Friday, February 12, 2010

MACON, Ga. – The Atlantic Sun Conference Women’s Basketball Game of the Week features a showdown for seeding between Mercer and Campbell. The Bears, led by senior guards Courtney Ford and LaToya Jackson, travel to Buies Creek, N.C. to visit the Campbell Lady Camels, paced by freshman guard Tonisha Baker and senior center Ashley Williamson, at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday from the John W. Pope Convocation Center. Catch all of the action on A-Sun.TV.

Mercer and Campbell met in Macon, Ga. on Jan. 7, with the Bears posting a 64-52 victory. An early second-half Mercer spurt of 12-0 provided a lead that Campbell could never fully recover from, as the Bears extended their lead to as many as 17 points. Sophomore forward Lacy Ramon recorded her first double-double in a Mercer uniform, tallying 13 points and 11 rebounds, complementing double-digit scoring efforts from Ford and Jackson. Ford paced the Bears with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field, eight rebounds and five steals, while Jackson added 13 points and three assists. Senior forward Geami Britt and Baker led the Lady Camels with 10 points each. Both collected three rebounds, while Baker also added two steals in the loss.

Mercer’s Ford stands as the only player who ranks in the A-Sun’s top-five in scoring (17.4 per game), rebounding (8.2 per game) and assists (4.13 per game). On the season, Baker paces Campbell with 9.3 points per game and ranks third overall in field goal percentage with a 49.2 rate from the floor.

The meeting also boasts a showdown in shooting between two teams ranking in the top-five in the conference in 3-point field-goal shooting percentage, as Mercer owns the third spot in the league 33.5, while Campbell shoots at 32.2 percent from behind the arc. The Lady Camels also rank second overall in field goal percentage with a 41.6 rate from the court, while the Bears shoot at 39.4. Campbell owns an overall tally of 22-12 in its series against Mercer, and has won 11 of 15 in Buies Creek.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.