Defense Shines in Record-Setting Win over Covenant

Saturday, December 5

Macon, Ga.

2 P.M.

Mercer University

2-2,0-0SoCon

Covenant

0-0,0-0USA South

Covenant

Mercer

Photo by: Alex Keller

Defense Shines in Record-Setting Win over Covenant

12/5/2020 6:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Mercer’s 53-point margin of victory (78-25) tied a Hawkins Arena record.

By: Stephen Waldman

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer women's basketball team was clicking on all cylinders as it defeated Covenant 78-25 on Saturday afternoon at Hawkins Arena.

The Bears were dominant in nearly every facet of the game, holding advantages in field goal percentage (47.9-17.0), rebounds (53-32), offensive rebounds (19-12), assists (25-4), turnovers (14-25), steals (16-5), blocks (8-0), points off turnovers (23-4), points in the paint (38-12), second chance points (20-2), fast break points (26-2) and bench points (33-17).

Mercer's defense limited the Scots to 9-of-53 (17.0 percent) from the floor, including just 2-of-13 (15.4 percent) on 3-point attempts.

Individually, Shannon Titus led all scorers with 16 points on an efficient 8-of-9 night from the field, in addition to pulling down six rebounds, creating a game-high four steals and dishing out four assists. Jaron Dougherty posted her second double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds, making 5-of-10 shots in the game. Sierra Votaw added 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting for her first game in double figures for the Bears. The Harrells, N.C., native collected five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in the win. Allie Thayne contributed five points and three rebounds, in addition to blocking two shots. Naomi Van Nes scored a career-high nine points and added seven rebounds, including a game-high five on the offensive glass. Jill Harris' six assists were also a game-high.

How It Happened
Mercer was off and running from the opening whistle, scoring 11 of its first 15 points on the fast break. After trading baskets to open the game, the Bears sprinted out to a 15-2 lead with a 13-0 run over a three-and-a-half-minute stretch. Mercer extended its lead to 18 points by the end of the opening frame, and took a 41-14 edge into halftime.

The Bears were unrelenting in the third quarter, outscoring Covenant 22-2 while holding the Scots without a field goal in the period. The Orange and Black were able to put the depth of their team on full display in the fourth quarter as they cruised to victory.

Quotables – Head coach Susie Gardner
On the team's performance…
"Going into the game I was a little nervous about having a let down after playing teams like Georgia and Clemson. I thought Shannon Titus set the tone defensively by getting out, pressuring, denying and doing all of the things she always does. That type of defensive effort is contagious. Shannon shot the ball well and we got some good transition opportunities. We were hopeful that we could play everybody on the team significant minutes, and we were able to do so."

On fast break scoring…
"We had some fast break opportunities against Clemson in the last game, and we just made some really bad passes and decisions. So, we really worked on our transition offense and scoring with numbers on Friday. I felt like we did a much better job with that tonight. I feel like we're fast enough and have good enough athletes that run the floor that it is something we can do. And when our defense is playing as well as it did, we can get some steals and go."
On what a big win like this can do for the team…
"We are aware that Covenant is a Division III school, and I know that they're going to have a really good year in their conference. But, at the same time, we should win this game. I think what we needed one of these types of games where everyone can play and you can use different lineups since two of our first three games were so difficult."

Assistant Coach Ben Wierzba

Player of the Game
Shannon Titus got the Bears off to a quick start in the game with her length and ability to turn defense into offense. The Johns Creek, Ga., native finished with a game-high 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting to go along with six rebounds, four assists and four steals in 18+ minutes.

Shannon 𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 in the first half! 😎

1⃣6⃣ Pts.
8⃣-of-9⃣ FGs
5⃣ Reb.
4⃣ Stl.
2⃣ Ast.#DefineYourMoment | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/rf60X4gE4D
— Mercer Women's Basketball (@Mercer_WBB) December 5, 2020

Notables
» Mercer moved to 2-0 in Saturday games this season.
» Covenant's 25 points were the fewest allowed by Mercer in Hawkins Arena history and in the Susie Gardner era, surpassing the old low of 31 set by Lipscomb on Feb. 25, 2013.
» This was the 18th time in program history Mercer held an opponent to 30 or fewer points in a game.
» The Bears allowed the seventh-fewest points in program history and fewest since Jan. 12, 1973 (21 against Dekalb-Central).
» Mercer allowed 11 points in the second half, its fewest since Western Carolina scored 10 in the first half of the SoCon Quarterfinals matchup on March 7, 2019.
» The Bears surrendered just two points in the third quarter as Covenant went 0-of-12 from the floor.
» Mercer had nine different players score this afternoon, its most in a single game since Nov. 29, 2019 at Appalachian State.
» This was just the second time since the NCAA switched from halves to quarters in 2015-16 that Mercer allowed two points in a quarter, along with the fourth quarter against Howard on Dec. 21, 2017.
» Jaron Dougherty recorded her second double-double of the year and 10th of her career.
» Shannon Titus posted season highs in points (16), field goals made (8), steals (4) while tying her season high in assists (4).
» Titus' 88.9 field goal percentage (8-of-9) tied a Hawkins Arena record, set by Tanya Kessenich (8-of-9) against Kennesaw State on Jan. 26, 2006.
» Sierra Votaw reached double figures for the first time as a member of the Bears.
» Votaw recorded career highs in points (14), field goals made (6) and steals (2).
» Naomi Van Nes scored a career-high nine points in the game, going 4-of-8 from the floor.
» Van Nes also matched her career high in rebounds with seven.
» Sydneey Boykin made her collegiate debut for the Bears today, logging two assists in 10 minutes of action.
» Emily Stradling scored five points in the game, one off her career high.
» Kiana Barkhoff made multiple field goals for the third time in her career and first in a Mercer uniform.
» Eliza Snyder gathered a season-high four rebounds and recorded her first collegiate steal.
» Allie Thayne posted her first multi-block game as a member of the Bears.

Up Next
The Bears return to action on Dec. 13 when they welcome Alabama to Hawkins Arena for Alumni Day. The game against the Crimson Tide will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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.