Mercer women’s basketball celebrates 50 years of competition

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Black and white photo of the 1970-70 Mercer women's basketball team
The 1970-71 Mercer women's basketball team.

The Mercer women’s basketball team is recognizing its teams of the 1970s in the month of October as part of its celebration of 50 years of competition.

Throughout the 2020-21 season, Mercer women’s basketball is going to highlight a different decade each month from October to February for their accomplishments and the impact they made on the program.

The program’s inaugural season came at the beginning of the decade in 1970-71. It did not take long for the Bears to find success on the court as the team won its first-ever game, a 45-23 victory over Wesleyan.

Mercer documented the 100th win of the program’s young history against in-state rival, Georgia, 78-69 on Jan. 13, 1976.

One of the most notable victories in Mercer’s history came on Dec. 7, 1974 when the Bears earned an 84-83 road victory at Tennessee in the Vols’ first year under Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt.

Later that season, the Bears defeated Delta State in the semifinals of the AIAW Region III Tournament, 65-52, snapping an 11-game winning streak for the Lady Statesmen. Delta State would go on to win three consecutive national titles from 1975-77, amassing a record of 93-4 over those seasons.

Continue reading about the Bears success in the 1970s at mercerbears.com.

 

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