STATESBORO, Ga. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half performance propelled the Georgia Southern Eagles to a 93-72 victory over the Mercer Bears in a non-conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Hanner Fieldhouse.

The game was a tightly contested affair through the first 20 minutes, with the Eagles holding a narrow 40-39 lead at halftime. The contest was tied 21-21 after a back-and-forth first quarter, and Georgia Southern managed to build a slim one-point cushion by the break.

The third quarter, however, proved to be the turning point. Georgia Southern exploded offensively, outscoring Mercer 26-15 in the period to seize control. The Eagles continued their offensive onslaught in the final frame, pouring in 27 points to the Bears’ 18 to pull away decisively.

Georgia Southern’s offensive efficiency was the story of the game. The Eagles shot a blistering 61 percent from the floor, connecting on 36 of 59 field goal attempts. Mercer, by contrast, finished at 43.9 percent on 29-of-66 shooting. The Eagles also capitalized at the free-throw line, making 17 of 23 attempts, while Mercer was nearly perfect, hitting 11 of 12.

Ariana Bennett led all scorers for Mercer, finishing with 20 points in 35 minutes of action. The 6-foot-1 forward from Edwardsville, Illinois, also contributed two assists and a block. Talia Kemp added 14 points and three assists for the Bears, while Nahawa Diarra of Barcelona, Spain, chipped in 11 points.

Georgia Southern’s attack was more balanced and potent. Shanti Simmons, a 5-foot-9 guard from Eatonton, Georgia, led the Eagles with 18 points. Destiny Garrett from Bessemer, Alabama, recorded 15 points, four assists and two blocks. Kishyah Anderson of Phoenix, Arizona, also scored 15 points, and McKenna Eddings from Williamsburg, Virginia, filled the stat sheet with 12 points and four assists. Kyla Bryant rounded out the double-figure scorers for the Eagles with 10 points and three assists.

Defensively, Georgia Southern’s presence at the rim was significant, as they blocked six Mercer shots compared to three for the Bears. Lia Anderson was a force inside for the Eagles, recording two blocks to go with her nine points. Mercer did force 13 Georgia Southern turnovers while committing only nine of their own, and also tallied eight steals.

The loss drops Mercer’s season record to 3-3. The Bears had previously defeated Jackson State 78-68 on the road this past Wednesday. Georgia Southern improves to 2-3 with the victory, snapping a two-game skid that included losses to Missouri State and a powerful LSU squad.

An announced crowd of 876 was in attendance at Hanner Fieldhouse to witness the game. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Georgia Southern entered the contest with an 83.80 percent probability to win.

Mercer will look to return to the win column when they host Florida A&M on Tuesday. Georgia Southern also returns to action on Tuesday, hitting the road to face Charleston Southern.