November 24, 2010

Mercer Men's Basketball Preps for Busy Weekend at Legends Classic

MACON, Ga. – Mercer University’s men’s basketball team will wing off to Williamsburg, Va., for three sub-regional games of the 2011 Legends Classic on Friday through Sunday (Nov. 26-28). The tournament is being hosted by the College of William and Mary.

The Bears (1-3 overall) will be looking to snap their three-game skid since an opening-day win over Oglethorpe University. MU is coming off of a Tuesday evening non-conference loss at Florida State University, 79-55.

The Bears will open the Legends Classic with Western Carolina on Friday (5 p.m. ET), play host William and Mary on Saturday (6 p.m. ET) and then face former Atlantic Sun Conference member Gardner-Webb University on Sunday afternoon (2 p.m.). Two of Mercer's three games at this weekend's Legends Classic are against teams which played in the post-season in 2009-10. William and Mary was an NIT participant, while Western Carolina played in the CIT.

Senior forward Brandon Moore has been the Bears’ most consistent performer in the early going. Moore has been the only MU player in double-figure scoring each game and is averaging a team-leading 15.0 points per game, as well as topping the team in rebounds at 7.5 caroms per game. He also has four blocked shots and is shooting more than 47 percent from the field.

WESTERN CAROLINA AT-A-GLANCE:

*Western Carolina enters the Legends Classic with a 2-2 record. Its wins were against DePaul and Warren Wilson, while losses were to Clemson and UTEP.

*WCU has three players averaging in double-digit scoring: Mike Williams (12.5 p.p.g.); Trey Sumler (10.5 p.p.g.); and Harouna Mutombo (10.0 p.p.g.). Richie Gordon checks in at 9.5 points and a team-leading 6.5 rebounds per game.

*WCU had a similar result in a regional game versus UTEP as did the Bears. The Catamounts fell by a 77-65 score in El Paso on November 20, while MU dropped an 87-74 contest (Nov. 12) on the Miners home court.

*The Catamounts lead the series against Mercer by a 3-2 margin. The two teams last faced each other on December 12, 2000 at Cullowhee, N.C. (a 66-63 Mercer win).

COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY AT-A-GLANCE:

*When the Bears take on the College of William and Mary, it will mean the team has played the two oldest college in America - having taken on the oldest, Harvard University, just last week - in the same season just a week apart. Harvard was founded in 1636 and CWM in 1693.

*The Bears' game versus College of William and Mary is also the second of three contests against first-time opponents in 2010-11. MU faced UTEP for the first time on November 14 and will also take on Navy in the initial meeting with the Midshipmen on December 10.

*CWM is a deceptive 0-3 entering the Legends Classic. The Tribe took Syracuse University – currently ranked No. 9 in the latest AP poll – to the wire in a 63-60 setback. William and Mary also lost to Richmond – which received votes in that same AP top-25 poll – by a 73-49 score, as well as falling to perennial power Virginia, 76-52.

*The tandem of Marcus Kitts and Quinn McDowell pace the Tribe in scoring at 14.0 and 13.0 points per game, respectively. Kitts is the club’s leading rebounder at 7.7 boards per game.

GARDNER-WEBB AT-A-GLANCE:

*In addition to Gardner-Webb being a former A-Sun member, there are also other ties to Mercer. MU assistant coach Doug Esleeck was an assistant at G-WU last season and left after an off-season coaching change allowed him to be snapped up to join Bob Hoffman's staff. Esleeck was involved in the recruitment of many of the Runnin' Bulldogs' current players.

*G-WU leads the series versus Mercer by a 6-4 margin. The two teams last faced each other on February 7, 2008, an 84-71 win by the Runnin’ Bulldogs at Boiling Springs, N.C.

*The Runnin’ Bulldogs enter the Legends Classic with a 3-2 record. G-WU has a common foe with Mercer in that both were downed by Florida State University – which received votes in the latest AP top-25 poll – by a sizeable margin. Gardner-Webb dropped a 78-53 decision at Tallahassee (while MU fell by a 79-55 score). G-WU’s other loss was by an 80-53 score at Michigan.

*Senior guard/forward Jon Moore leads the Runnin’ Bulldogs at 18.5 points, while also grabbing 6.8 rebounds, per game. Stefon Johnson is the only other squad member averaging in double-digit scoring at 10.8 p.p.g. and is posting a team-high 7.0 rebounds per game. Freshman point guard Luke Davis gives off 4.3 assists per game and scores at a rate of 9.0 p.p.g.

TOURNAMENT NOTES:

*Former A-Sun Player of the Year Sam Mitchell is being honored this season by Mercer University and the Bears’ men’s basketball program as a part of the team’s participation in the "Legends Classic" tournament on November 14, 26-28. Mitchell is honored in the Legends Classic tournament program used at all venues and will also receive a plaque recognizing this honor. One player from each of the participating schools was selected to be recognized for his impact upon that program’s history. Mitchell is currently an assistant coach with the New Jersey Nets.

*The games in Virginia will give Mercer four games in a six-day span, after playing at Florida State last Tuesday.