December 23, 2010

Bears Nipped by Bulldogs, 56-53.

 

MACON, Ga. – Mercer University built a double-digit second half lead versus the University of Georgia, but could not keep its SEC foe at bay in a 56-53 loss before a standing-room-only crowd of 3,274 fans. The Bears fell to 3-8 overall, while the Bulldogs improved to 9-2 by winning their sixth-consecutive game.

 

It was the third-largest crowd to ever see a game at Mercer's University Center.

UGA came out swinging from the opening bell and built an 11-2 lead within the first three minutes. But the Bears were not intimidated versus the physically-larger Bulldogs and fought back like pit bulls. A layup by senior Brian Mills with 8:10 left until halftime gave Mercer its first lead of the game, 23-21, and that was just the beginning.

MU would keep the pressure on Georgia and eventually built a seven-point halftime cushion, 31-24.

Georgia came out of the halftime locker room and immediately began to erode Mercer's advantage. UGA trimmed the margin to a single point, 33-32, on a Jeremy Price (11 points) dunk. But Mills hit two consecutive short jumpers and MU again expanded its lead.

 "(Mills) was fighting 'giants' and doing well in there," said MU head coach Bob Hoffman of Mills' size disadvantage inside. "He continues to get better every game."

With 8:32 remaining in the game, Jeff Smith drained a pair of free throws that gave Mercer its largest lead of the game at 11 points (48-37).

But UGA was not finished yet either as Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie (20 points each) pushed the Dawgs back into the game. A layup by Price put UGA back on top, 49-48, with 4:53 to play.

Mercer freshman Langston Hall connected on one of two free throws to knot matters at 49-49, and that was followed by another Mills bucket to put MU ahead, 51-49, with 3:56 left.

The two teams exchanged baskets and Georgia held a 54-53 lead with 52 seconds left in the game. The Bears had two possessions in the waning seconds, but both ended in turnovers, and UGA hit its free throws down the stretch for the final 56-53 score.

MU held the lead for 16:27 minutes of the second half.

Mills led all scorers with 21 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Mills hit eight-of-14 from the field in equaling his career-scoring best.

Fellow senior Brandon Moore – returning to the lineup after being knocked out of the game two weeks ago versus Lipscomb after receiving a blow to the head – was the only other Bear in double figures with 10 points.  Moore also had a pair of blocked shots.

"I love the way our kids competed every possession the whole game," said an obviously proud Hoffman. "They competed hard and deserved to win. I really wanted this (win) for them.

"I think our coaching staff deserves a lot of credit, too. These past two weeks (since the last time MU played a game) we really improved as a team. That's what it takes to be where we want to be."