ETSU hits 13 3s, beats Mercer 84-75 for 11th win in a row

Jan 25, 2019, 02:59 am

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -- Jalan McCloud hit six of East Tennessee State's season-high 13 3-pointers and tied his career high with 25 points to help the Buccaneers beat Mercer 84-75 on Wednesday night for their 11th win in a row.

Devontavius Payne added 18 points and Desonta Bradford had 15 points, six rebounds and a career-high tying nine assists for ETSU (13-4, 8-0 Southern Conference).

Payne scored five points during a 9-2 spurt that gave the Bucs an 11-point lead with five minutes left, but Mercer (10-11, 3-5) scored 11 of the next 15 to pull within four points with two minutes to go. The Bears, however, missed their next five field-goal attempts and ETSU hit 8 of 10 free throws from there to seal it.

Desmond Ringer had 21 points, on 9-of-9 shooting, and Marcus Cohen added 16 for Mercer. Stephon Jelks scored 14, giving him 1,001 career points.

The Bucs shot 51 percent (24 of 47) from the field, 50 percent from 3 and made 23 of 28 (82 percent) from the free-throw line. They have won eight in a row against the Bears.