MACON, Ga. — Samford women's basketball came up short against Mercer, 76-67, in a Southern Conference contest Saturday afternoon at Hawkins Arena.
The Bulldogs mounted a late run but could not overcome an early deficit, dropping their record to 8-12 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
Mercer asserted control early, taking a 20-13 advantage after the opening quarter and extending the lead to 35-24 by halftime. The Bears surged again in the third, outscoring Samford 23-17 to build a 58-41 margin entering the final period.
Despite trailing by double digits for most of the game, the Bulldogs rallied late, cutting the deficit to just six points following a key three-pointer from
Aubrey Blankenship with under one minute left. Mercer responded at the free-throw line to seal the outcome.
Senior guard
Sierra Godbolt led the Bulldogs with 19 points, seven assists and two rebounds in 26 minutes, while Blankenship added 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc.
Briana Rivera chipped in nine points, all from three-point range.
Mercer was led by Abigail Holtman's 22 points and Ariana Bennett's 15 points and nine rebounds.
Samford returns home to the Pete Hanna Center to face Wofford on Thursday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m.
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For the latest news and information on Samford women's basketball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordWBB (Instagram) and @SamfordWBB (Twitter).
