The men’s basketball team started off the 2025-2026 season with a loss, falling short 76-61 to No. 18 University of Tennessee on the road on Monday. The Bears were outscored in every quarter of the game, but put together a relatively strong performance against a tough, ranked SEC opponent.
University of Memphis transfer Baraka Okoije ‘27 led the team in scoring with 15 points, followed by center Armani Mighty ‘27 with 14 points and guard Zaire Williams '26 with 10 points. Pre-season breakout candidate Brady Shoulders '28, one of only five players remaining from Mercer's squad last year, put together a strong performance, totaling six points and a team-high nine rebounds. Shoulders also tied his career-high with six steals against the Volunteers.
The Volunteers out-rebounded the Bears 54-32, scoring 19 second-chance points against Mercer's nine. Otherwise, the Bears hung in the game with its strong defensive play, doubling Tennessee's points off turnovers, 16-8, and besting them in steals, 15-8. Mercer, largely built with players who played their first competitive minutes together Monday, recorded just five turnovers, while the Volunteers committed 13.
Mighty and Shoulders led the Bears' offense in the first quarter and made key plays to keep the game competitive. Shoulders hit a quick three-pointer to cut the lead to eight points with five minutes left in the first half, and Mighty closed it out with a massive dunk, causing an eruption from the bench.
Despite solid all-around performances, baskets weren't falling for Mercer, and a 7-33 first-half shooting performance, including 1-17 from three, left little chance for a lead. This has been a recurring theme for Mercer under Head Coach Ryan Ridder, as the team has finished in the bottom half of the Southern Conference in total field goal percentage every year since his hiring. The Bears trailed 33-21 going into the half.
Mercer scored the first four points of the half, cutting its deficit to nine before Tennessee responded with a 9-2 run. The eruption put the Volunteers up 42-27 with 16 minutes of regulation to play. To keep the Bears within striking distance, Williams made some key three pointers in the final 10 minutes, but Mercer ultimately could not claw back a lead. The team's second half performance, though, improved over the first. It knocked down 41.7 percent of their three-point attempts and nearly 40 percent of their total shots.
Mercer will look to bounce back in their home opener against LaGrange College on Wednesday, Nov. 5. The Bears have not faced the Panthers in over 30 years, but remain 13-2 at home in the matchup. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.
Nevaeh Wilson '28 is majoring in Journalism and minoring in Film Studies. She has been writing for The Cluster since her freshman year, and has worked for Mercer's ESPN studio. She enjoys watching college and professional sporting events.
