Furman Holds Off Mercer In Saturday Afternoon Tilt

Saturday, January 25

Macon, Ga.

2 p.m.

Mercer University

6-14,1-4SoCon

Furman

12-9,2-3SoCon

Furman

Mercer

Furman Holds Off Mercer In Saturday Afternoon Tilt

1/25/2025 5:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

MACON – Visiting Furman shot better than 46 percent from the field and held Mercer without a field goal for the final three minutes of regulation on the way to a 57-47 victory over the Bears on Saturday afternoon in Hawkins Arena.

The decision marked the fourth-straight loss for the Bears (6-14, 1-4 SoCon) who scored 14 points off of 13 turnovers by the Paladins, and also posted double-digit assists (10) for the first time in five games as well. It was the second victory in the last five outings for Furman (12-9, 2-3) who improved to 4-11 in Hawkins Arena with the decision.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Furman 57, Mercer 47
RECORDS: Mercer 6-14 (1-4 SoCon); Furman 12-9 (2-3 SoCon)
LOCATION: Macon, Ga. (Hawkins Arena)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

Nahawa Diarra converted on a transition layup to give the Bears a slight 8-6 lead at the 4:22 mark, but Furman answered with eight-straight points to swing the momentum. Mercer provided the final four points of the stanza, including a running layup from Diarra with 20 ticks left, to make it a one-possession game, 14-12, through 10 minutes of play.

2ND QUARTER

Furman went back up by six points, 21-15, on Clare Coyle's fast-break bucket just less than two minutes into the second period, but Mercer turned the table and tacked up eight-straight points to forge ahead, 23-21, four minutes later. Furman would score the final five points of the half, however, to lug a 26-23 advantage into the locker rooms.

3RD QUARTER

Ariana Bennett went 5-for-6 from the field and scored all but three of Mercer's 17 points in the third quarter, but the Paladins held onto their lead. Bennett gave the game its fifth tie score with an old-fashioned 3-point play just 67 seconds into the stanza, but the Paladins struck back with four-straight points in the next 50 seconds to forge ahead, again.

4TH QUARTER

Talia Harris converted on a transition basket to knot the game up once again, 42-42, with 8-1/2 minutes remaining, but Furman answered with an 8-0 run to nearly provide the final margin. Ariana Bennett's fast-break layup at the 2:59 mark proved to be the final field goal of the game for the Orange & Black.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Junior Ariana Bennett matched a collegiate career high for the second time this season with 21 points on an impressive 8-for-11 shooting performance. She scored 14 points on a 5-for-6 field goal clip in the third quarter alone, and complemented her offensive output with seven rebounds and four steals.
+ Senior Nahawa Diarra logged double-digits in the points column for the fourth time in her last six starts, this time tallying 11 points to go along with three rebounds, one block and a steal.
+ Freshman Talia Harris chipped in eight points, five rebounds and a steal.

NOTABLES

+ The Bears turned in 10 assists on Saturday against Furman – the first time that the Orange & Black has logged double-digit assists since registering 11 in a home loss to Kennesaw State on December 30.
+ Mercer scored 14 points off of 13 turnovers by the Paladins, 11 of which came on nine turnovers in the opening half alone.
+ The Orange & Black has now registered at least one block in 19 of its 20 outings this season.

UP NEXT

Mercer will open up a three-game road trip on Thursday when it makes the long trek to western North Carolina to take on UNC Greensboro (13-6, 4-1 SoCon) in Fleming Gym. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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BACK THE BEARS

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