CHARLESTON, S.C. (Interstat) — A frigid first half gave way to a scorching second-half performance by Baraka Okojie and the Mercer Bears, who overcame a significant deficit to defeat The Citadel Bulldogs 70-54 in a Southern Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at McAlister Field House.

The game turned on a dramatic reversal of fortune after halftime. Mercer, which managed only 18 points and shot poorly in the opening period, erupted for 52 points in the second half. The Citadel, which led 25-18 at the break and by as many as nine points, saw its offense stagnate and its defense crumble under the Bears’ renewed assault.

The most important part of the game was unquestionably Mercer’s complete transformation coming out of the locker room. Trailing by seven and having produced a season-low in first-half scoring, the Bears opened the second period on a 12-2 run to seize a lead they would never relinquish. The surge was fueled by aggressive defense that created turnovers and ignited the transition game, and by Okojie shaking off a quiet first half to take over the contest.

Okojie, a junior guard from Brampton, Canada, scored 20 of his game-high 22 points after halftime. He added six assists, five rebounds and two steals, orchestrating the Mercer offense that posted an offensive rating of 113.7 points per 100 possessions. His back-to-back 3-pointers early in the second half were pivotal in erasing the deficit and setting a new tone.

He was complemented by a dominant double-double from center Armani Mighty of Toronto. The 6-foot-10 junior scored 12 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished four assists and blocked three shots, providing a formidable interior presence at both ends.

For The Citadel, Braxton Williams of Thomasville, Alabama, led the way with 17 points. Christian Moore of Los Angeles added 15 points, all from beyond the arc or the free-throw line. The Bulldogs’ offense, however, was inefficient throughout, shooting just 34% from the field and 28% from 3-point range for an offensive rating of 87.5.

The first half was a struggle for both teams, characterized by missed shots and turnovers. The Citadel built its lead primarily at the free-throw line, making 11 of 12 attempts, while Mercer connected on only 6 of 22 field goal attempts. The Bears’ 18 first-half points represented a season low for any half.

The second-half turnaround was comprehensive. Mercer shot 19 of 26 from the floor after intermission, a blistering 73.1%, including 7 of 10 from 3-point range. They outscored The Citadel 30-16 in the paint for the game and converted 12 Bulldog turnovers into 20 points. Meanwhile, Mercer’s defense held The Citadel to 29 second-half points on 10-of-30 shooting.

Other key contributors for Mercer included Quinton Perkins of Dallas with 13 points and Connor Serven of Prairie City, Illinois, with 10 points. Carter Kingsbury of Ponca, Nebraska, worked hard for The Citadel, pulling down 11 rebounds to go with seven points.

With the victory, Mercer improves to 17-10 overall and continues its push in the Southern Conference standings. The Citadel falls to 9-18. The Bears avenged no loss, having soundly defeated the Bulldogs 101-63 in Macon just over a month ago.

Mercer, which entered the game as a 9.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, covered the spread despite the slow start. The total score of 124 points fell well under the over/under line of 148.5, largely due to the anemic first-half scoring. The pregame analytics gave Mercer an 83.1% probability of victory.

The announced attendance was 1,171.

Mercer looks ahead to a key conference homestand, hosting Chattanooga on Thursday and Samford on Saturday. The Citadel remains at home to face Samford on Thursday and Chattanooga on Saturday.