Game Notes

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After suffering a setback on Thursday night at Lipscomb, the Mercer women's basketball team looks to rebound in a road game against Belmont on Saturday.  Game time at the Curb Event Center is scheduled for 3 p.m. eastern time.

LAST TIME OUT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Junior Ry'van Buchanan booked Mercer's first double-double of the season in an 80-70 loss to Lipscomb at Allen Arena on Thursday night.  The women's basketball game marked the conference opener for both teams.

SCOUTING THE BRUINS

Belmont is 2-6 (1-0 A-Sun) after edging Kennesaw State 57-55 on Thursday night. The Bruins are 2-1 at the Curb Event Center and are 1-0 in conference play for the fourth time in the last five years.

Belmont returns three starters from last year's team that finished 11-20 (7-13 A-Sun). The Bruins were picked to finish fourth in a preseason poll of the league's coaches while forward Haley Nelson was named to the preseason all-conference team.

Nelson paces the Bruins in both points per game (12.4) and rebounds per game (6.9). Last year, Nelson had 22 points and 18 rebounds in two games against Mercer.

Belmont is holding opponents to 67.5 points per game, ranking the Bruins third among A-Sun teams in the category.

GAME NOTES

Mercer has scored the first point in six of its seven games this season. The Bears didn't score first against Auburn, but have since gotten the first point in six-straight games.

The Bears have breached the 70-point barrier in back-to-back games. The last time Mercer scored 70 or more in two-straight games was February, 2010 when the Bears scored 71 at ETSU and 78 at USC Upstate.

Mercer and Belmont both average four blocks per game. The Bears and Bruins are tied for first among A-Sun teams in blocks per game. Alex Phillips leads Mercer with 13 rejections. Haley Nelson paces Belmont with 14 blocks.

COVERAGE

Friday's game will be broadcast on FOX Sports Radio 1670 AM with play-by-play provided by the "Voice of the Bears", Rick Cameron.  Web streaming of the game will also be available via A-Sun TV.