Strong Fourth Quarter Propels Mercer to 60-57 Win Over Kennesaw State

Monday, December 19

Kennesaw, GA

4 PM

Mercer University

4-6,0-0SoCon

Kennesaw State University

3-7,0-0ASUN

Mercer

Kennesaw St.

Strong Fourth Quarter Propels Mercer to 60-57 Win Over Kennesaw State

12/19/2022 7:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Mercer used 19-4 run to take nine-point lead in the fourth quarter

KENNESAW, Ga. – Down one entering the fourth quarter, Mercer used a 19-4 run to take a nine-point lead and closed out a 60-57 win over Kennesaw State on Monday evening in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Mercer shot 46 percent from the field to Kennesaw State's 33 percent. Each team struggled from three-point range as Mercer went 2-for-9 (22%) and Kennesaw State 2-for-16 (13 %).

Amoria Neal-Tysor led all scorers with 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting to go with six rebounds and two assists. Freshman Enjulina Gonzalez tied her career-high with 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting with three rebounds and three assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Mercer made a couple of changes to its starting lineup. Ashlee Locke and Enjulina Gonzalez each made their first starts of the season. A layup by Locke followed by a jump shot from Gonzalez made it a 10-10 game midway through the opening quarter. Neal-Tysor had seven points in the first quarter, but the Bears found themselves down 22-16 through the first 10 minutes.

Neither team could get into an offensive rhythm in the second quarter. The Bears played without Neal-Tysor and Jaron Dougherty for the entire second quarter as each were in foul trouble. However, the Bears did shoot 5-for-11 (45.5%) from the field in the quarter but their five turnovers in the quarter limited their shot attempts.

After a layup from Nigeria Harkless cut Kennesaw State's lead to 27-24, the Owls would score the next six points to stretch their lead to nine.

Down seven in the opening minutes of the third quarter, Mercer used a 10-2 run to briefly take the lead at 41-40. The Bears held Kennesaw State to just nine third quarter points on 3-of-16 shooting.

In the fourth quarter, the Owls scored the first five points before Mercer went on a 19-4 run to go up 60-51 with under two minutes to play and take control of the game. The first six points of the run came from the free-throw line and a transition 3-pointer from Houpt – her first of the game – gave Mercer a three-point lead at 50-47.

We are on a 9-0 run after this 3 from @erin_houpt10!#UsVsUs | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/C4f893Ia2f
— Mercer Women's Basketball (@Mercer_WBB) December 19, 2022

Mercer made four of its last five field goals of the game and were an efficient 6-of-10 from the field in the quarter. Kennesaw State had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, but their 3-point shot was no good.

COACH GARDNER ON THE GAME
"It was a game of runs. We made plays at the end. We had some mistakes that almost cost us the game, but I think we put ourselves in a great position when we went ahead. We needed that win quite honestly."

COACH GARDNER ON EARLY FOURTH QUARTER TIMEOUT BEFORE THE 19-4 RUN
"It was more strategy; we weren't doing something on defense that I wanted us to do. We were talking about doing a better job with our defense. I thought we took away some of the things that they were hurting us with. We got some open court shots. Erin hit a huge three to put us up during that stretch."

NOTABLES

As a team, Mercer had 15 assists in the game, its second most in a game this season.
In her first career start, freshman Enjulina Gonzalez tied her career high with 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting.
Mercer shot 13-26 (50%) in the second half to Kennesaw State's 8-of-30 (26.7%).
It is win number 399 in coach Gardner's career.

UP NEXT:
Mercer returns home to host Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday, Dec. 21. Tip off is scheduled for 5 p.m. from Hawkins Arena.

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