Central Georgia Sports ReportMarch 06, 2021Comment

Friday's Daily News 'n Notes: Scoreboard; GC's Barsby; Mercer basketball, Mayhem, Georgia College; UGA, Tech, Braves, Hawks; conference tournaments; more

Central Georgia Sports ReportMarch 06, 2021Comment

Friday’s Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media.

Honor Roll

Georgia College’s Barsby gets win No. 600

Alumni Update

Avant improves to 7-0 in UGA softball win

Around/About Central Georgia

Mercer women headed to another SoCon championship game

Three with 17 points and a big start lift Mercer men

Ross Cummings, Felipe Haase, and Leon Ayers III each had 17 points and James Glisson III 12 as Mercer darted out to a 39-22 halftime lead and cruised past Samford 87-59 in the Southern Conference’s men’s tournament opener.

It was Mercer’ fifth-highest point total and largest margin of victory this season. The Bears beat the Bulldogs in a pair of overtime games, 89-82 and 77-70. It came off a surprisingly poor night against Western Carolina, an 85-61 loss on Feb. 27.

“We did a really good job of playing defense in the first half, and that helped us get some transition baskets,” said Mercer head coach Greg Gary said, whose team led 22-8. “It’s a lot easier to score when you don’t have to take the ball out of the net. Our defense really started our offense tonight.”

Mercer had 21 assists on 31 baskets, held Samford to three fast-break points and eight second-chance points. The Bulldogs had only four points off turnovers to 19 for Mercer, which had 18 fast-break points.

Mercer had 21 assists to nine turnovers, to eight and 15 for Samford. The Bears dominated while shooting 44.4 percent from the floor, 36.4 percent from three, and had 11 steals.

“Sometimes just going by te scoreboard is a mistake,” Samford head coach Bucky McMillan said. “But tonight was not the case. Mercer played very well, shot the ball well, and played good defense.”

Samford season ends at 6-13, a season loaded with more-than-normal COVID issues. This was Samford’s first game in 15 days, and only fifth since Jan. 20.

The 16-10 Bears, after their first tournament win since 2016, play No. 2 Wofford at 5:30 on Saturday.

Mayhem fall in OT to end winning streak

No. 8 Georgia College goes off late

Mercer battles in loss at South Carolina

Georgia College puts two on PBC team

Peach Belt names women’s honorees

Around/About Georgia/Southeast

Devoe leads Georgia Tech past Wake Forest

Jackets amid best run in two-plus decades

Georgia women roll in SEC tournament

And defense is huge

Tech women edge Clemson in ACC tourney