VMI takes on Mercer after Watkins’ 21-point showing
VMI Keydets (4-18, 1-8 SoCon) at Mercer Bears (9-13, 2-7 SoCon)
Macon, Georgia; Saturday, 2 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: VMI visits the Mercer Bears after Brennan Watkins scored 21 points in VMI’s 85-79 loss to the UNC Greensboro Spartans.
The Bears have gone 5-5 in home games. Mercer is ninth in the SoCon with 30.8 points per game in the paint led by Jalyn McCreary averaging 8.7.
The Keydets are 1-8 against conference opponents. VMI is 3-3 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 15.5 turnovers per game.
Mercer’s average of 6.6 made 3-pointers per game is 2.5 fewer made shots on average than the 9.1 per game VMI allows. VMI has shot at a 43.6% clip from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points less than the 44.1% shooting opponents of Mercer have averaged.
TOP PERFORMERS: Anthony Benard is averaging 2.8 points for the Bears. David Thomas is averaging 11.9 points and 1.9 rebounds while shooting 41.9% over the past 10 games for Mercer.
Watkins is averaging 15.6 points for the Keydets. Tyran Cook is averaging 14.9 points over the last 10 games for VMI.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bears: 3-7, averaging 67.9 points, 34.2 rebounds, 12.6 assists, 7.3 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 42.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 67.9 points per game.
Keydets: 2-8, averaging 74.7 points, 36.5 rebounds, 11.2 assists, 6.2 steals and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 43.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 90.5 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
