Western Carolina Catamounts vs. Mercer Bears

FINAL

Jan 21, 2026

Box Score

	1	2	T
WCU	24	52	76
MER	41	47	88

Game Recap

Williams' 23 lead Mercer past Western Carolina 88-76. Zaire Williams scored 23 points as Mercer beat Western Carolina 88-76 on Wednesday.

Player Stats

WESTERN CAROLINA	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
23Marcus Kell	29	2-7	0-3	0-0	7	0	1	1	2	1	4
7Abdulai Fanta Kabba	15	1-1	0-0	0-2	5	0	0	1	1	5	2
22Tidjiane Dioumassi	15	3-8	2-4	0-0	5	0	0	0	3	4	8
0Cord Stansberry	20	2-8	2-7	5-5	3	0	0	0	1	0	11
3Julien Soumaoro	29	4-12	3-10	0-0	3	4	1	0	2	2	11
21Tayeshaun Smith	17	0-1	0-1	0-0	2	0	0	1	0	2	0
12Samuel Dada	20	5-6	0-0	0-0	6	0	0	1	2	3	10
8Tahlan Pettway	18	4-5	3-4	0-0	0	2	1	0	1	1	11
2CJ Hyland	15	1-5	0-1	3-3	1	3	0	1	2	2	5
4Justin Johnson	22	5-12	1-4	3-5	5	0	1	1	0	2	14
TOTAL	-	27-6541.5%	11-3432.4%	11-1573.3%	37	9	4	6	14	22	76

MERCER	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
26Armani Mighty	30	9-10	0-0	2-3	15	2	0	2	3	2	20
11Brady Shoulders	33	3-12	0-3	3-4	5	1	2	0	2	1	9
6Baraka Okojie	32	4-9	1-6	10-12	4	3	3	1	1	3	19
1Zaire Williams	31	9-14	3-6	2-3	5	5	2	0	0	1	23
5Kyle Cuffe Jr.	23	1-9	0-3	3-4	3	1	3	0	0	3	5
8Bendji Pierre	3	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2Connor Serven	17	2-4	0-1	0-1	4	0	0	0	0	1	4
3Quinton Perkins II	14	1-7	0-4	0-1	3	2	0	0	0	1	2
10Tristan Gross	17	2-3	2-3	0-0	1	1	0	0	0	1	6

