Box score
MACON, Ga. – Mercer senior guards
Courtney Ford and
LaToya Jackson combined to score 52 points, but their efforts were not enough to stop USC Upstate from taking an 87-78 victory in Monday night’s Atlantic Sun women’s basketball game at the University Center.
With the win, USC Upstate improves to 15-8 (9-5 A-Sun) while Mercer drops its third-straight game and falls to 11-12 (8-6 A-Sun).
"Tonight came down to a couple defensive stops that we couldn't get," Mercer head coach
Janell Jones said. "I challenged [Jackson] and [Ford] to get us back in it and they did everything they could."
After trailing for most of the game, Mercer fought back to take its first lead of the second half, at 76-74, with just 3:27 to go in the contest. The Spartans would seize control from that point forward, however, using a 13-4 run to secure the victory.
The Spartans’ scored the first four points of the game, as Mercer committed three turnovers in the opening two minutes. A three-point play by sophomore
Neicey Lewis and jumper by Ford gave Mercer a brief lead at 5-4, but USC Upstate responded with four-straight points again to go back out on top, 8-5.
The Spartans’ would hold the lead for the remainder of the first half, extending it as high as 13 points before settling on a 40-29 halftime advantage.
Each team found success from beyond the arc in the opening half, as the teams combined to convert on 9-of-16 attempts from three-point range.
Jackson did her best to chip away at the visitor’s advantage at the start of the second period. Jackson scored 14 of her 23 points in the opening nine minutes of the second stanza.
Jackson’s assault continued later in the half when the Oklahoma City, Okla. Native buried her seventh three-pointer of the game to bring the Bears within two, at 71-69, with 5:17 remaining in the contest. Moments later, Jackson found Lewis with a skip pass and the sophomore drained the attempt to tie the game at 74 apiece with 4:04 left.
On USC Upstate’s next possession, the Mercer defense forced a turnover and Ford was fouled moving down the court. Ford hit both of her free-throw attempts to give Mercer its first lead since the 16:23 mark of the first half.
The Spartans were led on the offensive end by freshman Tee’Ara Copney who poured in a team-high 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting.
Due to Jacksonville's win over Lipscomb, Mercer clinched an A-Sun tournament bid.
Mercer will be in action next on February 11, when it takes on A-Sun rival ETSU in Johnson City, Tennessee. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.