Cummings hits 4 3s, scores 21; Mercer beats Samford 74-69
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Ross Cummings hit four 3-pointers and finished with 21 points and Jordan Strawberry had 18 points, six rebounds, seven assists and two steals to help Mercer beat Samford 74-69 on Monday night.
Cummings, a sophomore who came in averaging 6.1 points per game, has scored in double figures in each of the last five games and has made 22 of 45 from 3-point range during that span. He is averaging 19.7 points during Mercer's three-game win streak.
Cory Kilby's and-1 dunk sparked a 9-0 run that made it 43-36 with 14 minutes left and the Bears (13-13, 6-7 Southern Conference) never again trailed. Alex Thompson's jumper seven minutes later capped a 7-0 spurt by Samford (9-19, 5-10) that made it 57-all, but Mercer hit 11 of 12 free throws and the Bulldogs missed 7 of 9 from the field from there to seal it.
Triston Chambers had 16 points, while Thompson and Josh Sharkey scored 15 apiece for the Bulldogs. Demetrius Denzel-Dyson and Justin Coleman -- Samford's leading scorers at 15.1 and 13.8 per game, respectively -- combined for eight points on 3-of-11 shooting.
Game Information
- Referees:
- Tim Gattis
- Doug Simmons
- Bret Smith
2023-24 Southern Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Samford | 15-3 | - | 29-6 |
UNC Greensboro | 12-6 | 3 | 21-11 |
Chattanooga | 12-6 | 3 | 21-12 |
Western Carolina | 11-7 | 4 | 22-10 |
Wofford | 10-8 | 5 | 17-15 |
Furman | 10-8 | 5 | 17-16 |
East Tennessee State | 8-10 | 7 | 19-16 |
Mercer | 8-10 | 7 | 16-17 |
The Citadel | 3-15 | 12 | 11-21 |
VMI | 1-17 | 14 | 4-28 |