November 18, 2010

Women’s Basketball Versus Furman Kicks off Homecoming Weekend

Women’s Basketball Versus Furman Kicks off Homecoming Weekend

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer women’s basketball team is set for its home opener against Furman on Friday night at 5:30 p.m. The game, which marks head coach Susie Gardner’s University Center debut, kicks off Homecoming weekend at Mercer.

LAST TIME OUT

STATESBORO, Ga. – Mercer freshman Briana Williams scored 13 points in the first half and the Bears trailed by six at intermission, but Georgia Southern opened the second half on a 20-2 run and ultimately prevailed 71-52 in Tuesday night’s non-conference women’s basketball game.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

Furman travels to Macon eyeing its first win of the season after falling to Indiana State in its season opener on Nov. 12. The Lady Paladins return two starters and seven letterwinners from last year’s team that finished 7-24 (4-16 SoCon).

Furman was picked to finish 10th in the SoCon in a preseason poll of the league’s coaches.

Like Mercer, Furman is also under direction of a new coach in 2010-11. On April 13, Jackie Carson took over the Furman program after spending five years as an assistant coach at James Madison.

GAME NOTES

Mercer leads the all-time series with Furman, 4-1. Last season, the Bears captured a 75-62 win at Furman on Nov. 28, 2009.

Before she was injured with eight minutes remaining in the Georgia Southern game, Sharnea Boykin had been on the court for 70 of Mercer’s 72 minutes of game time.

Mercer is 56-54 versus teams currently in the Southern Conference. Mercer has faced one SoCon opponent this season, falling 71-52 at Georgia Southern.

Briana Williams’ 23 point scoring output at Auburn on Nov. 12 marked the highest scoring output for a first-year Mercer player since LaToya Jackson scored 28 points at Belmont on Jan. 22, 2009.