Bears Add New Mexico Transfer For 2024-25 Campaign
5/1/2024 7:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MACON – Mercer women's basketball head coach Michelle Clark-Heard continued to solidify her 2024-25 roster on Wednesday afternoon when NCAA Division I transfer Nahawa Diarra Berthe announced plans to continue her academic and athletic career with the Bears.
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Berthe, a 5-9 guard, makes the trip to Macon from Las Cruces, N.M., where she spent the 2023-24 season as a key contributor on a 21-win squad at New Mexico. She played her first two collegiate seasons at Odessa College in west Texas.
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"Nahawa is an explosive and athletic wing that adds a wealth of experience to our team," Clark-Heard said. "She is a high-level competitor who has played both in the United States and internationally. Nahawa is relentless in passing lanes as well as a rebounder, and she has the ability to defend multiple positions. Her motor and speed will be an asset in transition, and she is going to be so much fun to watch!"
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Berthe played in 19 games (1 start) for the Lobos last season and averaged 1.5 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists an outing as UNM cruised to a 21-11 clip and a runner-up finish in the final Mountain West Conference standings. She made her NCAA Division I debut in New Mexico's season-opening win over Texas Southern, and scored a season-high six points 2-1/2 weeks later in a setback at Georgia Tech. Berthe turned in multiple assists five times, while also raking in two or more steals in a pair of contests.
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The Barcelona, Spain, product played in 50 games (49 starts) across two seasons at Odessa, and registered career averages of 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game in 27.1 minutes an outing on the floor. A 49.8 percent shooter across two seasons at Odessa, Berthe recorded double-digit scoring numbers 26 times as a Wrangler, including a pair of double-double performances.
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Her two-year career at the junior college level was highlighted by a sophomore campaign that watched her average 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals an outing in pacing the Wranglers to 16 victories.
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Berthe, a 5-9 guard, makes the trip to Macon from Las Cruces, N.M., where she spent the 2023-24 season as a key contributor on a 21-win squad at New Mexico. She played her first two collegiate seasons at Odessa College in west Texas.
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"Nahawa is an explosive and athletic wing that adds a wealth of experience to our team," Clark-Heard said. "She is a high-level competitor who has played both in the United States and internationally. Nahawa is relentless in passing lanes as well as a rebounder, and she has the ability to defend multiple positions. Her motor and speed will be an asset in transition, and she is going to be so much fun to watch!"
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Berthe played in 19 games (1 start) for the Lobos last season and averaged 1.5 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists an outing as UNM cruised to a 21-11 clip and a runner-up finish in the final Mountain West Conference standings. She made her NCAA Division I debut in New Mexico's season-opening win over Texas Southern, and scored a season-high six points 2-1/2 weeks later in a setback at Georgia Tech. Berthe turned in multiple assists five times, while also raking in two or more steals in a pair of contests.
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The Barcelona, Spain, product played in 50 games (49 starts) across two seasons at Odessa, and registered career averages of 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game in 27.1 minutes an outing on the floor. A 49.8 percent shooter across two seasons at Odessa, Berthe recorded double-digit scoring numbers 26 times as a Wrangler, including a pair of double-double performances.
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Her two-year career at the junior college level was highlighted by a sophomore campaign that watched her average 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals an outing in pacing the Wranglers to 16 victories.
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