Bears Welcome UNC Greensboro To Hawkins Arena Thursday

Thursday, February 5

Macon, Ga.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

UNC Greensboro

Buy Tickets

Bears Welcome UNC Greensboro To Hawkins Arena Thursday

2/4/2026 3:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

MACON – The Mercer women's basketball team will play the first leg of a two-game, three-day home stand on Thursday evening when the Bears lace up to battle Southern Conference rival UNC Greensboro in Hawkins Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Fans unable to make the trip to Macon can still follow the action for free via a live statistics link provided by the MU athletics department. The game is also scheduled to be broadcasted live on ESPN+ with Billy Andrews and Bill Connelly calling the action.

ABOUT THE GAME
Date: Thursday, February 5 Time: 7 p.m. ET Location: Macon, Ga. I Hawkins Arena TV: ESPN+ Live Statistics: MercerBears.com/Live Twitter Updates: @Mercer_WBB

TICKETS
Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting MercerBears.com/Tickets.

LAST TIME OUT
Southern Conference-leading Chattanooga shot better than 50 percent from the field and used a 14-4 run midway through the third quarter to pull away for good as the Mocs held off visiting Mercer, 72-59, on Friday evening in McKenzie Arena. Junior Micah O'Dell registered 13 points on 5-for-12 shooting, while also logging a trio of rebounds to lead MU who forced 17 turnovers in the setback.

ABOUT MERCER
The Bears (12-9, 2-4 SoCon) will carry a season-longest three-game skid into Thursday's contest, but have already captured six games in Hawkins Arena this season, including a 76-67 win over Samford in mid-January. Mercer has shot better than 38 percent and averaged nearly 67 points per game in its home arena in 2025-26, while also holding opponents to 37.5 percent field goal shooting and a paltry 57.3 points per game. Seniors Nahawa Diarra (11.4 ppg) and Ariana Bennett (11.3) both rank among the Southern Conference's top 12 scorers, while Abigail Holtman (11.1) is among the league's most lethal perimeter threats. Diarra needs just 11 more points this season to reach the 1,000-point mark for her career.

SCOUTING UNC GREENSBORO
The Spartans (13-9, 3-4 SoCon) put the kibosh on a four-game losing streak with a 55-46 home win over Western Carolina on Sunday. UNC Greensboro opened its league schedule with a pair of victories, including a 76-59 win over the Bears on January 10, but has shot just 33.1 percent from the field over its last five outings while also tacking up just 51.6 points per game. Regardless, the Spartans have still only allowed 54.2 points per game (7^th NCAA) this season, are +3.7 in the turnover column and have out-rebounded 11 opponents this season. USC Upstate transfer Jeni Levine sports a SoCon-best 15.0 points per game scoring average, while junior Makiah Asidanya has tallied nearly 12 points per game away from Greensboro, N.C.

MERCER/UNC GREENSBORO SERIES
Mercer leads the all-time series, 18-9, but the Spartans have captured each of the last four series matchups, including the 17-point victory over the visiting Bears last month in Greensboro, N.C. MU is 7-3 against UNC Greensboro in Hawkins Arena, but was on the wrong end of a 76-37 decision on March 1, 2025 in the last Macon contest between the two sides.

ON DECK
Mercer will close out its quick two-game home stand on Saturday when it bunkers down to battle Western Carolina (3-18, 0-7 SoCon) in Hawkins Arena. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting MercerBears.com/Tickets.

FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of Mercer Basketball, follow the Bears on social media at @Mercer_WBB (X/Twitter), /MercerWBB (Facebook) and @Mercer_wbb (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.