CHARLESTON, S.C. – Mercer forward T.J. Hallice scored 16 points and added five rebounds to lead four players in double figures as the Bears completed a 76-53 victory over The Citadel at McAlister Field House in Thursday evening Southern Conference action.
 
Hallice, who knocked down 7-of-10 from the field, was joined in double digits by Darius Moten (15 points), Ike Nwamu (12) and Stephon Jelks (11). Moten was also a deadly thorn for The Citadel (8-14, 3-8 SoCon) as he finished 7-of-7 from the field and snagged five rebounds.
 
Mercer (13-11, 8-3 SoCon) closed the contest by hitting 32-of-55 (58.2%) from the floor and 8-of-19 (42.1%) from 3-point range. The Bears had a decisive edge in points in the paint (38-16) as well as second chance points (12-0), due in large part to 12 of the 34 rebounds coming on the offensive glass.  
 
With a 12-point lead in hand, the Bears opened the second half by knocking down 12-of-13 from the field, including five from beyond the arc, as they established a 64-40 advantage at the 10:48 mark. Hallice led the way in that spurt, scoring six points, while Jelks and Moten added five each.
 
Ashton Moore kept The Citadel in the game during Mercer's outburst as he singlehandedly scored 10 straight points during a 2:52 stretch.
 
The bright spot for the Bulldogs in the final 10 minutes of the frame was that they limited the Bears to 10 points. The Citadel managed 11 in that same stretch, including a 3-pointer by Brandon Thompson and five points from Marshall Harris III, as it dropped only its third game at home this season.
 
Moore led the Dogs in scoring with 19 points, converting 7-of-18 from the floor and 4-of-13 from beyond the arc. The four 3-pointers moved Moore into sixth on the school's all-time 3-point list as he passed Ryan Nesbit.
 
Freshman Jake Wright made the first start of his Bulldog career and finished with 11 points and two rebounds. The sharpshooting Wright was 3-of-7 from beyond the arc as he moved within one of becoming the seventh Citadel freshman with 50 treys in their first year.
 
The Citadel rebounded from a difficult shooting first half (9-24, 37.5%) by hitting 21-of-44 (47.7%) for the game.
 
Mercer's backcourt of Phillip Leonard (seven assists) and Nwamu (four) helped the Bears to their third road win of the season and fourth at McAlister since the rivalry began in 1925.
 
Mercer capitalized on 14-of-26 shooting from the floor, hitting three from long distance, to close out the opening frame with a 12-point advantage.
 
A pair of Hallice free throws capped off a 21-9 run to open the game for the Bears, who capitalized on three 3-pointers in that span including two off the hand of Nwamu.
 
Points in the paint by Quinton Marshall and Horgan kept the Dogs within 10, however Mercer answered by scoring 10 of the final 15 points of the half to forge ahead 33-21.
 
The Citadel returns to action on Saturday at 1 p.m. when it hosts UNCG. Fans are encouraged to participate in the SoCon Hoops Against Hunger initiative by donating non-perishable items at the game.
 
Hoops Against Hunger, in partnership with the Brad Daugherty Foundation, brings together the basketball community along with public, private, and sports organizations as well as local and national sponsors to help provide meals for students who may not have enough to eat at home during the extended holiday breaks from school.