Mercer Bears women's basketball

Last updated
Mercer Bears
Basketball current event.svg 2024–25 Mercer Bears women's basketball team
Mercer Bears wordmark.svg
University Mercer University
Head coach Michelle Clark-Heard (1st season)
Conference SoCon
Location Macon, Georgia
Arena Hawkins Arena
(capacity: 3,500)
Nickname Bears
Student sectionMercer Maniacs
ColorsBlack and orange [1]
   
NCAA tournament Final Four
1985*
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1985*
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1985*
NCAA tournament round of 32
1985*
NCAA tournament appearances
1985*
*at Division II level
2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
AIAW tournament Elite Eight
1973
AIAW tournament appearances
1973, 1980
Conference tournament champions
1972 (SWAC)
1974, 1976, 1979, 1980 (GAIAW)
2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 (SoCon)
Conference regular season champions
1972 (SWAC)
1980, 1982 (GAIAW)
1991, 1992 (NSWAC/TWAC)
2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 (SoCon)

The Mercer Bears women's basketball team represents Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Southern Conference. [2]

Contents

History

Mercer began play in 1970. As of the end of the 2017–18 Southern Conference season, they have an all-time record of 688–670. Mercer played in the Southern Women's Athletic Conference for one season (1971–72) before joining the Georgia AIAW in 1972, playing until 1981. In the 1973 AIAW Tournament, they beat Long Beach State 55–46 before losing to South Connecticut State 58–46 in the Quarterfinals. They lost to Texas in the 1980 AIAW National Division I Basketball Championship 81–80. They played as an independent from 1982 to 1985 before joining the New South Women's Athletic Conference in 1985. The conference merged with the Trans-America Athletic Conference in 1991, with the conference name changing to the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2001. Mercer played in the conference until 2014, when they joined the Southern Conference. Mercer played in the 1985 NCAA Division II basketball tournament, making the Final Four after beating North Alabama 90–86 (in OT) and Quinnipiac 86–76 before losing to Central Missouri 82–79. The Bears did not make another postseason appearance until the 2013 Women's Basketball Invitational. They made the WBI again in 2015 and the WNIT in 2016. The Bears won their second-straight Division I conference championship in 2019, defeating Furman 68–66 to win the Southern Conference Title, earning their second appearance in the Division I NCAA basketball tournament. [3] [4]

Postseason

NCAA Division I tournament results

The Bears have appeared in the NCAA Division I Tournament four times. Their combined record is 0–4.

YearSeedRoundOpponentResult
2018 #13First Round#4 Georgia L 63–68
2019 #15First Round#2 Iowa L 61–66
2021 #16First Round#1 South Carolina L 53–79
2022 #15First Round#2 Connecticut L 83–38

NCAA Division II tournament results

The Bears appeared in one NCAA Division II Tournament. Their combined record was 2–1.

YearRoundOpponentResult
1985 Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
North Alabama
Quinnipiac
Central Missouri State
W, 90–86 (OT)
W, 86–76
L, 79–82

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References

  1. "Color - Mercer University Style Guide" . Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  2. "Mercer Bears Homepage".
  3. "Mercer University Athletics Media Guide" (PDF).
  4. "Mercer University Athletics Quick Facts" (PDF).