TOTAL	-	31-6845.6%	6-2623.1%	20-2871.4%	40	15	10	3	6	13	88

Play-by-Play

Scores OnlyExpand All

1st halfWCUMER

(20:00) Start game.
(19:59) Jump Ball won by Mercer.
(19:59) Jump Ball lost by Western Carolina.
(19:41) Kyle Cuffe Jr. misses 24-foot three point jumper.
(19:37) Mercer Offensive Rebound.
(19:32) Zaire Williams misses layup.
(19:29) Abdulai Fanta Kabba Defensive Rebound.
(19:18) Julien Soumaoro bad pass turnover.
(19:18) Brady Shoulders Steal.
(19:14) Foul on Julien Soumaoro.
(19:14) Kyle Cuffe Jr. misses free throw 1 of 2.
(19:14) Mercer Deadball Team Rebound.
+1 (19:14) Kyle Cuffe Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2.
01
(19:03) Tidjiane Dioumassi bad pass turnover.
(19:03) Zaire Williams Steal.
+2 (18:58) Zaire Williams makes 1-foot dunk.
03
(18:46) Tidjiane Dioumassi bad pass turnover.
(18:46) Kyle Cuffe Jr. Steal.
+2 (18:41) Brady Shoulders makes layup (Kyle Cuffe Jr. assists).
05
(18:25) Abdulai Fanta Kabba bad pass turnover.
(18:25) Kyle Cuffe Jr. Steal.
(18:20) Foul on Abdulai Fanta Kabba.
+1 (18:20) Kyle Cuffe Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2.
06
+1 (18:20) Kyle Cuffe Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2.
07
(17:52) Tidjiane Dioumassi misses 28-foot three point jumper.
(17:48) Zaire Williams Defensive Rebound.
(17:44) Baraka Okojie misses 26-foot three point jumper.
(17:39) Abdulai Fanta Kabba Defensive Rebound.
(17:20) Julien Soumaoro misses 27-foot three point jumper.
(17:15) Zaire Williams Defensive Rebound.
+2 (17:10) Armani Mighty makes 1-foot dunk (Zaire Williams assists).
09
(16:52) Julien Soumaoro bad pass turnover.
(16:52) Baraka Okojie Steal.
+2 (16:47) Baraka Okojie makes 1-foot dunk.
011
(16:31) Marcus Kell bad pass turnover.
(16:31) Baraka Okojie Steal.
(16:26) Baraka Okojie bad pass turnover.
(16:26) Justin Johnson Steal.
(16:21) Justin Johnson misses 15-foot jumper.
(16:18) Armani Mighty Defensive Rebound.
(16:15) Foul on Abdulai Fanta Kabba.
(16:11) Zaire Williams misses 26-foot three point jumper.
(16:07) Justin Johnson Defensive Rebound.
(16:00) Foul on Samuel Dada.
(16:00) Samuel Dada turnover.
(15:35) Baraka Okojie misses 26-foot three point jumper.
(15:30) CJ Hyland Defensive Rebound.
(15:01) CJ Hyland misses layup.
(14:58) Armani Mighty Defensive Rebound.
+2 (14:47) Zaire Williams makes layup (Armani Mighty assists).
013
+2 (14:23) CJ Hyland makes layup.
213
(14:23) Foul on Baraka Okojie.
+1 (14:23) CJ Hyland makes free throw 1 of 1.
313
+2 (14:08) Baraka Okojie makes 5-foot step back jumpshot.
315
(14:03) CJ Hyland out of bounds bad pass turnover.
(14:03) Quinton Perkins II misses 25-foot three point jumper.
(14:03) Connor Serven Offensive Rebound.
+2 (14:03) Tahlan Pettway makes 19-foot jumper.
515
(14:02) Brady Shoulders bad pass turnover.
(13:05) Justin Johnson misses 25-foot three point jumper.
(13:01) Samuel Dada Offensive Rebound.
(12:51) Foul on Connor Serven.
+1 (12:51) CJ Hyland makes free throw 1 of 2.
615
+1 (12:51) CJ Hyland makes free throw 2 of 2.
715
(12:40) Foul on Armani Mighty.
(12:40) Armani Mighty turnover.
(12:29) CJ Hyland misses 25-foot three point jumper.
(12:29) Baraka Okojie Block.
(12:27) Baraka Okojie Defensive Rebound.
(12:27) Foul on Justin Johnson.
+1 (12:27) Baraka Okojie makes free throw 1 of 2.
716
+1 (12:27) Baraka Okojie makes free throw 2 of 2.
717
+3 (12:06) Tahlan Pettway makes 23-foot three point jumper (CJ Hyland assists).
1017
+2 (11:51) Connor Serven makes layup.
1019
(11:45) Foul on Samuel Dada.
(11:45) Samuel Dada turnover.
(11:26) Connor Serven misses layup.
(11:26) Marcus Kell Block.
(11:22) Marcus Kell Defensive Rebound.
(11:17) Tahlan Pettway bad pass turnover.
(11:17) Kyle Cuffe Jr. Steal.
+2 (11:12) Kyle Cuffe Jr. makes layup (Tristan Gross assists).
1021
(10:45) Justin Johnson misses layup.
(10:43) Western Carolina Offensive Rebound.
(10:21) Julien Soumaoro misses 28-foot three point jumper.
(10:18) Kyle Cuffe Jr. Defensive Rebound.
(10:16) Kyle Cuffe Jr. misses layup.
(10:14) Connor Serven Offensive Rebound.
+3 (10:09) Tristan Gross makes 23-foot three point jumper (Quinton Perkins II assists).
1024
+3 (9:49) Cord Stansberry makes 23-foot three point jumper (Julien Soumaoro assists).
1324
(9:28) Quinton Perkins II misses layup.
(9:28) Tayeshaun Smith Block.
(9:22) Armani Mighty Offensive Rebound.
+2 (9:22) Armani Mighty makes 0-foot tip in layup.
1326
(9:05) Marcus Kell misses layup.
(9:02) Tayeshaun Smith Offensive Rebound.
(8:55) Tayeshaun Smith misses 23-foot three point jumper.
(8:52) Armani Mighty Defensive Rebound.
