Bears Force Overtime Behind Career Day From Gonzalez But Fall 78-70 to Chattanooga

Saturday, January 14

Chattanooga, TN

2 PM

Mercer University

6-11,2-2SoCon

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

10-8,2-1SoCon

OT 1

Mercer

Chattanooga

Bears Force Overtime Behind Career Day From Gonzalez But Fall 78-70 to Chattanooga

1/14/2023 5:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Freshman Enjulina Gonzalez had a career-high 34 points

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Mercer freshman guard Enjulina Gonzalez set an early career-high with 34 points and Mercer battled back from a double-digit halftime deficit to force overtime, but ultimately came up on the short end in a 78-70 overtime defeat at Chattanooga on Saturday.

Enjulina Gonzalez was efficient shooting the ball on her way to her 34 points as she was 15-for-21 (71.4%) from the floor. In addition to her 34 points, Gonzalez had four rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal. Her 34 points are the second most points scored by a SoCon player in a game this season.

Thanks in large part to Gonzalez's 34 points, Mercer outscored Chattanooga 44-0 in bench points.

Each team shot the ball well from the floor as Mercer was 31-for-58 (53.8%) and Chattanooga was 27-for-55 (49.1%) from the floor. One difference in the game was the three-point line, as Mercer was 0-for-5 and Chattanooga was 6-for-14 (42.9%).

The Bears turned a 12-point halftime deficit into a 4-point lead with two and a half minutes remaining in the game. Gonzalez tied the game at 58 with 15 seconds remaining. Then, on the ensuing Chattanooga possession, Ashlee Locke came up with a huge block to send the game to overtime.

Big time block from @ashleelocke22 and we are heading to OT!#UsVsUs | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/KOeMtnkxpI
— Mercer Women's Basketball (@Mercer_WBB) January 14, 2023

HOW IT HAPPENED
Chattanooga jumped out to an 8-2 lead. Then, back-to-back jump shots by Nigeria Harkless and Brittany Reeves tied the game up at eight.

Down 20-18 early in the second quarter, the Bears hit a dry spell offensively for over five minutes and found themselves down 30-18. Chattanooga would keep its 12-point lead going into halftime at 34-22.

Mercer owned the final five minutes of the third quarter to give itself a chance going into the fourth quarter. Over the final five minutes of the third quarter Mercer outscored Chattanooga 12-6 and went on an 8-0 run over that span to cut Chattanooga's lead to 44-40 going into the fourth quarter. Gonzalez scored or assisted on Mercer's last eight points of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter was tightly contested. With under four minutes to play, a layup from Gonzalez gave Mercer its first lead at 52-50, its first lead of the game since late in the first quarter when the Bears led 10-8.

Gonzalez's layup with 15 seconds to play tied the game at 58. Ashlee Locke came up with a clutch block in the paint to prevent a game-winning shot from Chattanooga and send the game to overtime.

In the five-minute overtime period, Chattanooga missed just one shot, going 5-for-6 from the field, including 2-for-2 from three-point range. Meanwhile, Mercer was 4-for-7 from the field.

The Mocs connected on their first three shots in overtime to take a 68-62 lead. Mercer got within three at 73-70 with 34 seconds remaining, but Chattanooga knocked down its free throws to get the win.

COACH GARDNER ON TEAM'S FIGHT TO FORCE OT
"The fight was there to fight back from I think 14 points down, and we gave ourselves a chance. We got up four with two and a half minutes to go. But unfortunately, in the overtime we gave up 20 points in five minutes. So, when we needed stops, we didn't get stops in overtime."

COACH GARDNER ON ENJULINA GONZALEZ'S PERFORMANCE
"We know what Anjy [Enjulina] can do. She does it in practice. We just weren't having any success from anyone else, and I just felt like, 'Let's just go to Anjy and see how that works,' and it was working, so we just kept going to her over and over. So, really proud of her. She got us back in the game. She showed what she can do and hopefully that will carry on for her the rest of the season."

NOTABLES

Gonzalez's 34 points not only are a career-high for her but are the most points scored by a Mercer player in a game since Amoria Neal-Tysor had 34 points last season in the SoCon Tournament Quarterfinal against Western Carolina.
Mercer outscored Chattanooga 44-0 in bench points.
Mercer's 31 made field goals are tied for the second most it's made in a game this season.

UP NEXT:
Mercer returns home to play the Samford Bulldogs on Saturday, January 21. Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET from Hawkins Arena. Samford is currently undefeated in SoCon play at 4-0.

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.