Bears Run Past Visiting Charleston Southern

Friday, November 22

Macon, Ga.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

3-3,0-0SoCon

Charleston Southern

1-5,0-0Big South

Charleston Southern

Mercer

11/22/2024 9:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

MACON – The Mercer women's basketball team scored a big win in the rebounding column and bridged the first and second quarters with a 16-3 run that gave it the lead for good on the way to a 59-48 win over Charleston Southern on Friday evening in Hawkins Arena.

It was the second-straight home win for the Bears (3-3) who posted a 50-37 disparity in the rebounding column, including an impressive 19 offensive boards. It was the fourth road setback of the season for the Buccaneers (1-5) who saw their two-game series win streak stopped in the process as well.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Mercer 59, Charleston Southern 48
RECORDS: Mercer 3-3 (0-0 SoCon); Charleston Southern 1-4 (0-0 Big South)
LOCATION: Macon, Ga. (Hawkins Arena)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

Charleston Southern made good on five of their first seven shot attempts and led 12-4 following a fastbreak layup from Catherine Alben with just 3-1/2 minutes gone in the opening period. The momentum would turn, however, as Ashlee Locke's driving layup on the other end of the court ignited the Orange & Black on a game-changing 16-3 run that lasted nearly eight minutes.

2ND QUARTER

Catherine Alben sank a pair of free throws just less than three minutes into the second quarter to bring the Buccaneers to within one possession, 20-17, but the Bears chalked up the next eight points and eventually stretched their lead to double digits, 28-17, after a Talia Harris jumper five minutes later. The hosts outscored CSU 16-6 in the second stanza and inevitably lugged a 30-21 advantage into the break.

3RD QUARTER

Neither team was able to gain an edge in the third quarter, but Charleston Southern did string together eight-straight points midway through the period to close to within three points, 35-32, at the 3:19 mark. Hanna Knoll drained a 3-pointer just more than a minute later, however, and Ariana Bennett padded the lead back to eight points on a layup in the final minute.

4TH QUARTER

Mercer forced a quartet of turnovers in the final quarter and kept the Buccaneers at arm's length the rest of the way out. The Bears tacked up seven-straight points in the early going and eventually took a game-best 17-point lead, 51-34, on Ariana Bennett's layup with 5:34 to play. Charleston Southern responded with seven-straight points of their own after that to whittle away at its deficit, but was unable to get any closer.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Junior Ariana Bennett registered her first double-double of the season with a team-best 18 points on 6-of-15 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end. Bennett also tallied a block and two steals.
+ Redshirt sophomore Aspen Johnson canned all six of her free throw attempts on the way to 11 points, but complemented her offensive prowess with three rebounds, one assist and a steal as well.
+ Senior Ashlee Locke turned in eight points, seven rebounds and three assists for the Bears on Friday as well. She also added a block and a steal.

NOTABLES

+ Mercer won the rebounding battle for the second time this season, and the first since finishing with a 35-19 rebounding edge in its season-opening victory over UNC Asheville. Its 19 offensive rebounds is the most for the program since pulling down 20 offensive boards in last season's home win over Furman (Feb. 22, 2024).
+ Nine of the 10 Bears that saw playing time on Friday evening finished with multiple rebounds, while four players turned in six or more boards.
+ MU finished with a season-high four 3-pointers against the Buccaneers, including two treys from redshirt sophomore Hanna Knoll (2-for-3). The Bears shot a season-best 36.4 percent from the perimeter.

UP NEXT

Mercer will get another short turnaround before opening up a three-game road trip on Sunday at Austin Peay (1-3). Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. at F&M Bank Arena.

STAY CONNECTED

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BACK THE BEARS

Fans can help support the Mercer athletics department by making a gift to the Mercer Athletic Foundation. To find out more information about the Mercer Athletic Foundation, email maf@mercer.edu.