(8:47) Kyle Cuffe Jr. misses 24-foot three point jumper.
(8:41) Julien Soumaoro Defensive Rebound.
(8:38) Cord Stansberry misses 26-foot three point jumper.
(8:35) Connor Serven Defensive Rebound.
+2 (8:14) Armani Mighty makes layup.
1328
(8:14) Foul on Tayeshaun Smith.
(8:14) Armani Mighty misses free throw 1 of 1.
(8:14) Marcus Kell Defensive Rebound.
(7:59) Cord Stansberry misses layup.
(7:56) Abdulai Fanta Kabba Offensive Rebound.
(7:52) Foul on Brady Shoulders.
(7:48) Cord Stansberry misses 22-foot three point jumper.
(7:45) Tidjiane Dioumassi Offensive Rebound.
(7:41) Tidjiane Dioumassi misses 9-foot step back jumpshot.
(7:36) Armani Mighty Defensive Rebound.
(7:27) Zaire Williams misses 20-foot jumper.
(7:24) Tidjiane Dioumassi Defensive Rebound.
(7:16) Marcus Kell misses 23-foot three point jumper.
(7:11) Abdulai Fanta Kabba Offensive Rebound.
(7:07) Foul on Armani Mighty.
(7:07) Abdulai Fanta Kabba misses free throw 1 of 2.
(7:07) Western Carolina Deadball Team Rebound.
(7:07) Abdulai Fanta Kabba misses free throw 2 of 2.
(7:07) Brady Shoulders Defensive Rebound.
+3 (6:47) Zaire Williams makes 24-foot three point jumper (Baraka Okojie assists).
1331
(6:29) Tidjiane Dioumassi misses layup.
(6:26) Abdulai Fanta Kabba Offensive Rebound.
(6:24) Julien Soumaoro misses 24-foot three point jumper.
(6:24) Mercer Defensive Rebound.
(6:24) Foul on Tidjiane Dioumassi.
(6:24) Connor Serven misses free throw 1 of 1.
(6:24) Marcus Kell Defensive Rebound.
(5:54) Foul on Baraka Okojie.
+1 (5:54) Cord Stansberry makes free throw 1 of 2.
1431
+1 (5:54) Cord Stansberry makes free throw 2 of 2.
1531
(5:40) Brady Shoulders misses layup.
(5:35) Connor Serven Offensive Rebound.
+2 (5:35) Connor Serven makes 0-foot tip in layup.
1533
(5:30) Tidjiane Dioumassi misses layup.
(5:27) Tidjiane Dioumassi Offensive Rebound.
(5:18) Cord Stansberry misses 22-foot three point jumper.
(5:16) Marcus Kell Offensive Rebound.
(5:09) Marcus Kell misses 24-foot three point jumper.
(5:07) Mercer Defensive Rebound.
(4:46) Baraka Okojie misses 25-foot three point jumper.
(4:43) Marcus Kell Defensive Rebound.
(4:40) Foul on Quinton Perkins II.
+1 (4:40) Cord Stansberry makes free throw 1 of 2.
1633
+1 (4:40) Cord Stansberry makes free throw 2 of 2.
1733
(4:17) Quinton Perkins II misses 10-foot jumper.
(4:14) Marcus Kell Defensive Rebound.
+2 (4:07) Marcus Kell makes layup.
1933
(3:59) Foul on CJ Hyland.
(3:59) Quinton Perkins II misses free throw 1 of 1.
(3:59) Samuel Dada Defensive Rebound.
(3:31) team shot clock turnover .
(3:16) Quinton Perkins II misses 25-foot three point jumper.
(3:16) Western Carolina Defensive Rebound.
(2:56) Marcus Kell traveling turnover.
+2 (2:39) Armani Mighty makes layup (Brady Shoulders assists).
1935
+2 (2:27) Samuel Dada makes layup (CJ Hyland assists).
2135
(1:57) Foul on CJ Hyland.
+1 (1:57) Baraka Okojie makes free throw 1 of 2.
2136
(1:57) Baraka Okojie misses free throw 2 of 2.
(1:57) Baraka Okojie Offensive Rebound.
(1:56) Foul on Marcus Kell.
+1 (1:55) Baraka Okojie makes free throw 1 of 2.
2137
(1:55) Baraka Okojie misses free throw 2 of 2.
(1:55) Cord Stansberry Defensive Rebound.
(1:36) Foul on Kyle Cuffe Jr..
+1 (1:36) Justin Johnson makes free throw 1 of 2.
2237
+1 (1:36) Justin Johnson makes free throw 2 of 2.
2337
(1:21) Kyle Cuffe Jr. misses 23-foot three point jumper.
(1:21) Justin Johnson Block.
(1:15) Tidjiane Dioumassi Defensive Rebound.
(1:03) Foul on Kyle Cuffe Jr..
+1 (1:03) Justin Johnson makes free throw 1 of 2.
2437
(1:03) Justin Johnson misses free throw 2 of 2.
(1:03) Quinton Perkins II Defensive Rebound.
(0:52) Foul on Tidjiane Dioumassi.
+1 (0:52) Baraka Okojie makes free throw 1 of 2.
2438
+1 (0:52) Baraka Okojie makes free throw 2 of 2.
2439
(0:26) Justin Johnson misses 24-foot three point jumper.
(0:23) Quinton Perkins II Defensive Rebound.
(0:09) Quinton Perkins II misses 24-foot three point jumper.
(0:09) Zaire Williams Offensive Rebound.
(0:09) Foul on Justin Johnson.
+1 (0:09) Zaire Williams makes free throw 1 of 2.
2440
+1 (0:07) Zaire Williams makes free throw 2 of 2.
2441

2nd half

Team Stats

WCU

MER

76Points88

27-65(41.5%)Field Goal(%)31-68(45.6%)

11-34(32.4%)3-Point(%)6-26(23.1%)

11-15(73.3%)Free Throw(%)20-28(71.4%)

40(17)Rebounds(Offensive)44(20)

9Assists15

4Steals10

6Blocks3

16Turnovers7

22(0)Fouls(Technical)13(0)

0Largest Lead25

Game Details

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 · 7:00 PM

Hawkins Arena · Macon, GA

attendance: 1,084 (31.0%)

tv: ESPN+

spread: MER -8.5

over/under: 158.5