Bears, Hawkeyes Set to Clash in NCAA First Round

Friday, March 22

Iowa City, Iowa

2 p.m.

Mercer University

Iowa

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Photo by: Judy Stapleton

Bears, Hawkeyes Set to Clash in NCAA First Round

3/21/2019 12:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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No. 15-seeded Mercer will tip off against No. 2 Iowa at 2 p.m. (ET) Friday

By: Gerrit W. Van Genderen

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Mercer will face No. 2-seeded Iowa in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at 1 p.m. (CT)/2 p.m. (ET) on Friday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The afternoon contest will be aired regionally on ESPN2 in the Middle Georgia area and the state of Iowa. Those without access to the ESPN2 coverage can tune into the game using the Watch ESPN app or via the Mercer Sports Network, where "Voice of the Bears" Rick Cameron will have the call.

The winner of the first-round clash will advance to the second round and will play the winner of No. 7 Missouri (23-10) and No. 10 Drake (27-6) on Sunday, March 24 in Iowa City at a time yet to be determined.

BEAR NECESSITIES
Date/Time: Friday, March 22 | 1 p.m. (CT)/2 p.m. (ET)
Teams: #15 Mercer (25-7) vs. #2 Iowa (26-6)
Location: Iowa City, Iowa | Carver-Hawkeye Arena
Live Stats: Statbroadcast.com
TV: ESPN2/Watch ESPN
Radio: Mercer Sports Network (100.9 FM The Creek | Sportsmic)
Tickets: HawkeyeSports.com
Twitter Updates: @MercerWBB
Game Notes: Mercer | SoCon | Iowa | Big Ten

ABOUT THE GAME

Mercer is playing in its second consecutive NCAA Tournament under head coach Susie Gardner.
Friday will mark the first time that Mercer and Iowa have played.
This is Mercer's fifth straight postseason berth (NCAA: 2019, 2018; WNIT: 2017, 2016; WBI: 2015).
Mercer's five-woman senior class is the winningest class in program history, having amassed 104 career victories.
Amanda Thompson and KeKe Calloway are the SoCon Coaches and Media Players of the Year.
KeKe Calloway was named the SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Player after averaging 18.6 points during the Bears' three-game run to the title. She dropped 30 points in the title game against Furman on March 10.
Calloway is the Southern Conference's active leading scorer with 1,790 career points. Her 293 career three-pointers made are the third most in SoCon history.
Mercer has started the same five players in 31 of 32 games this season.
The Bears are riding a 17-game win streak dating back to Jan. 12.
Mercer is 2-2 all-time against current Big Ten Conference schools.

SCOUTING IOWA
The Hawkeyes have made 12 consecutive postseason appearances (10 NCAA, two WNIT) and enter Friday's first-round contest with a 26-6 overall record. Iowa earned a No. 2 seed after winning the Big Ten Conference Tournament on March 10 and owns a five-game win streak dating back to Feb. 25.

Iowa is led by senior center Megan Gustafson, the Big Ten Player of the Year as voted by the league's media and coaches. Gustafson is averaging 28.0 points and 13.3 rebounds per game and scored 45 points in the Hawkeyes' Big Ten Tournament title victory.

The Hawkeyes are led by head coach Lisa Bluder, who is in her 35th season as a head coach and 19th at Iowa. She is one of 10 NCAA Division I head coaches to win 700 games or more in her career.

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.