Mercer Upsets Auburn 78-74

[AUSportTalk 4]

AUBURN----Van Florence scored a game-high 25 points as Mercer

(3-0) outrebounded its way to a 78-74 upset of Auburn (1-1) in the

Chicago Invitational first round in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum

Wednesday.

    The Tigers were outrebounded 46-21 by the Bears and only made

6-of-14 foul shots in the second half, including a poor 2-of-8 in the

final 7:20 after Auburn took a 67-65 lead.  Atlantic Sun Conference

member Mercer improved to 2-0 against the SEC Western Division as it won

at Alabama 72-69 Sunday.

    *I give Mercer credit. They just annihilated us on the

glass,* Auburn head coach Jeff Lebo said.  *That is their second

game, and we watched their game vs. Alabama very closely.  That was the

emphasis coming into this game.  They destroyed us on the glass, offense

and defensive glass.

*We put them on the foul line way too much.  One of our goals is not

to foul so much, but 34 times is way too much.  They shot and converted.

We missed 6-of-14 in the first half on the foul line.  That is

frustrating when we get to the foul line we can*t convert.  Mercer*s

James Florence is a terrific player.  He controlled their side of the

court.  Daniel Emerson was a force inside.*

Emerson, a Western Kentucky transfer, had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Tay Waller led Auburn with 22 points on 6-of-13 three-point shooting but

missed several minutes down the stretch with cramps.  Korvotney Barber

had 17 points and three blocks while DeWayne Reed added 11 points, five

assists and zero turnovers and Quantez Robertson 10 points, five assists

and a game-high six rebounds.

Waller scored the first basket of the game and then Florence made a

foul shot and Emerson a jumper to give

Mercer a lead that they didn*t relinquish until Robertson made a pair

of free throws for a 30-28 lead with 4:39 left in the half. The Bears

led by as much as 13-4 five minutes in and had its largest lead of the

game at 22-12 before the Tigers used an 8-1 run to get back into the

game.

Leading 44-40 at the half, Mercer pushed its lead to 47-40 on a

conventional 3-point play by Calvin Henry.  Auburn then scored eight

straight points for a 48-47 lead with 18:16 left and the margin never

went above more than three points either way until a Florence

three-pointer to give Mercer a 72-68 lead with 4:11 left.

The Tigers trailed 73-68 with 2:29 remaining but were down only 76-74

with nine seconds left and had the ball. Robertson drove the length of

the court and missed a contested shot in the lane that went out of

bounds under the glass with five seconds left.  The official under the

glass pointed Auburn*s direction and then the official by midcourt

overruled him by calling a charge on Robertson.

*We had Quantez Robertson with the ball so that he could take it to

the rim,* Lebo said. *We missed a layup or two right there at the

end. We missed a ton of free throws coming down the stretch that really

hurt us.*

After an Auburn foul, Calvin Henry sank two foul shots to seal the

game.  The Tigers only committed seven turnovers while forcing 19 Bears

turnovers. Auburn returns to action Saturday as it plays host to George

Washington at 1 pm Central.