Bears Succumb To Unbeaten Georgia Tech

Sunday, December 8

Macon, Ga.

2 p.m.

Mercer University

4-7,0-0SoCon

Georgia Tech

9-0,0-0ACC

Georgia Tech

Mercer

12/8/2024 4:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

MACON – Visiting Georgia Tech scored 21 points off of 20 Mercer turnovers and turned 15 offensive boards into 16 second-chance points as the Yellow Jackets continued their unbeaten season with a 78-42 victory over the Bears on Sunday afternoon in Hawkins Arena.

It was the second-straight home loss for the Orange & Black (4-7) who will now get a 6-day hiatus from competition before resuming its regular season schedule on Sunday in New Orleans, La. Georgia Tech (9-0), who knocked off previously unbeaten Mississippi State at home on Thursday, chalked up its first true road win of the season with Sunday's result.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Georgia Tech 78, Mercer 42
RECORDS: Mercer 4-7 (0-0 SoCon); Georgia Tech 9-0 (0-0 ACC)
LOCATION: Macon, Ga. (Hawkins Arena)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

Georgia Tech missed its initial field goal attempt of the afternoon, but connected on four of its next five shots to build a quick 10-2 lead. The squads went toe-to-toe for a good portion of the next four minutes, but Kara Dunn's 3-pointer with 2-1/2 minutes left in the opening stanza helped the Yellow Jackets build an 11-point advantage, 21-10, through 10 minutes of action.

2ND QUARTER

The visitors used 55.6 percent field goal shooting to fuel a 22-4 point disparity in the second period that allowed them to lug a 43-14 advantage into the break. Chelsy Bautista helped the Bears cut into a 17-point deficit with a layup at the 4:29 mark, but Georgia Tech closed out the half with 14 unanswered points.

3RD QUARTER

Mercer limited the Yellow Jackets to a paltry 33.3 percent shooting clip in the third quarter, but was unable to whittle away at its deficit. Georgia Tech pushed its lead out to 30 points, 49-19, on a second-chance layup by Zoesha Smith just less than three minutes in, and padded its lead out to 39 points, 62-23, on another second-chance layup by Kara Dunn at the buzzer.

4TH QUARTER

The Bears got the better of play in the fourth and final period, connecting on five of their 10 field goal attempts on the way to outscoring their in-state foes 19-9 in the stanza. Georgia Tech pushed its lead out to a game-high 42 points, 78-36, via a Chazadi Wright layup with 2:10 to play, but MU scored the game's final six points, all at the free throw line.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Junior Ariana Bennett used an 8-for-9 performance from the free throw line to fuel a team-best 12 points, while adding a trio of rebounds as well.
+ Senior Ashlee Locke scored 10 points and nearly tallied a double-double with eight rebounds as well. Locke also posted an assist and a steal.
+ Junior Kayla Smith netted all six of her points from the perimeter and canned both of her 3-point attempts in the process. Smith produced two steals and an assist as well.

NOTABLES

+ Georgia Tech improved to 18-6 all-time in the 44-year-old series with the Bears. Sunday's game marked the first meeting between the two squads in Macon since the 1995-96 season.
+ Sunday's outing closed out a short 2-game home stand for the Bears who will be back in action at home again on December 19 against Jackson State.
+ Chelsy Bautista registered Mercer's lone block in Sunday's contest. Mercer has now tallied at least one block in 38 consecutive games.

UP NEXT

Mercer will get a 6-day reprieve from competition before resuming its regular season schedule on December 15 at Tulane (3-4). Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET at Avron B. Fogelman Arena.

STAY CONNECTED

Follow Mercer Women's Basketball on Twitter and Instagram and "Like" Mercer Women's Basketball on Facebook.

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.