Bears Fall to the Bulldogs in Final Seconds

Wednesday, January 24

Charleston, S.C.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

8-12,1-6SoCon

The Citadel

9-11,1-6SoCon

Mercer

The Citadel

1/24/2024 10:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

By: Makenzie Jones, jones_m@mercer.edu

CHARLESTON, S.C.– The Citadel (9-11, 1-6) used a 15-4 run over the last 3:02 of the game to eat away at Mercer's (8-12, 1-6) lead and ultimately take the game in the final seconds. The Bulldogs went 4-5 (2-2 from 3) from the floor over that stretch and 5-6 from the line while Mercer went 2-7 from the field.

The Bears will conclude the week's road trip on Saturday at 7 p.m. at UNC Greensboro (15-5, 6-1).

THE BASICS

SCORE: The Citadel 68, Mercer 66
RECORDS: The Citadel (9-11, 1-6 SoCon); Mercer (8-12, 1-6 SoCon)
LOCATION: Charleston, S.C. (McCalister Field House)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST HALF

In his first start as a Bear, Jalen Cobb opened up the game going 2-of-2 from the 3-point line in the first two and a half minutes. Following Cobb's triples, the Bears did not score from 17:33 to 12:28 when Alex Holt hit a jumper. The team gained some momentum, scoring three times in a minute and a half before Cobb hit his third 3 of the night. Mercer ended the half on an 18-8 run, topped by a buzzer-beating three by Robby Carmody, to enter the break with the largest lead of the game to that point.

2ND HALF

Mercer opened up the second half the way they ended the first, with a three. Alex Holt converted an and-one on a slam dunk to extend the lead to 16 going into the first media timeout of the half. The Citadel cut the lead to seven at the under-eight media timeout. With two minutes remaining, the Bulldogs came within four, but Jalen Cobb quickly hit a jumper to get it back to six. On the following play, the Bulldogs converted an and-one to come within three points with 1:55 to go. The Citadel's Elijah Morgan drained a 3-pointer with 42 seconds left to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the game. The Bears missed a series of shots and fouled on a rebound, sending the Dogs to the free throw line. Mercer's final attempt at a basket was not a success.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Alex Holt, Jalyn McCreary, Caleb Hunter, Amanze Ngumezi, and Jalen Cobb all shot at least 50 percent from the field. + 83.3 percent is the best the Bears have shot from the free throw line this season. + Jalyn McCreary led the team in points (16) and rebounds (seven).

NOTABLES

+ Jalen Cobb made his first start since transferring to Mercer and scored the team's first six points. + Total fouls were significantly lopsided with Mercer committing 22 to Citadel's 10. + Mercer got beat on the boards 37-30.

UP NEXT

Mercer will play UNC Greensboro to end the three-game road streak on Saturday, January 27 at 7 p.m.

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BACK THE BEARS

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