Washington St defeats Mercer 84-78
Washington St Edges Out Mercer in Thrilling Non-Conference Matchup
The Beasley Coliseum was electric as the Washington St Cougars hosted the visiting Mercer Bears, but it was not enough to keep their opponents from emerging victorious. The final score read 84-78 in favor of the home team.
Despite trailing at halftime, Washington St took control of the game with a strong second half, outscoring Mercer by 45-39. The Cougars' balanced offense and stifling defense proved too much for the Bears to handle, as they built a 14-point lead that Mercer was unable to overcome.
The top performer for Washington St was Ace Glass, who scored a team-high 24 points on 3-5 three-point shooting (57.1% FG). Eemeli Yalaho chipped in with 9 rebounds and 14 points, while Jerone Morton contributed 4 assists and 4 points off the bench.
For Mercer, Baraka Okojie led the way with 24 points, but struggled from beyond the arc, going just 2-7 (28.6% FG). Armani Mighty rebounded well, grabbing 11 boards and scoring 12 points, while Brady Shoulders dished out 5 assists.
The game was a closely contested affair, with both teams trading baskets in the first half. Washington St's high-powered offense ultimately proved too much for Mercer to handle, as they shot 54% (30/56) from the field and made 11 three-pointers at a respectable rate.
In contrast, Mercer struggled from beyond the arc, making just 26% of their attempts (7/27). The Bears did manage to keep the game close by limiting Washington St's free throw attempts, but ultimately fell short.
The win brings Washington St's non-conference record to [insert number], while Mercer drops to [insert number]. The Cougars will look to build on this victory as they head into their next matchup, while the Bears will regroup and prepare for their next challenge.
Advanced statistics show that Washington St's true shooting percentage (64.8%) was significantly higher than Mercer's (48.1%), indicating a more efficient offense. Additionally, the Cougars' effective field goal percentage (63.4%) was nearly 10 percentage points higher than Mercer's (47.3%).
Ultimately, it was Washington St's balanced performance that proved to be the difference-maker in this thrilling non-conference matchup.