SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer’s Jeff Gary has been named the Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week presented by GEICO for all contests from Feb. 18-24 after averaging 24.5 points per game and shooting 69.2 percent from the floor in a pair of wins. The award is selected by the league office.
 
Gary scored a career-high 32 points in the Bears’ 106-66 home win over Samford on Feb. 19, tying the Hawkins Arena record for made 3-pointers with an 8-for-10 effort from beyond the arc. Overall on the day, he was 12-for-16 from the floor, dished off five assists, grabbed four rebounds and had a blocked shot and a steal.
 
In Mercer’s 85-80 win at Chattanooga on Saturday, the redshirt sophomore from Austin, Texas, scored 17 points, hitting four more 3s as part of a 6-for-10 day from the floor. Gary pulled down three rebounds and had three assists.
 
For the week, Gary had eight assists without a turnover, averaging 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game to go along with his 24.5 points. He was 18-for-26 from the floor overall and 12-for-18 (66.7 percent) from 3-point range.
 
Mercer (15-14, 9-7 SoCon) visits The Citadel (6-21, 0-16) on Wednesday before closing the regular season by hosting Wofford (16-13, 8-8) on Saturday.
 
Other nominees: Fletcher Abee (The Citadel), Isaiah Tisdale (ETSU), Noah Gurley (Furman), Isaiah Miller (UNCG), Robert Allen (Samford), Matt Ryan (Chattanooga), Travis Evee (VMI), Carlos Dotson (Western Carolina) and Nathan Hoover (Wofford).
 
2019-20 Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Players of the Week presented by GEICO
Nov. 12    Kaleb Hunter, So., G, UNCG
Nov. 19    Mason Faulkner, R-Jr., G, Western Carolina
Nov. 26    Mason Faulkner, R-Jr., G, Western Carolina
Dec. 3     Clay Mounce, Jr., F, Furman
Dec. 10    Carlos Dotson, Sr., F, Western Carolina
Dec. 17    Ethan Stair, R-Sr., G, Mercer
Dec. 24    Jeromy Rodriguez, R-Sr., F, ETSU
Jan. 7      Jordan Lyons, Sr., G, Furman
Jan. 14    Kaelon Harris, Sr., F/G, The Citadel
Jan. 21    Djordje Dimitrijevic, Sr., G, Mercer
Jan. 28    Bo Hodges, Jr., G, ETSU
Feb. 4      Chevez Goodwin, Jr., F/C, Wofford
Feb. 11    Jordan Lyons, Sr., G, Furman
Feb. 18    Carlos Dotson, Sr., F, Western Carolina
Feb. 25    Jeff Gary, R-So., G, Mercer