Georgia Southern Uses Big Second Half To Turn Back Bears

Saturday, November 22

Statesboro, Ga.

6 p.m.

Mercer University

3-3,0-0SoCon

Georgia Southern

2-3,0-0Sun Belt

Mercer

Ga. Southern

Georgia Southern Uses Big Second Half To Turn Back Bears

11/22/2025 10:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

STATESBORO – Georgia Southern shot 64.5 percent from the field in the second half and a big disparity in the rebounding column to key a 93-72 win over visiting Mercer on Saturday evening in the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center.

Senior Ariana Bennett scored 20 points on 9-for-13 shooting for the Bears (3-3) who closed out a three-game road trip with Saturday's action in Statesboro. The victory put the kibosh on a six-game series skid for the Eagles (2-3) who registered a 41-23 advantage in the rebounding column on Saturday, including 27 defensive boards.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Georgia Southern 93, Mercer 72
RECORDS: Mercer 3-3 (0-0 SoCon); Georgia Southern 2-3 (0-0 SBC)
LOCATION: Statesboro, Ga. (Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

Both squads shot 60 percent or better in the opening period, but neither side was able to take a lead through 10 minutes of action. Georgia Southern led by six points, 19-13, after two free throws from Kayla Cleaveland with 2:13 left in the period, but the Bears scored eight-straight points to take the lead with 11 ticks remaining. A driving layup from Shanti Simmons as time expired knotted the scoreboard up.

2ND QUARTER

The story was similar in the second quarter as both teams maintained a hot hand, but it was the hosts that eventually took a 40-39 lead into the halftime break. The Eagles led by seven points, 35-28, after a driving layup from McKenna Eddings at the halfway point, but Mercer rattled off 11-straight points to swing the momentum. The Eagles tacked up the final five points of the period, however, to regain the advantage.

3RD QUARTER

A driving layup from Shanti Simmons just 54 seconds into the second half ignited a game-changing 18-4 run that eventually put the hosts up by a dozen, 58-46, nearly five minutes later. The Eagles shot 56.3 (9-for-16) from the field in the third stanza, while turning in an 8-for-8 clip at the charity stripe.

4TH QUARTER

A 73.3 percent (11-for-15) shooting clip was enough to help the Eagles hold off any late-game comeback attempt by the visitors. Abigail Holtman pulled the Bears to within 11 points, 71-60, on a 3-pointer just more than a minute into the fourth period, but Georgia Southern answered with an 18-6 run over the next six minutes and led by as many as 23 points, 89-66, following a layup from McKenna Eddings at the 3:23 mark.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Senior Ariana Bennett scored 16 of her game-high 20 points in the first half and finished the night with a 9-for-13 shooting performance. She also turned in two rebounds and a pair of assists.
+ Newcomer Talia Kemp registered 14 points on 5-for-9 shooting, as well as a 4-for-4 showing from the free throw line. She complemented her scoring with three assists and one board.
+ Senior Nahawa Diarra chipped in 11 points, five rebounds and two assists in 34 minutes of action.

NOTABLES

+ Saturday's setback snapped a six-game series win streak for the Bears. It was also the first matchup between the two squads since the 2019-20 campaign.
+ The Bears shot 43 percent or better from the field for the third time in the last four games. Mercer canned 43.9 percent (29-for-66) on Saturday.
+ Mercer tallied multiple blocks for the fifth time in six outings this season, and have now recorded three or more swats in three-straight games.

UP NEXT

The Bears will make a quick trip home on Tuesday to take on Florida A&M on Fansgiving in Hawkins Arena. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting MercerBears.com/Tickets.

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BACK THE BEARS

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