MACON, Ga. (Interstat) — Baraka Okojie scored 24 points and dished out seven assists to lead a balanced Mercer offense as the Bears pulled away in the second half for a 95-81 victory over Virginia Military Institute in a Southern Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Hawkins Arena.

The Bears, now 15-8 overall, used a decisive 13-2 run midway through the second half to break open a close contest and secure their third consecutive win. The Keydets, who got a game-high 26 points from TJ Johnson, fell to 6-17.

Mercer’s depth proved overwhelming as five players scored in double figures. Alongside Okojie’s all-around performance, Armani Mighty dominated the interior with 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Kyle Cuffe added 17 points off the bench, Brady Shoulders posted a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Zaire Williams chipped in 10 points.

Virginia Military Institute was led by Johnson, a 6-foot-7 forward from Belton, Texas, who connected on four 3-pointers. Tan Yildizoglu of Istanbul, Turkey, orchestrated the offense with a double-double of 13 points and 10 assists, while Linus Holmstrom of Stockholm, Sweden, contributed 17 points. Cal Liston, a local product from Marietta, Georgia, added 12 points.

The game’s pivotal sequence began with Mercer holding a narrow 60-57 lead with just under 13 minutes remaining. Over the next four minutes, the Bears unleashed their game-breaking run. It started with a Zaire Williams 3-pointer, followed by a driving layup from Connor Serven. After a Virginia Military Institute turnover, Okojie hit a pull-up jumper, and after another Keydet miscue, Serven finished inside to cap the surge, giving Mercer a commanding 73-59 advantage with 9:32 to play.

The Keydets, who had kept pace through a hot-shooting first half, could not mount a serious challenge thereafter. Mercer’s defense tightened, forcing several turnovers that fueled its transition game, and the Bears’ size advantage inside, led by Mighty and Shoulders, controlled the rebounding battle.

Virginia Military Institute started strong, with Johnson and Yildizoglu connecting from deep to build an early lead. The first half featured eight ties and 10 lead changes before Mercer took a 43-40 edge into halftime following a late 3-pointer from Tristan Gross.

The second half continued in a back-and-forth pattern until Mercer’s decisive run. The Bears steadily expanded their lead down the stretch, with Okojie and Cuffe combining for several key baskets to keep the Keydets at bay. Okojie, a guard from Brampton, Canada, also went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line in the final minute to seal the victory.

Mercer shot efficiently from the field, while Virginia Military Institute relied heavily on perimeter shooting. The Keydets’ offense stalled during the critical second-half stretch, managing only one field goal over a span of more than five minutes as Mercer built its insurmountable lead.

The game was a rematch of a Jan. 15 contest in Lexington, Virginia, which Mercer won 77-67. The Bears have now won four straight in the series.

Mercer next travels to face Chattanooga on Thursday. Virginia Military Institute returns home to host Wofford on Wednesday.