Mercer is back in the title game! The stage is set for revenge from last year. We all saw how tough the environment is at Florida Gulf Coast... but here's what I'd tell the guys: You've won in MUCH worse. You won at Utah State in the CIT Championship. That was a bigger crowd in every sense imaginable.

Go Bears!

Go Bears!

If the Bears win, do you think Hoffman is gone? With a bunch of his talent leaving, I don't think it would surprise me.

(03-07-2014 09:49 AM)Bucfaithful Wrote:  Go Bears!

(03-07-2014 04:03 PM)ETSUfan1 Wrote:  If the Bears win, do you think Hoffman is gone? With a bunch of his talent leaving, I don't think it would surprise me.

I don't think so. I would think he's happy at Mercer. His contract was just recently extended and I'm sure he's paid well. I also think he's at the age where he'd rather not start fresh somewhere else. He can keep coaching here til he wanted to retire. I have no real knowledge on the situation, but that would be my guess.

FGCU gettin that ass spanked! The ASUN isn't happy.

57-54 Mercer over FGCU with 3:36 left in 2H.

61-56 Mercer leads in Championship game with 1:34 left in 2H.

Here is a preview writeup of this game for history buffs:

Fort Myers, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - The top two seeds will face off in the championship game of the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament on Sunday afternoon, as the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles welcome the Mercer Bears to Alico Arena with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament at stake.

As the No. 2 seed in this event, Mercer hosted each of its first two games, taking down Jacksonville in the quarterfinals (69-55) before downing USC Upstate in double overtime in Thursday's semifinals (78-75). The Bears are now 25-8 overall and have held their own away from home, going 8-7.

FGCU earned homecourt advantage throughout this event as the regular-season champion and took advantage early in the tournament with wins over Stetson (77-55) and East Tennessee State (69-64). The Eagles, who won the conference tournament a year ago before reeling off a Cinderella run to the Sweet 16 as a No. 15 seed in the NCAA Tournament, are 22-11 overall and have won 15-of-16 at Alico Arena.

The teams split the two-game regular-season series, with each side winning on its home floor. Mercer leads the all-time series by an 11-5 count.

Mercer wins 68-60. Congratulations, Dancing bears!





FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Langston Hall and Anthony White Jr. scored 15 points each and Mercer earned its first NCAA tournament berth since 1985, beating top-seeded Florida Gulf Coast 68-60 in the Atlantic Sun Conference championship game on Sunday.

Jakob Gallon added 12 for the second-seeded Bears (26-8), who lost the A-Sun title game at home to the Eagles a year ago, then had to watch FGCU make a run to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament and become known nationally as ''Dunk City.''

It will be Mercer's time in the tourney this year, after handing FGCU its third home loss in 33 games over the past two seasons.

Congrats Mercer fans! Very deserving.

(03-09-2014 04:04 PM)Bucfaithful Wrote:  Congrats Mercer fans! Very deserving.

Thanks Faithful! What a game!

Recap: http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400542834

Congrats and good luck in the Big Dance.

(03-09-2014 05:12 PM)JWBUC Wrote:  Congrats and good luck in the Big Dance.

Thank you!

A side story in the game: They lost power to the arena at game time, and the ESPN equipment in turn needed to reset. The game didn't get on TV til Mercer was up 12-6. It was a huge headache for ESPN as they delayed the start 15 minutes and then finally had to tip with no TV coverage. A-Sun must have been going crazy, really makes them look bad.

Regardless, I'm thrilled with how it worked out. Go Bears!

Congrats Mercer Bears!! Long and very well deserved. Always good to see an old ASun rival of my Alma Mater achieving great things.

Congrats and wishes for a long night at the dance.

Here's what didn't make it on TV... Shows how powerful their home crowd was, and also showing the power surge:

Congrats to Mercer for winning the Asun title . Good luck in the Big Dance .