TROY, ALABAMA - Ben Fletcher scored 21 points and LaCedrick Pettway added 19 as Troy State defeated Mercer 89-61 Friday night, ending the Bears' five-game winning streak. <br>
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The win lifts the Trojans (13-4, 4-1 Atlantic Sun Conference) into a three-way tie in the A-Sun South division, along with Central Florida and the Bears (9-4, 4-1). <br>
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The Trojans put the game away early, shooting 10-of-13 from 3-point range in the first half. Fletcher hit back-to-back 3s to open the game as Troy State jumped out to an 11-2 lead. <br>
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The Trojans used a stifling press to force the Bears into 11 first-half turnovers and extended the lead to 17 on a breakaway dunk by Marcus Milhouse. Troy State closed the half on a 14-0 run including back-to-back 3s by Kendrick Johnson at the end of the half and led 52-23 at the break. <br>
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While the Trojans shot 70 percent from the field in the first half, Mercer made only 37 percent. The Bears' shots finally started falling in the second half, at a 54 percent clip, but the Trojans maintained a comfortable lead the rest of the way. <br>
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Fletcher ended the game 8-of-11 from the field, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range. <br>
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Aleem Muhammed led Mercer with 14 points. The team's second-leading scorer, preseason all-conference pick Scott Emerson, was held to seven points on 3-of-8 shooting.
