Thursday, October 20, 2011

MACON, Ga. - The 2011-12 Atlantic Sun Conference Women's Basketball Season gets underway on Friday, Nov. 11th and prior to that date the A-Sun office will preview each of the ten member institutions.

Mercer's Rick Cameron sits down with Bears Head Coach Susie Gardner and junior forward Alex Phillips in the Bears season preview.

Women's Basketball Capsule
Coaches Poll Predicted Finish: 8th
Media Poll Predicted Finish: 9th
2010-11 Overall Record (A-Sun): 2-27 (2-18; 11th)
Season Schedule // Roster

Notes:
• Mercer returns a wealth of experience from last year's squad as the team's top-six scorers from 2011 come back for the 2011-12 season. Led by Briana Williams (18.0), the Bears bring back three other players who averaged at least seven points per outing including; Brittnee Hazel (11.3), Kendra Grant (7.7) and Alex Phillips (7.5). In total, Mercer returns 89.8 percent of its scoring from last year.
• A tough schedule awaits the Bears in 2011-12 as Mercer welcomes Auburn, Georgia and Notre Dame to the University Center. Coach Gardner also takes her team on the road to Wake Forest, Davidson and UCF during the season.
• Williams, the 2011 A-Sun Freshman of the Year, was sensational in her first year at Mercer. On four occasions last season, Williams registered 30 points or more, which included a 41-point game against Jacksonville on January 24th. She finished the season leading the conference in scoring at 18.0 PPG.
• Despite returning several top scorers, the Bears will still be a young team with 10 underclassmen. Mercer goes into the season without a senior on the team and four juniors on the squad.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an NCAA Division I league with 10 member institutions committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun meets the challenge of maintaining the highest standards in academic and athletic achievement with a true balance between student and athlete. 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, 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.