GAME NOTES: The Mercer Bears and the Pacific Tigers battle it out for third place in the Great Alaska Shootout when they meet on Saturday at the Alaska Airlines Center.

Pacific enjoyed the first round of this tournament, defeating host Alaska Anchorage, 71-62, on Thursday. However, the Tigers did not have as good a time on Friday, dropping a 75-64 decision to Mercer in the second round. The Tigers have split six games on the season overall. They will return home to host Cal State East Bay in their next outing.

Mercer nearly punched its ticket to the title tilt, but it fell in overtime against UC Santa Barbara on Friday night (65-60). The Bears have had a nasty habit of playing in overtime games in this tournament, as they needed an extra session to dispel Rice on Thursday (77-71). They are an even 3-3 as well this season, with a four-game homestand awaiting them following this event.

This game represents the first meeting between these two schools in men's basketball.

Shooting from beyond the arc kept Pacific in contention against Colorado State, but it wasn't enough to push the Tigers past the Rams. They connected on 13-of-26 tries from 3-point range, but shot just 39.6 percent from the field overall. They also were outscored, 18-11, off of turnovers. Dulani Robinson was spectacular in the losing effort, drilling seven treys to reach 26 points off the bench.

The Tigers can at least take solace in the improvement from 3-point range they managed against the Rams. Overall this season, they are only making 35 percent of their attempts from that distance, while sinking 43.9 percent from the field overall. T.J. Wallace (16.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg) is the top scoring threat for the club, although he struggled to find a rhythm on Friday, connecting on only 3-of-11 field goal tries in 32 minutes of action. He finished with nine points. Robinson (11.2 ppg) and Eric Thompson (10.8 ppg) are each averaging in double figures as well. Obviously, Robinson was on his game on Friday, but, like Wallace, Thompson didn't produce all that much, tallying a mere four points.

Mercer clung to a 53-50 lead in the closing seconds against UCSB, but Michael Bryson nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to overtime. The Bears just didn't have it in the extra session, as they never led in the period, while allowing the Gauchos to pull away with a 7-of-10 effort from the free-throw line. It certainly did not help that they only made 33.9 percent of their shots from the field overall.

There were four players who scored in double figures in the losing effort. Phillip Leonard netted 17 points to go along with six rebounds and five assists. Ike Nwamu and T.J. Hallice each posted 16 points, but neither was particularly efficient. Nwamu made only 3-of-13 shots from the field, while Hallice turned in a 7-of-18 effort. Hallice did contribute a team-high eight rebounds. Darious Moten knocked down 4-of-8 shots from the floor to finish with 11 points.

Mercer has played tough in both games of this tournament, but that has yielded mixed results. This may be another close one, but expect the Bears to prevail.