Mercer Earns Hard-Fought 69-64 Win Over Furman

Wednesday, February 11

Macon, Ga.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

16-10,8-5SoCon

Furman

16-10,7-6SoCon

Furman

Mercer

Mercer Earns Hard-Fought 69-64 Win Over Furman

2/11/2026 10:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Mercer improves to 12-0 at home this season

MACON, Ga. – Brady Shoulders made big shots downs the stretch and scored all 14 of his points in the second half to help Mercer earn a hard-fought 69-64 win over Furman Wednesday night from Hawkins Arena.

With the win, Mercer improves to 12-0 at home and is still the only SoCon team yet to lose at home this season.

In a close game for much of the night, the Bears outscored the Paladins 14-8 over the final five minutes of the game to hang on for the win.

For the game, Mercer shot 23-for-64 (35.9%) from the field and went 5-for-20 (25.0%) from three-point range. On the other side, Furman didn't shoot much better as the Paladins went 23-for-61 (37.7%) and 10-for-33 (30.3%) from deep.

Both teams did well to protect the ball as Mercer had just seven turnovers and Furman, nine. The Bears won the rebounding battle, 44-37 and are now 14-2 when outrebounding their opponent.

Okojie led all scorers with 25 points to go with four rebounds and three assists. Shoulders had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. He made two huge three-pointers in the final five minutes of the game.

THE BASICS
SCORE: Mercer 69, Furman 64
RECORDS: Mercer (16-10, 8-5 SoCon), Furman (16-10, 7-6 SoCon)
LOCATION: Macon, Ga. (Hawkins Arena)

HOW IT HAPPENED
1ST HALF
A layup from Connor Serven tied the game at seven just over five minutes into the game. Furman went on an 11-0 run - the largest of the game - to take a 20-11 lead. Okojie stepped into a fastbreak three-pointer off the dribble to bring Mercer within five points at 25-20.

A strong drive and finish from Zaire Williams led to a foul and Williams made the ensuing free throw to tie the game at 29 with just over one minute to play in the first half. A layup from Furman's Cooper Bowser was the final basket of the half as the Paladins took a 31-29 halftime lead.

2ND HALF
Shoulders stole the ball from a driving Paladin guard and went the other way and scored the layup to bring Mercer within four points at 45-41. Quinton Perkins II connected on a pull-up jumper to make it a one-point game at 51-50 with under 10 minutes to play.

A few minutes later, Shoulders made a fastbreak three to cap a 7-0 run for the Bears who took a 55-51 lead. After Furman responded with a quick 5-0 run to retake the lead, Mercer had an answer and went on another 7-0 run to take a 62-56 lead with 3:37 to play.

Furman's Charles Johnston grabbed an offensive rebound and scored the layup to make it a one-point game as Mercer led 65-64 with 22 seconds to play. The Paladins fouled Okojie who stepped to the line for a one-and-one and made both free throws to give the Bears a 67-64 lead. Mercer got a key defensive stop on a potential game-tying three from Furman and Shoulders stepped up and made two free throws with 12 seconds left to put the game away for the Bears.

NOTABLES
+ Mercer improves to 12-0 at home on the season. The Bears are one of 19 teams in the country undefeated at home.
+ Okojie's 25 points was his seventh conference game this season with at least 20 points.
+ Shoulders recorded his third double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
+ Mercer outrebounded Furman, 44-37. Mercer is 14-2 this season when it outrebounds its opponent.
+ Fastbreak points were 19-6, Mercer.
+ Mercer went 18-for-21 (85.7%) from the free throw line.
+ The largest lead for either team in the second half was just six points.

UP NEXT
Mercer heads to Charleston, South Carolina to play The Citadel on Saturday, Feb. 14. Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside McAlister Field House.

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