December 31, 2010

Bears Stung by Yellow Jackets, 87-78

 

ATLANTA, Ga. – Mercer University's men's basketball team couldn't maintain its halftime lead, falling at Georgia Tech, 87-78, in its final non-conference contest of the season. The Bears are now 3-10 overall, while the Yellow Jackets improved to 7-5 on the year.

 

MU will resume Atlantic Sun Conference play on Monday (Jan. 3/7:30 p.m.) at home versus East Tennessee State University. The game will be a rematch of the 2010 A-Sun tournament championship game (won by the Buccaneers), also in Macon.

 

The Bears raced out to a six point halftime advantage, 47-41, at Georgia Tech thanks to the combination of torrid shooting on offense and a stellar defense. MU hit nearly 56 percent from the floor (19-of-34) in the opening stanza, while holding the Yellow Jackets top two scorers – Iman Shumpert and Brian Oliver – scoreless in the period.

 

Mercer's first half onslaught was aided by the return of its three-point shooting touch. After a lackluster 4-for-20 effort less than 24 hours earlier in the loss to Georgia, MU hit 6-of-9 from long range in the first half versus Tech.

 

Jeff Smith had 13 points in the opening period alone. The senior guard would finish the day with a team-high 23 points, hitting 7-of-17 from the field overall.

 

As good as the first half was for Mercer, the second would open with nightmarish qualities. Georgia Tech eroded the Bears six-point lead and, with 4:02 left in the game, had not only overtaken the visitors but built their largest cushion of the day at 12 points, 77-65, on a layup by Shumpert (15 points, all in the second half).

 

Mercer tried to fight back, cutting Tech's margin to five points, 79-74, with 54 seconds left on a pair of free throws by Smith. Smith's charity tosses were preceded by a three-pointer from Langston Hall (12 points).

 

But the Bears could get no closer and the Yellow Jackets made their free throws down the stretch for the final 87-78 final score.

 

Brian Mills registered his sixth-consecutive game in double-figures with 16 points in the loss. Mills made good on 6-of-13 shots from the field and also had a blocked shot.

 

Brandon Moore added 12 points as the fourth member of the MU team in double digits.

 

GT's Glen Rice, Jr. led all scorers with 24 points.

 

"I couldn't be more proud of a bunch of guys," MU head coach Bob Hoffman said after his team's second game and second close loss in less than 24 hours. "The heart and desire and determination that they've shown the last  month I think is something special. And I really believe we are going to be rewarded for that when we get into conference play."