Game #26 - Mercer

The Catamounts and Bears close out the 2020-21 regular season on Saturday as Mercer visits at the Ramsey Center at 1 p.m. for the second game of the series. The Cats dropped a heartbreaker to the Bears in Macon by a final score of 76-78. Senior Day in Cullowhee, and prior to Saturday's game, WCU seniors Mason Faulkner, Matt Halvorsen, and Marcus Thomas will be honored in a special pregame ceremony.

When: Saturday, February 27, 2021, at 1 pm
Where: Ramsey Center, Cullowhee, NC
Radio:  Catamount Sports Network
-announcers:  Gary Ayers

TV/video: ESPN+

-announcers: Daniel Hooker (Play by Play), Jeff Bryson (Color Analyst)

Official Athletic Site:  Mercer Bears
Bears Fan Message Board:  MU Bear Down

The Series: In a series that started in 1978 with the Bears, the Catamounts and Bears meet for the 22nd time with Mercer holding an 11-10 edge in the all-time series. The teams split the regular-season series last season.

Bears' record this season (2020-21): 15-9 overall, 9-4 home, 6-5 away,  8-8 SoCon 

Bears' record last season (2019-20): 17-15 overall, 11-7 SoCon, 9-6 home, 8-6 away, 0-3 neutral

Game Notes:       Western Carolina       -        Mercer  

Mark Prosser's record vs. Mercer:   3-5

Mercer Head Coach:  Greg Gary

Record at Mercer:   34-21  /  2d season

Key Returners: Ross Cummings, Jeffrey Gary, Maciej Bender, Kamar Robertson, James Glisson III
Key Losses: Djordje Dimitrijevic, Ethan Stair
Key Newcomers: Neftali Alvarez (Fairfield), Felipe Haase (South Carolina) 

The Bears come into this game on a two-game win streak, having won 3 of the last four games played. With a win over the Bears, the Cats will move into the 9th seed and a loss puts them in the 10th seed, a win by Mercer will secure the No. 6 seed for the tournament for the Bears, while a loss will put them in 7th.  

Mercer is averaging 78.4 points per game (4th in SoCon) and holding opponents to an average of 72.9 ppg (6th in SoCoCon), hitting 48.7% of their field goal attempts and 38% of 3-point attempts. The Bears average 70% of their attempts from the charity stripe as a team and are turning-over the ball an average of 13 times per game. Mercer has four players currently with scoring averages in double figures, led by Ross Cummings at 14.8 ppg, followed by Neftali Alvarez  with 13.4 ppg, Leon Ayers III  12.1 ppg, Leon Ayers 12.0