Mercer looks to shake off close games

Close games have been the norm this season for the Mercer Bears.

The Bears have played nine games that have been decided by four of fewer points, and they are 3-6 in those games. All six of those losses have been by two points, and three have come in Southern Conference play.

Mercer is 9-12 overall and 3-5 in the conference as it enters its game at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday against The Citadel.

“Our guys are trying really hard. I love their effort,” Mercer head coach Bob Hoffman said. “The thing I really admire about this team is how no matter what’s transpired, all but the beginning of the Wofford game in conference play, they have played their tails off. Wofford might have had a lot to do with that in that game, but we’ve had leads in every game in the league.”

The Bears are averaging 70.0 points per game, while allowing 68.6. Ria’n Holland is leading the way with 17.5 points per game, while Jordan Strawberry is averaging 11.3 and Demetre Rivers 11.1.

The Citadel is 9-13 overall and 2-7 in the conference. The Bulldogs, who play an up-tempo, 3-point shooting style, lead the nation in scoring. But they also lead the nation in points allowed.

“To me, (the close games tell) us we’re really close,” Hoffman said. “We haven’t gotten it done. But it’s still a long time until the end of the season. There’s a lot of things that can still happen.”

This story was originally published January 27, 2017 at 11:51 AM with the headline "Mercer looks to shake off close games."