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The Samford Bulldogs flexed their muscular depth on Saturday afternoon, outlasting the pesky Mercer Bears 70-57 in a tightly contested Southern Conference Tournament quarterfinal matchup at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina.
A Back-and-Forth First Half Sets the Stage
The opening stanza was a seesaw affair, with both teams trading baskets early. Samford employed a suffocating full-court press to start, but Mercer hung tough, matching the Bulldogs shot for shot. The first media timeout arrived with Samford clinging to a narrow 12-10 lead, with both squads boasting an impressive 50% shooting efficiency.
However, the complexion of the game began to shift midway through the half. Samford showcased their impressive depth, seamlessly substituting five players at once without a drop-off in production. This relentless pressure forced Mercer into turnovers, and the Bulldogs capitalized with a 7-0 run sparked by the offensive spark plug Garret Hicks, who emerged as the unlikely scoring leader off the bench. Samford tightened the defensive screws further, while the referees opted to let the teams play, resulting in a minimal amount of foul calls in the opening period. The Bulldogs closed out the half strong with another 7-0 surge, taking a comfortable 37-28 lead into the locker room.
Samford’s Depth Proves Too Much in the Second Half
The second half mirrored the early stages of the first, with Samford capitalizing on Mercer’s ice-cold shooting. The Bears started the half a dismal 11% from the field, desperately searching for an offensive spark. Despite this disparity, Mercer refused to go down without a fight, clawing their way back within nine points at the media timeout (53-44). However, Samford’s deep bench proved to be the difference-maker. Their relentless hustle and timely scoring consistently thwarted Mercer’s comeback attempts.
By the 7:51 mark, Samford had stretched their lead to 63-49, once again fueled by crucial contributions from their reserves. Down the stretch, the Bulldogs continued to knock down clutch shots, effectively sealing the victory and punching their ticket to the next round.
Final Score: Samford 70, Mercer 57
A well-balanced scoring attack propelled Samford to victory, with four players reaching double figures. Garret Hicks (15 points), Jermain Marshall (10 points), Achor Achor (12 points), and Rylan Jones (15 points) all contributed significantly. Meanwhile, Mercer struggled offensively, shooting a meager 36% from the field and a paltry 22% from three-point range. Jake Davis (13 points), David Thomas (14 points), and Jalyn McCreary (11 points) paced the Bears’ scoring effort.
Ultimately, Samford’s superior depth and relentless pressure proved too much for Mercer to overcome. The Bulldogs effectively outscored their opponents in both bench points and paint points, while Mercer’s struggles on layups (6-17) proved costly. With this impressive win, Samford advances to the semifinal round, where they will face the winner of the Furman vs. Western Carolina matchup.
