Mercer exits in the first round of the NCAA tournament as UConn dominates

Mercer’s trip to the NCAA women’s tournament was short-lived after suffering a 83-38 blowout defeat against UConn in the first round.

The Bears hung tough in the first quarter and cut UConn’s lead to single-digits at the end of the first quarter on a 3-pointer from Jaron Dougherty. Mercer’s defense created a ton of missed shots and held the Huskies to under 50% shooting for the game and forced 15 turnovers.

Mercer’s chances took a major hit when leading scorer Amoria Neal-Tysor went out with an arm injury on a fall in the first half. The Bears went into halftime down 43-23.

The third quarter was Mercer’s ultimate undoing as it was held scoreless over the full 10 minutes as UConn extend its lead by 20 points. The two teams traded buckets down the stretch, but the game was well in hand for the Huskies. Mercer scored 15 points in the final quarter, the most in any quarter for the Bears in the game.

UConn will move on to the Round of 32 to face the winner of the Florida and UCF first-round matchup. Mercer’s season ends for the second straight year with a first-round exit to a powerhouse program after losing to South Carolina a season ago.

THREE STARS:

Paige Bueckers, UConn guard: She was making just her second start since suffering a major knee injury in December. The Huskies have been slowly reintegrating their star back into the rotation. Against Mercer, Bueckers finished second on the team in scoring with 12 but on an efficient 5-for-7 shooting from the field. She also connected on a pair of 3-pointers. Bueckers also chipped in five assists and four rebounds. With her returning to the lineup, UConn’s ceiling in the tournament is raised and could be contenders for the national title.

Shannon Titus, Mercer forward: The senior, who returned for her extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19, ends her career with the Bears on a high note despite the defeat. She led the Bears with 12 points, five steals and five rebounds. Titus came back on a mission to once again bring Mercer to the NCAA tournament and she accomplished it. She will go down as one of the most accomplished players in program history with multiple conference Defensive Player of Year awards. She is also the only Bear to be a part of four NCAA tournament appearances.

Susie Gardner, Mercer head coach: She is one of the best coaches in the country and has led the Bears to the NCAA tournament four times in the last five seasons. Gardner is still searching for the program’s first win in the tournament, but she has clearly built a program with staying power. The result against UConn doesn’t reflect just how close this team is from breaking through. The Bears continue to get the short end of the draw by the selection committee.

Despite a series of sustained successes including two near upsets in the tournament against Iowa and Georgia in back-to-back seasons, the committee has give the Bears a pair of powerhouses in the last two tournaments in South Carolina and UConn.

Mercer will lose some key players from this year’s team, but expect the Bears to be reloaded in time for next season to make another run at the SoCon title.