Box Score

The Basics
Score: Mercer 63 - Western Carolina 42
Records: Western Carolina 6-16, 2-6 SoCon, Mercer 17-6, 7-1 SoCon
Location: Hawkins Arena -- Macon, Ga.

MACON, Ga. - Western Carolina women's basketball fell on the road at Mercer, 63-42, Thursday in Hawkins Arena.

The Catamounts scored 12 points or less in all four periods and was outscored 18-9 after the first period. Western Carolina did clamp down a bit on Mercer in the third period holding the Bears to just 11 points but could only muster 10 points themselves.

Western Carolina sliced the Bears' lead to nine, 45-36, to open the four period but only scored six points in the final nine minutes of the fourth period. That Catamount drought afforded Mercer to go on an 18-6 run to close out the game.

Ace Easter led Western Carolina with 15 points and Raziyah Farrington just missed scoring in double figures with eight. Mercer was paced by Khalia Lawrence's 20 points.

Turning Point
Western Carolina opened the game scoring only nine points in the first period watching Mercer build an 18-9 lead. The Catamounts scored below 12 points or less in all four periods.

Individual Leaders
- Easter led WCU with 15 points.
- Sherae Bonner ripped down a team-high 10 rebounds.
- Mercer's Lawrence led all scorers with 20 points.

Inside the Box Score
- Mercer ripped down 38 rebounds, 25 on the defensive side, to Western Carolina's 31 who also had just nine offensive boards.
- Both teams were 4-of-13 from behind the three-point arch.
- Mercer had only 10 turnovers in the game to Western Carolina's 17.
- Mercer shot 42.4 percent from the field to Western Carolina's 35.3.

News & Notes
- Senior guard Lindsay Simpson opened the game with a three-pointer extending her streak to 11 straight games with at least one three pointer.
- Western Carolina remains winless against the Mercer Bears having dropped all nine meetings.
- Sherae Bonner's 10 rebounds against Mercer pushes her to six games this season she has pounded the glass for double figure rebounds.
- With 15 points against Mercer, Easter has scored in double figures in the last seven games.
- The 42 points scored by Western Carolina ties the season low for scoring by the Catamounts in conference play this season.
- The Catamount loss halts a two-game winning streak.

Up Next
Western Carolina completes its two-game road swing at Samford Saturday. Game time is set for 4 p.m. EDT and can be seen on ESPN3.

For the latest information on Catamount women's basketball, follow @catamounts on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.