WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Redshirt junior guard Dazia Powell scored a career-high 16 points and freshman forward Taylor Webster registered her first career double-double, but it was not enough as UNCW dropped an 87-51 decision against Mercer in the women's basketball non-conference finale for both teams at Trask Coliseum on Tuesday afternoon.
 
The loss evened the Seahawks' record at 3-3 while Mercer improved to 6-3 after winning for the fifth time in the last six games.
 
Junior guard Amoria Neal-Tysor anchored four Mercer players in double figures with a game-high 21 points. The Sanford, N.C., product converted 9-of-20 field goal attempts, including a 3-for-8 showing from three-point range, while adding three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
Redshirt senior guard Jade Lewis added 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting while junior forward Jaron Dougherty poured in 18 points with a team-high nine rebounds. Senior guard Shannon Titus contributed 14 points with eight rebounds and a game-high five steals.
 
Powell, who made her fourth consecutive start, reached double figures for the third straight game after shooting 5-for-13 from the field, including a 3-of-9 effort from long range, and making three of her four free throws.
 
Webster, meanwhile, scored 11 points while grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds for the Seahawks. Senior forward Carol-Anne Obusek chipped in 12 points with eight rebounds.  
 
Key Moment: Mercer used a 25-3 run over a nearly eight-minute span in the second quarter to claim a commanding 43-21 lead the Bears never relinquished. The Bears shot 9-for-14 from the field during the outburst and forced eight UNCW turnovers.
 
Game Notes:

• UNCW and Mercer met for the first time in women's basketball on Tuesday … The Bears were the second Southern Conference opponent the Seahawks have faced this year.
• The Seahawks committed a season-low nine personal fouls against Mercer … UNCW, which entered the game ranked 20th in NCAA Division I in personal fouls per game, has committed fewer fouls than its opponent in all six games this season.
• Mercer outrebounded the Seahawks by a 44-39 margin, but UNCW held a 14-8 edge on the offensive glass … The Seahawks converted those 14 offensive rebounds into 11 second-chance points.
• The Seahawks had a season-high 23 free throw attempts against Mercer.
• Obusek, who missed the Kennesaw State game on Dec. 18, has scored in double figures in all five of her games this season and leads the Seahawks with a 14.2 scoring average.
• Webster reached double figures in scoring for the second straight game after netting 17 points at Kennesaw State … The Washington, D.C., product also grabbed 10 or more rebounds for the second time this year.
• Freshman guard Evan Miller made the first start of her college career against Mercer … The Charlotte, N.C., native grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists in 28 minutes.
• Freshman guard Sallie Vick played a season-high 14 minutes and grabbed one rebound.
• Sophomore forward Sunshine McCrae set career highs by scoring five points and grabbing three rebounds … In addition, she made the first three-pointer of her career with a triple from the right corner with 4.2 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Up Next: UNCW opens its Colonial Athletic Association schedule this weekend by hosting Drexel for a pair of games. The Seahawks and the Dragons will square off on Saturday, Jan. 2 and Sunday, Jan. 3, with both games beginning at 1 p.m.   

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