COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Kahlia Lawrence scored 27 points and added six rebounds, four assists and four steals to lead the Mercer Bears (2-0) to a 63-47 non-conference women's basketball victory Monday night over Tennessee Tech (0-2) in Eblen Center.
Lawrence was one of just two Bears to score in double figures, with Rachel Selph adding 12 points, but seven other Mercer players joined in the scoring as the visitors dished the ball to the tune of 23 assists.
Tech also put two players in double figures in the scoring column, with senior Samaria Howard netting 15 points and grabbing a game-high nine rebounds. Hannah Goolsby scored 14.
With just rebound difference (Tech led 38-37), the biggest factor was Mercer's 46.7 percent shooting from the field (28-for-60). Tech shot 30.4 percent (17-for-56) and lost the turnover battle, 18-16.
Mercer took a slim lead early, and got 10 points from Lawrence in the opening 10 minutes before finishing the first quarter with a 14-9 lead. Lawrence hit 5-for-7 from the field in the period.
Goolsby and Howard entered the contest to start the second quarter and gave the Golden Eagles an instant boost. Goolsby hit the team's first 3-pointer in the first 30 seconds and a minute later Howard dropped a 17-footer to tie the score at 14-14.
The Golden Eagles played even with the Bears through the second quarter, each scoring 17 points, to send Mercer into halftime with the same five-point lead, 31-26. Lawrence was held to two points in the period, but Selph stepped up with eight after netting just two in the first, putting both in double figures at the break.
Goolsby and Howard each scored seven in the second period, hitting all but one of the team's baskets during the second session.
Coming out of halftime, Mercer scored the first six points and opened an 11-point lead. A 9-4 run pushed the Bears' lead to 16 points, 46-30, with 5:12 to play on a jumper by Ciarra Edwards. The lead was 15 after three quarters.
The largest lead of the night came with 7:01 to play as a 3-pointer by KeKe Calloway and a layup from Lawrence made it 58-36 for a 22-point difference.
Goolsby and Trey'Vonna Brooks hit back-to-back layups to ignite an 11-1 Tech run as the Golden Eagles battled to get back into the contest. Goolsby added a pair of free throws and ended the run with a 3-pointer, her third of the game, to make it a 12-point Mercer lead, 59-47 with 44 seconds to play.
Tech's four-game, season-opening homestand continues Thursday night when the Golden Eagles welcome Georgia State into Eblen Center for a 6 p.m. contest.
Individual game tickets and season tickets are on sale by visiting the Athletics Ticket Office in Eblen Center or calling (931) 372-3940. Tickets may also be purchased online at TTUsports.com.
