Mercer upset; NCAA bid in jeopardy

ATLANTA - Reserve Marcus McGee scored all 13 of his points in the second half as Central Florida upset top-seeded Mercer 79-59 Friday night in the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. <br> <br> The Golden Knights (21-10) move on to face Troy State game in the final. <br> <br> Ray Abellard had 18 points and Dexter Lyons scored 10 of his 13 in the second half for Central Florida, which pulled away from a halftime tie to beat the Bears (23-6) for the first time this year. <br> <br> Mercer swept the regular season series but fell apart after the break, making just 31 percent from the field and losing the rebounding battle 21-17. <br> <br> Scott Emerson had 17 for the Bears, who won the South Division title. Last year, they finished 6-23 and didn&#39;t even compete in the conference tourney. Their one-season turnaround is the biggest since the NCAA began keeping up with it in 1974. <br> <br> Josh Bodden, who came in averaging just 4.8 points, added 10 off the bench for the Knights. <br> <br> Ed Dotson and Dexter Lyons had two baskets apiece during a 12-2 run early in the second half, giving Central Florida a nine-point lead. Later, when Mercer closed within 50-45 on a 3-pointer by Clarence Baker, the Knights went on an 11-2 spurt to put the game away. <br> <br> Dotson started this one with a jumper, followed by a layup from McGee and two from Lyons. After Emerson missed two free throws, McGee hit a 3-pointer for a 61-47 lead, and the Bears never got closer than 10. <br> <br> Central Florida finished the game with a 10-2 run. <br> <br> Lyons struggled in the first half and missed his first four shots, including two airballs. He also missed a wide-open dunk, going for a spectacular windmill that bounced off the rim and into the fourth row of the stands. <br> <br> Aleem Muhammad, Mercer&#39;s leading scorer at 15.8 points a game, never found his rhythm, finishing with six on 3-of-10 shooting. He missed all three of his 3-pointers and was 0-for-2 from the line before fouling out. <br> <br> Baker had 15 for the Bears, and Wesley Duke added 13.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/3/182316