Mercer Outlasts ETSU For 65-57 Win

Thursday, February 8

Macon, Ga.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

10-14,4-4SoCon

East Tennessee State

15-8,4-4SoCon

ETSU

Mercer

2/8/2024 10:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Presser

Summah Evans had a game high 21 points

MACON, Ga. - Summah Evans tallied a game high 21 points, had a double-double, and several Mercer players came up with key plays down the stretch as Mercer defeated ETSU 65-57 on Thursday night in Hawkins Arena.

Mercer and ETSU found themselves in a tie game at 45 a piece after three quarters of basketball. Then, the Bears got several key stops and offensive plays from many different players in the fourth quarter helping the Bears outscore ETSU 20-12 in the fourth quarter.

Each team shot 41 percent from the field, but Mercer was better from behind the arc, going 8-for-15 (53%) to ETSU's, 3-for-14 (21%). The Bears also had the edge in rebounds, outrebounding the Bucs 37-31.

Evans followed up her career high 35 point game from five days ago at Samford with another solid offensive performance. Evans scored 21 points on 8-for-16 shooting and went 5-for-6 (83.3%) from three-point range. She had some key defensive rebounds in the fourth quarter on her way to a double-double with 11 rebounds.

Deja Williams and Briana Peguero also scored in double figures for the Bears as Williams had 13 points, three assists, and two rebounds. Peguero scored 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting with two assists and two rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

Mackenzie Johnson scored the first four points of the game. The first quarter was tightly contested with each team going back and forth and not finding much separation on the scoreboard. The Bears took a 14-12 lead after the first quarter.

2ND QUARTER

With the score tied at 20 with just under six minutes to play in the half, Mercer went on the first scoring run of the game and took a 28-20 lead. Evans scored all eight of Mercer's points during the run. ETSU would close the gap before halftime and Peguero scored the last five points of the half for the Bears as Mercer led by one at halftime.

3RD QUARTER

Mercer had its lowest field goal percentage in any quarter in the third, shooting just 31.6 percent from the field, but Mercer's defense kept ETSU from taking advantage of that as ETSU had six turnovers in the quarter. A steal and fastbreak layup from Peguero tied the game at 45 heading to the fourth quarter.

4TH QUARTER

With the score tied after three quarters, the fourth quarter ended up being the decisive quarter. The teams combined for just six points in the opening four minutes as ETSU led 49-47. A 7-0 run from the Bears gave Mercer a 54-49 lead with just under five minutes to play. Leading, 56-54 with two minutes to play, Williams hit a three-pointer from the top of the key, which was then followed by a turnaround jumper in the paint from Stacie Jones which gave Mercer some breathing room at 61-54 with one minute to play.

NOTES

Mercer and ETSU split their regular season series with each team winning at home
Mercer shot better than 50 percent from three for the second straight game. The Bears were 8-for-15 (53.3%) from three-point range
The Bears outrebounded ETSU, 37-31; the sixth straight game Mercer has outrebounded its opponent
Summah Evans made five three-pointers for the second consecutive game
Deja Williams scored eight of her 13 points in the fourth quarter

COACH GARDNER QUOTES

On Players Stepping Up in Fourth Quarter:
"The fourth quarter was key. I think it was tied going into the fourth and like you said Stacie did not have one of her best offensive performances, but I trust her and she hit a huge turnaround jumper. Summah had another great game. Briana played her best defensive game of the year. Hopefully she's going to continue to buy in to our defensive philosophy, because with her defense creates offense. She's a very dynamic scorer. Deja, I didn't take her out. She hit some big threes for us and ran the team. I thought Cianté did a great job as well. She was guarding their best player. It was every single person on the team that contributed today."

BRIANA PEGUERO QUOTES

On Team's Hunger To Get Win Over ETSU:
"We all knew we should have won the first game [against ETSU]. We all had the mentality to just go out and just play. This game showed how much we wanted it and we just put it all out on the court."

On Confidence In Herself To Get To Rim:
"Yeah, I'm very confident in my abilities to get to the rim. As far as whoever is in front of me, I just play. I don't really look at the opponent in front of me. I just think about getting a bucket."

UP NEXT
Mercer welcomes Chattanooga to Hawkins Arena on Saturday at 2 p.m. It is Mercer's alumni and Play4Kay game.

FOLLOW THE BEARS
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