Bears Coast To Home Win Over VMI

Saturday, February 3

Macon, Ga.

2 p.m.

Mercer University

10-13,3-7SoCon

VMI

4-19,1-9SoCon

VMI

Mercer

2/3/2024 4:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Makenzie Jones, jones_m@mercer.edu

MACON – Senior Jalyn McCreary scored 20 of his game- and career-high 30 points amid a flurry of first-half scoring by both teams, and frontcourt mate Alex Holt tallied his first collegiate double-double, to lead the Mercer men's basketball team to a 90-69 victory over visiting VMI on Saturday afternoon in Hawkins Arena.

It was the second win in the last three outings for the Bears (10-13, 3-7 SoCon) who snapped a three-game home skid in the process as well. The setback marked the fourth-straight loss for the Keydets (4-19, 1-9) who fell to 0-13 away from Lexington, Va., this season, including an 0-11 mark in true road games.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Mercer 90, VMI 69
RECORDS: Mercer 10-13 (3-7 SoCon); VMI 4-19 (1-9 SoCon)
LOCATION: Macon, Ga. (Hawkins Arena)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST HALF

Mercer shot 65.4 percent (17-for-26) from the field through the first 15 minutes of the afternoon, but led by just five points, 41-36, following T.J. Grant's layup at the 5:03 mark. VMI, who boasted 65.2 percent shooting themselves through the first 13-1/2 minutes, connected on just one of their five field goal attempts down the stretch which allowed the Orange & Black to build an 11-point cushion, 49-38, heading into the locker rooms.

2ND HALF

Mercer opened the second half with a 10-1 run and padded its advantage out to 20 points, 59-39, by the 18-minute mark of the period. The Keydets used a 9-1 run to pull to within a dozen points, 67-55, after a pair of free throws from A.J. Clark with 13:09 remaining, but the hosts eventually closed out the game with a 12-1 run to provide the final. The Bears led by as many as 22 points, 90-68, following Caleb Hunter's trey with 37 ticks left.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Senior Jalyn McCreary canned 12 of his 19 field goal attempts to notch his second 30-point game of the season (Queens). He complemented his offensive numbers with seven rebounds and a quartet of assists as well.
+ Junior Alex Holt registered his first collegiate double-double with 14 points and a season-high 11 rebounds. Holt, who played his first two seasons at High Point, was 6-for-10 from the field on Saturday.
+ Junior Caleb Hunter chipped in a dozen points and five boards, while freshman Jake Davis tallied 11 points and a pair of assists.

NOTABLES

+ Mercer completed a season sweep of VMI with Saturday's victory thanks to an 86-64 win over the Keydets earlier this season in Lexington, Va. It is the second-straight year that the Bears have accomplished that task.
+ The Bears registered assists on 20 of their 34 made field goals on Saturday. It is the third time this season (at Georgia, at VMI) that MU has produced 20 or more assists.
+ The Orange & Black won the rebounding battle against the Keydets by a 44-28 disparity, stopping a three-game stretch in which MU has been outdone on the boards. It is the 11^th time this season that Mercer has won the rebounding battle, and the third time it has conquered the boards by a double-digit advantage.

UP NEXT

The Bears will close out a three-game home stand on Wednesday when they battle Furman (12-10, 6-3 SoCon) as part of Faith & Family Night in Hawkins Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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BACK THE BEARS

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