Mercer Falls To Western Carolina In Defensive Standoff

Saturday, January 13

Macon, Ga.

2 p.m.

Mercer University

8-9,1-3SoCon

Western Carolina

15-2,4-0SoCon

Western Caro.

Mercer

Mercer Falls To Western Carolina In Defensive Standoff

1/13/2024 5:04:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By: Makenzie Jones, jones_m@mercer.edu

MACON – Red-hot Western Carolina limited home-standing Mercer to just 32 percent shooting in the second half and used an 11-3 run early in the stanza to pull away for good as the visiting Catamounts pushed their win streak out to nine games with a 64-52 win over the Bears on Saturday in Hawkins Arena.

It was the third loss in the last four outings for the Orange & Black (8-9, 1-3 SoCon) who welcomed a season-high 3,227 fans on Centerville Day in Hawkins Arena. Western Carolina (15-2, 4-0) has now logged five-straight road wins, and has not tasted defeat since a 97-71 setback at High Point on December 5.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Western Carolina 64, Mercer 52
RECORDS: Western Carolina (15-2, 4-0 SoCon); Mercer (8-9, 1-3 SoCon)
LOCATION: Macon, Ga. (Hawkins Arena)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST HALF

Buckets came at a premium for both teams in the opening half as neither side shot better than 33 percent from the field. The stanza saw six tie scores and 10 lead changes, but the Catamounts took the lead for good on D.J. Campbell's short jumper with 4-1/2 minutes left. The Bears made it a one-point affair, 25-24, on Alex Holt's basket at the 3:04 mark, but the visitors scored four of the period's final five points to lug a 29-25 advantage into the locker rooms.

2ND HALF

Amanze Ngumezi hit the front end of the two-shot foul just 18 seconds into the second half to make it a one-possession game again, but WCU put together an 11-3 run over the next four minutes to go out in front by double digits, 40-29. Mercer trailed by as many as 18 points, 54-36, following a hookshot jumper by Corneilous Williams with 10:45 left to play, but the Bears steadily scratched away at their deficit and eventually cut it to single digits, 60-52, on Jalyn McCreary's running jumper with 1:07 left.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Freshman David Thomas came off of the bench to score a team-high 12 points that included a 3-for-4 tally from the free throw line. He complemented his scoring with four assists and a pair of rebounds.
+ Senior Jalyn McCreary added 11 points and two rebounds, while also turning in one block and a steal.
+ Sophomore Jah Quinones finished his day with eight points, including a pair of treys, while also collecting four rebounds, four assists and a steal.

NOTABLES

+ Mercer has now dropped all three conference outings in which it has fallen on the wrong end of the rebounding battle. Western Carolina registered a 51-37 advantage on the boards on Saturday.
+ The announced crowd of 3,227 on Centerville Day in Hawkins Arena is the largest home crowd for the Bears since playing in front of 3,572 fans against Furman on Jan. 29, 2022.
+ The Bears registered a pair of blocks in Saturday's contest with the Catamounts. Mercer has now tallied two or more blocks in a dozen outings in 2023-24.

UP NEXT

Mercer will close out a short two-game stay at home on Wednesday when they suit up to take on SoCon rival Chattanooga (10-6, 2-1) on Macon/Bibb Night in Hawkins Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

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BACK THE BEARS

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