Bears Roll To 70-54 Win Over Kennesaw State Behind Career Night From Evans

Tuesday, January 2

Macon, Ga.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

6-10,0-0SoCon

Kennesaw State

4-9,0-0ASUN

Kennesaw St.

Mercer

Bears Roll To 70-54 Win Over Kennesaw State Behind Career Night From Evans

1/2/2024 9:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Presser

Evans finished with a career high 26 points

MACON, Ga. - Playing in just her third game of the season, Summah Evans scored a career-high 26 points to help lead Mercer to a 70-54 win over Kennesaw State on Tuesday night in Hawkins Arena.

A strong first half from Mercer helped the Bears build an 18-point halftime lead which they would not relinquish in earning the win in its last non-conference game of the regular season.

Mercer was 8-for-14 (57%) from three-point range on the night and defensively had a season best 15 steals.

Evans scored 21 of her 26 points from three-point range where she was an impressive 7-for-7 in the game. Evans also pulled in 10 rebounds for a double-double. Evans stuffed the stat sheet as she led Mercer in points, rebounds, assists (3), steals (5), and blocks (4).

Mercer also saw Stacie Jones and Mackenzie Johnson score in double figures. Jones had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Johnson had 16 points and six rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

Mercer got in an early 4-0 deficit to start the game, but responded by going on a 15-2 run to take a 15-6 lead. Jones and Evans combined for 13 of those 15 points for the Bears and Mercer took a 19-10 lead into the second quarter.

2ND QUARTER

The Bears were able to continue to extend their lead in the second quarter, going on an 11-1 run to take a 30-11 lead. Kennesaw State got within 12 before back-to-back threes from Evans and Deja Willimas gave Mercer a 38-20 lead. The Bears took a 42-24 lead into halftime.

3RD QUARTER

Neither team could put together a run in the third quarter. Evans, Johnson, and Jones scored all 13 points in the quarter for the Bears who were able to take a 55-41 lead into the final quarter.

4TH QUARTER

Evans helped the Bears put the game away in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of her 26 points in the quarter. Kennesaw State never got closer than 14 points as the Bears closed out the game.

NOTES

Evans' 26 points and five steals were both game highs for a Mercer player this season.
Stacie Jones recorded her third double-double of the season (13 points, 10 rebounds)
Mercer's 16 point win is the largest margin of victory for the Bears this season
Mercer shot 57.1 percent from three-point range, its best shooting percentage from three this season
Mercer had a season high 15 steals and seven blocks
Johnson's 16 points were tied for her second most points in a game this season - season high is 21 points

COACH GARDNER QUOTES

Thoughts on the game:
"It was probably our best first half of the year. We talked a lot these last three days about mentality. We're not so much talking about x's and o's and making shots. We were talking about our bounce back. I felt like our mentality was really good. I was really pleased. We needed a positive game before we get into SoCon play."

On Summah Evans' performance:
"Well when she was out, she was able to shoot. She wasn't able to run, and jump and all that but she spent a lot of time shooting the ball. I think that time out probably helped her shot a little bit, so we needed that tonight. We've been missing a consistent three-point shooter and she was hot today obviously, but what that does also is it opens up our paint because our post game is our most consistent game right now."

SUMMAH EVANS QUOTES

On career night:
"Early on I could feel that it was going to be a good game. I could feel the rhythm and the flow of the game. The movement of the ball and how we penetrated and kicked and the bigs especially with Kenz and Stacie when they caught the ball in the middle and then passing it out that was big time plays there."

On three-point shot:
"Three-point [shooting] has always been a major part of my game. Especially this offseason I wanted to improve on that a lot, but all around, pull ups, and getting to the rim especially that's some of the main things I've been working on."

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