Dougherty's Career-High Not Enough in 91-81 Defeat to FGCU

Wednesday, December 21

Macon, Ga.

5 PM

Mercer University

4-7,0-0SoCon

Florida Gulf Coast University

10-2,0-0ASUN

FGCU

Mercer

Dougherty's Career-High Not Enough in 91-81 Defeat to FGCU

12/21/2022 10:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Each team shot better than 50% from the floor in a high-scoring affair

MACON, Ga. - Jaron Dougherty had a career-high 32 points in Mercer's 91-81 defeat to Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday evening from Hawkins Arena.

Each team shot better than 50 percent from the floor, FGCU shot 59 percent to Mercer's 55 percent in the high scoring affair.

Dougherty scored her 32 points on 14-of-19 shooting and attempted just three 3-pointers, making two of them and was 2-for-3 from the free-throw line. She also had a game-high seven rebounds.

Amoria Neal-Tysor and Erin Houpt also scored in double figures for the Bears. Neal-Tysor had 20 points on 9-of-19 shooting with five assists. Houpt had 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting including 4-for-6 from 3-point range. Together, Dougherty, Neal-Tysor, and Houpt combined to score 68 of Mercer's 81 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After starting 1-for-3 from the field, the Bears would make their next seven shots from the field and would take an 18-12 just over five minutes into the first quarter. All five starters for Mercer scored during the hot streak from the field to open the game.

FGCU scored eight of the last 10 points in the first quarter to tie the game at 20 after the first quarter.

Neither team could gain separation throughout most of the second quarter as the teams were tied at 36 with two minutes until halftime. FGCU once again closed the quarter strong and took a 44-39 lead into halftime. Each team shot better than 60 percent from the floor in the first half.

Dougherty scored the first five points of the third quarter for the Bears before Neal-Tysor went on to score the next eight for Mercer. The two combined to score 15 of Mercer's 19 third quarter points.

After a FGCU 3-pointer stretched the Eagles lead to the largest of the game at 65-52, Mercer would score the last six points of the quarter to put itself in a better position to get the win heading into the fourth quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter Dougherty scored 13 consecutive points for the Bears, but Mercer was still trailing by seven at 83-76 with under two minutes to play. The Bears couldn't get enough defensive stops to grab the win. Dougherty scored 15 of her 32 points in the fourth quarter.

NOTABLES

Mercer's 81 points on 34 made field goals were both season-highs
Entering the game Jaron Dougherty's season-high in points was 13. Her 19 shot attempts were a season-high after only taking more than 10 shots in a game twice before the game.
Mercer and FGCU had identical numbers in four different statistical categories: 3FG%: 50%, FT%: 67%, turnovers: 13, and rebounds: 28

UP NEXT
Mercer will play the second game of the home-and-home series at Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday, Dec. 29 in Fort Myers, Florida. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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.