Bears Rally Past North Carolina A&T With Fourth Quarter Surge

Sunday, November 17

Macon, Ga.

2 p.m.

Mercer University

2-2,0-0SoCon

North Carolina A&T

0-4,0-0CAA

N.C. A&T

Mercer

Bears Rally Past North Carolina A&T With Fourth Quarter Surge

11/17/2024 4:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

MACON – Home-standing Mercer used 60 percent field goal shooting, as well as a 10-for-11 clip from the free throw line, to fuel a 13-point disparity in the final quarter that rallied the Bears past North Carolina A&T, 46-38, on Sunday afternoon in Hawkins Arena.

The triumph snapped a two-game skid for the Bears (2-2) who scored 20 points off of turnovers, while also registering a 16-for-20 clip from the free throw line. The setback extended a season-opening four-game losing streak for the Aggies who returned all five starters off of last season's 22-win club that captured a pair of games in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).

THE BASICS

SCORE: Mercer 46, North Carolina A&T 38
RECORDS: Mercer 2-2 (0-0 SoCon); North Carolina A&T (0-4, 0-0 CAA)
LOCATION: Macon, Ga. (Hawkins Arena)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

Buckets came at a premium for both teams in the opening stanza, but it was the Aggies that ultimately lugged a 10-5 advantage into the second quarter. Ariana Bennett gave the Bears an early 2-0 edge with a basket 32 seconds in, but the Aggies score 10 of the game's next 11 points to go out in front, 10-3.

2ND QUARTER

North Carolina A&T canned half (5-of-10) of its field goal attempts in the second quarter, but it was the Bears that got the better end of the offensive input in the period. Mercer opened the period with a 9-2 run that eventually gave it a 14-12 lead after a fastbreak layup by Aliyah Collins at the 6:34 mark. The squads went punch for punch after that, and Mercer took an 18-17 lead into the intermission.

3RD QUARTER

The Aggies doubled up Mercer in the third quarter, 12-6, but cold shooting (29.4 percent) by the visitors allowed the Orange & Black to stay in the ballgame. North Carolina A&T opened the third period with a 10-2 run to eventually grab a 27-20 advantage on Paris Locke's driving layup with 3:40 left to play.

4TH QUARTER

Mercer canned six of its 10 field goal attempts, while also shooting 10-for-11 from the charity stripe, to inevitably come out on top. North Carolina A&T, in turn, turned the ball over five times and went 3-for-14 from the field, to seal its fate.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Junior Aliyah Collins scored nine of her team-best 13 points in the fourth quarter, and finished Saturday's outing with three assists and a pair of steals as well. Collins connected on all five of her free throw attempts in the fourth period as well.
+ Junior Ariana Bennett registered eight of her 12 points on 3-for-4 shooting in the first half, and complemented her offensive output on the afternoon with five defensive rebounds and a block.

NOTABLES

+ Saturday's game marked the second-straight year that Mercer has put together a fourth-quarter rally to beat North Carolina A&T. Mercer outscored the Aggies, 20-12, in the fourth quarter last year to register a 55-52 win in Greensboro, N.C.
+ The Bears got 19 points from their bench on Sunday, including 13 from Aliyah Collins, four from Stephanie Utomi and two from Kayla Smith.

UP NEXT

Mercer will hit the road again on Wednesday when it makes the long trek to Starkville, Miss., to face Southeastern Conference rival Mississippi State (3-0) in Humphrey Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

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BACK THE BEARS

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