Bridges, Mercer Pull Out 46-43 Win over Davidson

Wednesday, November 28

Macon, Ga.

7:00 p.m.

Davidson College

1-4

Mercer

4-2

Davidson

Mercer

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Bridges, Mercer Pull Out 46-43 Win over Davidson

11/28/2012 9:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Find Your Favorite Wildcat Action Shot at DavidsonPhotos.com

MACON, Ga. – Mercer's Precious Bridges scored a game-high 23 points, including the final three at the charity stripe, and Davidson could not overcome a first-half drought in falling 46-43 on the road Wednesday evening in non-conference women's basketball play at Hawkins Arena.

Bridges' final three points of the game proved to be the biggest as she broke up a 43-all game with three free throws in the final 37 seconds and Davidson (1-4) twice missed chances to tie it on its two possessions, resulting in a tough defeat for the Wildcats.

Sophia Aleksandravicius (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) missed a layup that would have tied things up at 45 after it appeared she was fouled, but no whistle was blown. Laura Murray (Harrisburg, Pa.) – nine points, four boards – then missed a three-point try on Davidson's next possession that could have knotted things up at 46-all with three seconds to go.

Aleksandravicius had a strong game on the blocks. Despite having an off-shooting night, the senior tallied her second double-double of the season with 18 points and a game-high 14 boards. She was a perfect 8-for-8 at the charity stripe, with her last four tying the game up at 43-all with just a minute to go.

Dakota Dukes (Raleigh, N.C.), who finished with 12 points, led the 'Cats back from a poor first half. The freshman scored nine of the Wildcats' first 13 points to open the new half, with her last bucket making it 30-28 with 12 minutes to go.

Davidson kept chipping away and Aleksandravicius' jumper at the 15-foot line gave the 'Cats their only lead of the game at 36-35 with 4:59 left.

The first half was one Davidson wishes it could have played again. The 'Cats turned the ball over 14 times, hit just six of its 23 shots and trailed by ten at the break. The game started off with them not scoring for the first seven minutes, while Bridges pushed the Bears out to a double-digit lead with nine of Mercer's first 17 points. She capped the half off with a trey to make it a 25-15 after 20 minutes.

The Wildcats shot just 29.1 percent for the game, but held Mercer (4-2) to 31.5 percent and out-rebounded the Bears 41-39.

Davidson returns home for the first time in five games for its home and Southern Conference opener this weekend with a matchup against Georgia Southern Saturday at 4 p.m. The game was originally at 2 p.m., but moved back to 4 p.m.

GAME NOTES: This was just the third meeting between both schools, with Davidson leading 2-1… Davidson's five-game road swing to open to season is the longest since an eight-game swing to start the 2009-10 season … Aleksandravicius needs 137 more points and 28 more rebounds to be the program's all-time leader in both categories … Murray moved closer to 1,000 for her career, needing 120 points … Barbara Sitton had four assists, six rebounds and six steals.