Liberty and Mercer opened the 2017 Paradise Jam Friday afternoon with a 63-48 Mercer win. The Bears advance to play Drexel, who defeated Houston, 84-80. Liberty will face the Cougars at noon.
The Bears made it a point of emphasis from the onset to pound the ball in the paint to their bigs, leading to a rebounding edge of 37-23 and outscoring the Flames in points in the paint 24-16.
The Flames struggled shooting from the floor, being held to just 35% on 17-of-49 shooting on the afternoon. For the majority of the game, Mercer head coach Bob Hoffman utilized a zone defense that Liberty had difficulty trying to figure out.
Lovell Cabbil continued his hot play, leading the Flames in scoring with 15 points, the only Flame reach double figures on the afternoon.
Senior Ryan Kemrite struggled from the floor, failing to convert from the field on his 7 shots on the afternoon. He finished with 2 points in 31 minutes.
Isaiah Williams and Scottie James were a combined 5/6 from the floor for 11 points and 8 rebounds.
Elijah Cuffee connected on his first two field goal attempts on the afternoon, both from 3-point range.
Liberty and Houston also met last season with the Flames falling to the Cougars, 77-54. Rob Gray led the way for Kelvin Sampson’s squad with 22 points against Liberty last season. Gray scored 37 points against Drexel on Friday in the losing cause.
