JACKSON, Miss. (Interstat) — The Mercer women’s basketball team used a dominant first quarter to build a lead it would not relinquish, defeating Jackson State 78-68 on Wednesday afternoon at the Lee Williams Athletic Center.

The Bears set the tone early, erupting for 28 points in the opening period while holding the Lady Tigers to 18. That 10-point cushion proved vital as Mercer withstood several Jackson State pushes throughout the game. The Bears led 46-34 at halftime and 68-54 after three quarters before closing out the victory.

Ariana Bennett led all scorers for Mercer, contributing 19 points, five rebounds and three blocks in just 23 minutes of action. Micah O’Dell added 15 points and five rebounds, while Nahawa Diarra posted a solid all-around line of 12 points and eight rebounds. The Bears’ offense was efficient, shooting 48 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range. Defensively, Mercer forced 14 Jackson State turnovers, converting them into transition opportunities.

Jackson State was led by Rhema Pegues, who came off the bench to score 14 points. Mikayla Brown recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Pierre-Noelle Tcheuhchoua also chipped in 10 points. Despite a strong performance at the free-throw line, making 18 of 22 attempts, the Lady Tigers struggled from the floor, shooting just 37 percent overall.

The Bears improved their season record to 3-2 with the road victory, while Jackson State fell to 1-3. The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 379.

Mercer’s next game is on the road against Georgia Southern on Saturday. Jackson State will return to action at home against Arkansas State on Sunday.