Pre-Game Notes
KENNESAW, Ga. – Mercer University women’s basketball head coach
Janell Jones would like nothing more than to see her team give a repeat performance in her squad’s second meeting of the season versus Kennesaw State University on Thursday evening at the KSU Convocation Center. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m.
In the first meeting of the 2009-10 season between these teams on January 16, Mercer put a defensive stranglehold on in-state rival KSU, as it cruised to a 60-38 Atlantic Sun Conference (A-Sun) home victory before a crowd of 1,238 at the University Center in Macon.
MU junior center
Kourtney Carter connected on nine-of-15 from the field for a career-high 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds in that match-up versus the Owls. Senior guard
Courtney Ford had a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds (the game’s co-leader in boards).
On the year, Ford is the Bears’ scoring and rebounding leader. Ford checks in at 17.8 points per game, while grabbing an average of 8.5 boards, as well. She also tops the entire league in steals with 69 “thefts” to her credit.
While the Bears were in control from virtually the beginning of the game, they could not seem to entirely shake the pesky Kennesaw team. Mercer took the lead for good just two minutes into the contest on a layup by Carter and built that to double figures in less than six minutes. The hosts led as much as 23 points in the first half before taking a 19-point advantage into the halftime locker room, 39-20.
KSU’s 38 points was the fewest points given up by a Mercer team since Morris Brown was held to 33 in 2002-03 and the least permitted an A-Sun opponent by the Bears in a decade (when the University of Central Florida only managed 33 points on February 26, 2000).
The Bears are coming off of a tough loss to A-Sun leader Florida Gulf Coast University, 67-62, on Monday at the UC. Mercer is tied for third place in the A-Sun standings and currently occupies the No. 2 slot for seeding to the Conference’s post-season tournament.
Kennesaw has lost six games in a row. It’s last win came nearly a month ago, on January 9, at home versus Campbell University (75-65).
Mercer will also have a chance to even the series between the schools on Thursday. The Owls still hold the advantage, 5-4, all-time heading into the game.