Box Score (PDF)

MACON, Ga. – Ezekiel Balogun scored a career-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds but Mercer's 50.9 percent shooting from the floor was too much to overcome Saturday as The Citadel men's basketball team dropped an 82-66 decision inside Hawkins Arena.
 
With head coach Duggar Baucom using his seventh different starting lineup of the season, the Bulldogs (9-14, 2-8 SoCon) raced out to a 10-4 lead after starting the game four-of-six from the floor, including three-pointers by Warren Sledge and Matt Frierson. But a 7-3 run by the Bears (10-12, 4-5 SoCon) over a 1:12 span allowed Mercer to tie the game at 13-13.
 
With 2:30 remaining in the first half, Balogun scored five consecutive points to pull The Citadel within one. The Bears countered with a basket and two free throws on their next two possessions to push their lead back to five but Quayson Williams' second trey of the day made it a two-point game.
 
Mercer took a 33-30 lead into the locker room at halftime, shooting 44.4 percent from the floor compared to the Bulldogs' 32.3 percent. The Citadel also had a five-minute scoring drought, which ended with a layup by Sledge at the 5:32 mark, but the Bears were able to build a five-point lead during that time.
 
The Bears opened the scoring in the second half with a layup 30 seconds in but Williams continued to sink treys and drilled back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game at 41-41 with 15:48 remaining in regulation. One minute later, Mercer responded with a 7-0 run to take a 48-41 lead. The Bears found their rhythm from behind the arc in the second half, draining five of its seven treys in the second frame, including three on three straight possessions to pull away and claim the Southern Conference victory.   
 
Najdawi chipped in 13 points in the contest, draining two three-pointers and making five-of-six free throws. Williams scored 12 in the game and grabbed eight rebounds. The sophomore hit four treys after previously being held without a three-pointer in the last five games. Preston Parks scored 10 and handed out four assists. The Bulldogs combined to hit 11 three-pointers.
 
Following the three-game road swing the Bulldogs return to McAlister Field House for their first home game in two weeks. The Citadel is set to host Wofford on Feb. 2 and Furman on Feb. 4 for Pack the Mac. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN3 with live stats available at CitadelSports.com. For tickets, visit CitadelSports.com/tickets.
 
For more information on The Citadel basketball, follow @CitadelHoops or visit CitadelSports.com.