Saturday, March 1
Macon, Ga.
4:30 p.m.
Mercer University
13-18,6-12SoCon
81
vs
69
Western Carolina
8-21,4-14SoCon
1
2
F
Western Caro.
28
41
69
Mercer
36
45
81
Mercer Defeats Western Carolina 81-69 On Senior Day
3/1/2025 7:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Ahmad Robinson scored 28 points to reach 1,000 career points
MACON, Ga. – Ahmad Robinson scored 28 points to reach 1,000 points for his career and the Mercer men's basketball team defeated Western Carolina 81-69 on Senior Day Saturday evening from Hawkins Arena.
Robinson led all scorers with 28Â points and hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to reach exactly 1,000 career points. It was a game in which the Bears led for nearly 37 minutes and led by as much as 15 points before Robinson and the Bears put the game away in the final minutes.
Mercer shot 26-for-65 (40.0%) from the field compared to Western Carolina who went 24-for-64 (37.5%) from the field. The Bears had one of their better shooting performances from behind the arc where they went 13-for-27 (48.1%) on the day.
Mercer got out and pushed the pace of the game as fastbreak points were 20-5 in favor of the Bears.
In addition to Robinson's 28 points, fifth-year senior Laurynas Vaistaras had a strong all-around performance with a season high 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting to go with six rebounds and four assists. Alex Holt had 12 points, eight rebounds and a career high six blocks.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Mercer 81, Western Carolina 69
RECORDS: Mercer 13-18, 6-12 (SoCon); Western Carolina 8-21, 4-14 (SoCon)
LOCATION: Macon, Ga. (Hawkins Arena)
HOW IT HAPPENED
1ST HALF
A layup by Holt gave Mercer an 11-7 lead in the opening minutes. A steal by Vaistaras led to a fastbreak layup for Robinson which put Mercer ahead 17-13. After a three-pointer by the Catamounts cut their deficit to one, Mercer responded with a 9-2 run that was finished by a fastbreak layup from Angel Montas Jr. to give the Bears a 26-18 lead with seven minutes to play in the first half.
Robinson converted a layup in the final seconds of the first half to give Mercer a 36-28 lead heading into halftime.
2ND HALF
A three-pointer by Vaistaras gave Mercer a 44-32 lead in the opening minutes of the second half. Jah Quinones connected on a three-pointer with more than 11 minutes to go to give the Bears a 56-42 lead.
Both teams continued to make shots at an efficient rate in the middle part of the second half. Brady Shoulders made back-to-back three's which was shortly followed by a pair of free throws from Tyler Johnson which gave Mercer its largest lead of the game with more than seven minutes to play at 70-55.
Western Carolina cut the Mercer lead to six points with three minutes to play with the score 72-66, Bears. Holt had a key tip in on the next Mercer possession and the Bears soon after took a 77-68 lead with two minutes to play. Western Carolina couldn't get enough shots to fall with too little time as Mercer won, 81-69.
NOTABLES
+ Fastbreak points were 20-5, Mercer.
+ Ahmad Robinson scored a game high 28 points to reach 1,000 career points at the Divsion I level.
+ Laurynas Vaistaras either set his season high or tied his season high in points (11), rebounds (6) and assists (4).
+ Mercer outrebounded Western Carolina, 48-40.
+ Alex Holt had a career high six blocks.
+ As a team, Mercer blocked eight shots which tied the team's season high.
+ The Bears had 19 assists which was their second most assists in a SoCon game this season (20 vs Chattanooga).
+ Mercer had just eight turnovers which was tied for their second fewest in a SoCon game this season.
+ Mercer's 13 made three-pointers were its second most made three's in a SoCon game this season.
+ Eight different players finished with at least four rebounds in a 48-rebound effort in the win.
