc. The Orange and Black also outrebounded GW, 37-34, while generating eight steals and four blocks.

Defensively, Mercer limited Gardner-Webb to shoot 35.5 percent (22-of-62) from the floor. The Runnin' Bulldogs capitalized on their free throw opportunities, however, going 13-of-15 (86.7 percent) from the charity stripe. Additionally, GW hit eight treys at a rate of 40.0 percent and garnered 16 second-chance points off 12 offensive rebounds.

Dougherty posted her fourth double-double of the season with a game-high 21 points and 13 rebounds, marking her fourth 20-point performance of the year as well.

Titus finished with 10 points and 10 boards for her third double-double of the season and contributed two assists and a steal. Amoria Neal-Tysor finished with 12 points and an assist, going 5-of-10 from the floor and 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Summer Pahl totaled eight points and collected five boards, while Jill Harris and Tia Benvenuti dished out a team-high five assists.

Series History
Mercer will be facing Jacksonville for just the second time since leaving the ASUN, having also played the Dolphins last season. Jacksonville owns an 18-15 edge in the all-time series, while Mercer has won 4-of-the-last-7 meetings.

Last season, the Dolphins used a 27-point fourth quarter to edge out the Bears, 71-66, on their home court. Amanda Thompson posted team highs with 16 points and 11 rebounds in one of her 16 double-doubles on the year, while Shannon Titus added 13 points and seven boards.

Four Dolphins reached double figures in the game with Kiara Meeks dropping a game-high 21 points. Rolanda Hayes (16 pts.), Trudy Walker (12 pts.) and Jasmyn Brown (10 pts.) also reached that plateau, while Walker's nine boards paced the squad.

Scouting the Dolphins
Jacksonville is currently on an upward trend in their roller coaster of a season, winning its last three games.

The Dolphins will be Mercer's seventh opponent this season with at least a .500 record at 7-5. Destiny Marshall (14.2 ppg) and Shakayla Nevitt (13.3 ppg) are the only two players for Jacksonville averaging double-digit points, while Jada Perry (8.5 rpg), Shalonda Neely (5.7 rpg) and Marshall (5.3 rpg) are all averaging more than five boards per contest.

Jacksonville was slated seventh of nine teams in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll and sixth in the media poll.

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 Caps Calendar Year Versus Jacksonville

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Players Mentioned

Tia Benvenuti

Jaron Dougherty

Jill Harris

Amoria Neal-Tysor

Summer Pahl

Amanda Thompson

Shannon Titus

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