March Madness at Mercer

Springtime, the Cherry Blossom Festival, sundresses, these are just a few of the things I love about March. But what I love most about March is March Madness, those three weeks of the year when the entire country is enamored by college basketball.

A little about me, is I love basketball, and when I say love, I mean LOVE. I grew up a kid of a basketball coach so basketball runs in my DNA. There’s nothing I really don’t like about basketball, well unless a team has really ugly uniforms or the referees are having an off night, but that’s neither here nor there. What I really wanted to talk to y’all about is one of my favorite basketball teams, the Mercer Bears.  These guys have had an AMAZING season so far this year (22-8) and are poised to make a run at the Big Dance.  Not only do they share the Atlantic Sun regular season title with Florida Gulf Coast, but they have also had signature wins this season against Seton Hall and Ole Miss.

Mercer’s chances of making into the Big Dance are very good. Not only have they had those signature wins, but they have also played other Top 50 teams, such as Texas and Oklahoma, down to the wire. The team’s biggest competition in the ASun Tournament, will of course be Florida Gulf Coast, the team they share the ASun regular season title with.  Both teams match up tic for tac with each other, and more than likely will be facing each other in the ASun Championship game on Sunday, which will decide which team represents the Atlantic Sun in the NCAA Tournament.

But in order to get to the Dance, the Bears must win 3 games in the Atlantic Sun Tournament, starting with tonight’s game against Jacksonville.  If this past Saturday’s game against JU was any indication of what tonight’s game is going to be like, it’ll be a very physical, high energy, intense game. Gametime is set for 7pm at Hawkins Arena, so be sure to get there as soon as the gates open (around 6ish) because I’m positive this game will more than likely be a sellout.

Until next time,
Katie

PS.  GO BEARS!!!

All photos courtesy of Molly Wilkins