UP NEXT
That concludes the regular season for the Bears. Mercer will be the No. 8 seed in the SoCon Tournament from Asheville, North Carolina. The Bears will play in the First Round on Friday, March 7 against Western Carolina again who earned the No. 9 seed. Tip-off from Asheville for Friday's game is 5 p.m. from Harrah's Cherokee Center.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Mercer Men's Basketball on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook.
Robinson led all scorers with 28Â points and hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to reach exactly 1,000 career points. It was a game in which the Bears led for nearly 37 minutes and led by as much as 15 points before Robinson and the Bears put the game away in the final minutes.
Mercer shot 26-for-65 (40.0%) from the field compared to Western Carolina who went 24-for-64 (37.5%) from the field. The Bears had one of their better shooting performances from behind the arc where they went 13-for-27 (48.1%) on the day.
Mercer got out and pushed the pace of the game as fastbreak points were 20-5 in favor of the Bears.
In addition to Robinson's 28 points, fifth-year senior Laurynas Vaistaras had a strong all-around performance with a season high 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting to go with six rebounds and four assists. Alex Holt had 12 points, eight rebounds and a career high six blocks.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Mercer 81, Western Carolina 69
RECORDS: Mercer 13-18, 6-12 (SoCon); Western Carolina 8-21, 4-14 (SoCon)
LOCATION: Macon, Ga. (Hawkins Arena)
HOW IT HAPPENED
1ST HALF
A layup by Holt gave Mercer an 11-7 lead in the opening minutes. A steal by Vaistaras led to a fastbreak layup for Robinson which put Mercer ahead 17-13. After a three-pointer by the Catamounts cut their deficit to one, Mercer responded with a 9-2 run that was finished by a fastbreak layup from Angel Montas Jr. to give the Bears a 26-18 lead with seven minutes to play in the first half.
Robinson converted a layup in the final seconds of the first half to give Mercer a 36-28 lead heading into halftime.
2ND HALF
A three-pointer by Vaistaras gave Mercer a 44-32 lead in the opening minutes of the second half. Jah Quinones connected on a three-pointer with more than 11 minutes to go to give the Bears a 56-42 lead.
Both teams continued to make shots at an efficient rate in the middle part of the second half. Brady Shoulders made back-to-back three's which was shortly followed by a pair of free throws from Tyler Johnson which gave Mercer its largest lead of the game with more than seven minutes to play at 70-55.
Western Carolina cut the Mercer lead to six points with three minutes to play with the score 72-66, Bears. Holt had a key tip in on the next Mercer possession and the Bears soon after took a 77-68 lead with two minutes to play. Western Carolina couldn't get enough shots to fall with too little time as Mercer won, 81-69.
NOTABLES
+ Fastbreak points were 20-5, Mercer.
+ Ahmad Robinson scored a game high 28 points to reach 1,000 career points at the Divsion I level.
+ Laurynas Vaistaras either set his season high or tied his season high in points (11), rebounds (6) and assists (4).
+ Mercer outrebounded Western Carolina, 48-40.
+ Alex Holt had a career high six blocks.
+ As a team, Mercer blocked eight shots which tied the team's season high.
+ The Bears had 19 assists which was their second most assists in a SoCon game this season (20 vs Chattanooga).
+ Mercer had just eight turnovers which was tied for their second fewest in a SoCon game this season.
+ Mercer's 13 made three-pointers were its second most made three's in a SoCon game this season.
+ Eight different players finished with at least four rebounds in a 48-rebound effort in the win.
UP NEXT
That concludes the regular season for the Bears. Mercer will be the No. 8 seed in the SoCon Tournament from Asheville, North Carolina. The Bears will play in the First Round on Friday, March 7 against Western Carolina again who earned the No. 9 seed. Tip-off from Asheville for Friday's game is 5 p.m. from Harrah's Cherokee Center.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Mercer Men's Basketball on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook.
Team Stats
WCU
Mercer
FG%
.375
.400
3FG%
.355
.481
FT%
.667
.667
RB
40
48
TO
8
8
STL
5
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
28
FGM
9
3FGM
4
FTM
6
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG/F
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