January 19, 2011

Bears Head into Match-Up Against Dolphins with Purpose

 

MACON, Ga. – Mercer University’s men’s basketball team will finally get a taste of some “home cooking” after spending the last three dates on the road when it hosts Jacksonville University on Thursday evening in an Atlantic Sun Conference game. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. at the University Center.

The Bears (5-13, 2-5 A-Sun) will be looking to do something they have not been able to do yet this season: win back-to-back games. MU will look to glean the energy from a much-needed win its last time out in Ft. Myers, Fla.

Mercer topped Florida Gulf Coast University, 50-47, at the Alico Arena to snap a two-game A-Sun skid on Sunday. After seeing several close games slip away of late, this time it was Mercer which hit the big shot to close out the win. The dagger came from junior transfer Justin Cecil, who canned a three-pointer from the left corner to give MU the lead it would not relinquish.

Jeff Smith led Mercer with 13 points and was the only Bear in double-digit scoring. Oddly enough, MU got the victory over FGCU despite having its lowest offensive output (50 points) in any game this season. In the three previous games when the team scored in the 50’s, MU dropped each contest. The win was also the Bears’ first on the road and first in an afternoon game during the 2010-11 season.

Smith leads the Bears in scoring at 14.4 points per game on the year. Smith also passes off a team-leading 3.5 assists per game, as well.

Brian Mills is second in scoring at 13.7 p.p.g., while Brandon Moore is at 11.8 p..g.  Moore’s 6.7 rebounds per game tops the team, while averaging 8.1 caroms in A-Sun games.

SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE:

Jacksonville has won five of its past seven games, but is coming off of a 74-62 home loss to East Tennessee State last Saturday. The Dolphins (11-5, 5-2 A-Sun) currently occupy the third place slot in the A-Sun standings (with their only losses to teas ahead of them in the standings, Belmont and ETSU).

JU also has a quality in-state win at then No. 20-ranked Florida, 71-68, back on December 20 and versus Auburn on November 27.

The balanced Dolphins are led by Ayron Hardy who averages 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Hardy is also shooting a lofty 58.5 percent from the field.

Head coach Cliff Warren’s team has no less than five other players averaging between 7.2 and 9.2 points per contest.

GAME NOTES:

*Mercer has played just two of its seven Atlantic Sun Conference games on its own floor before tonight’s game. That’s the least amount of any A-Sun team entering this weekend’s play.

*Senior forwards Mills and Moore both had double-figure game scoring streaks snapped at FGCU on Sunday. Mills’ skein had reached ten games before tallying just six versus the Eagles, while Moore narrowly missed keeping his 6-game string intact with nine points.

*All fans wearing Orange to the game will be admitted for $1 as a part of MU’s “Buck Night” promotion. Fans can enter a second-half drawing for a $500 shopping spree at Bass Pro, as well.