Rivers scores 30 points, Mercer beats Oglethorpe 98-41

MACON, Ga. (AP) Demetre Rivers scored career highs with 30 points and 5 of 9 3-pointers and Mercer cruised past Division III Oglethorpe 98-41 on Wednesday night.

Rivers scored 20 points and made four 3s in the first half, including back-to-back 3-pointers amid a game-breaking 17-2 run, and the Bears led 45-25 at halftime.

Jaylen Stowe opened the second half with a 3-pointer, Rivers followed with a dunk and the Bears led by 36 with 9:04 left. The Dolphins were scoreless for 7:19 while Mercer pulled away 92-41 and finished shooting 35 of 64 from the floor (54.7 percent) and 12 of 27 from behind the arc (44.4 percent).

Rivers was 11 of 16 from the floor and made all three of his free throws. Ryan Johnson scored 11 points, Ross Cummings and Rashad Lewis scored 10 apiece and Mercer outscored Oglethorpe 19-0 on fast breaks and 40-18 in the paint.

Chris Lawrence led Oglethorpe (3-5) with nine points.