Mercer vs Georgia Southern prediction: Mercer's returning guards test a nearly new Georgia Southern roster
Both programs rebuilt over the summer, but Mercer kept more of its core, and that edge may matter most in an early-November game at Statesboro.
- Expect a fast, ragged early-season game where Mercer's returning guards give it steadier possessions than a Georgia Southern roster built mostly from transfers.
- Brady Shoulders and Quinton Perkins II against Georgia Southern's new backcourt led by Milwaukee transfer Josh Dixon.
- No spread or total is posted yet; last season's final adjusted ratings had Mercer 180th and Georgia Southern 233rd nationally.
Two rebuilds, unequal foundations
With Georgia Southern hosting Mercer on Nov. 10, both rosters will be largely new to their own fans. The Eagles bring back just 13.2% of last season's minutes, among the thinnest carryovers anywhere. Mercer was gutted too, returning 24.2% of its minutes, but the Bears kept two guards who started games and produced.
That makes last season's team numbers a weak guide for both sides. Mercer finished last season 180th in adjusted net efficiency (points scored minus allowed per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponents). Georgia Southern ranked 233rd. Those ratings describe players who are mostly gone. The preseason polls tell a similar story: Mercer was picked seventh in the SoCon, and Georgia Southern ninth in the Sun Belt after going 21-16 last season.
Mercer's backcourt carries over
Shoulders, a preseason All-SoCon pick, is the Bears' anchor. He started all 29 games he played last season and averaged 6.8 rebounds as a guard, along with 1.7 steals. Perkins is the shooter: he hit 40.8% from three last season and 85.7% at the line.
What Mercer lost is the harder part. Baraka Okojie, last season's 19.7-point scorer, left for George Mason, and center Armani Mighty went to Pittsburgh. Maine transfer Keelan Steele inherits much of the interior work after shooting 60.5% from the field last season, though his 55% free-throw shooting is a liability late in close games. Ryan Ridder, in his third season, has to rebuild the frontcourt around him.
Georgia Southern starts from scratch
Charlie Henry, entering his fourth season with a fresh extension through 2029-30, lost his top four players. That group included Tyren Moore, who made 120 threes last season, and Alden Applewhite, whose 129 offensive rating led the team's regulars.
The Eagles' identity last season was volume shooting: their 48.8% three-point attempt rate ranked 23rd in the country. Whether that style survives depends on transfers like Josh Dixon, who carried a heavy load at Milwaukee but made just 31.2% of his threes. Little Rock's Truman Claytor IV shot a steadier 34.3% from deep. The top returner, Dwayne Williams Jr., played only 13 minutes a game last season.
Tempo and the glass
Both teams played fast last season. Last season Georgia Southern ranked 42nd in pace and Mercer 44th, so a fast game is likely even with new personnel.
The weak spot both teams share is defensive rebounding. Georgia Southern ranked 341st in defensive rebound rate last season, and Mercer sat 298th. With Mighty and his 10.6 rebounds a game gone, Mercer's frontcourt is unproven, and second-chance points could swing a game between two rosters still learning each other. The Eagles also sent opponents to the line often last season, ranking 315th in opponent free throw rate.
Setting and schedule
The game is Georgia Southern's Salute to Service night at the Hill Convocation Center, and the home crowd is the Eagles' clearest edge. For Mercer, it is the third of five straight road games after a home opener against Reinhardt on Nov. 2, an early test of how a reshaped roster handles travel.
- Does Mercer's frontcourt hold up on the defensive glass without Mighty?
- How many threes Georgia Southern hunts with Moore gone.
- Free throws: Steele's foul shooting against an Eagles defense that fouled a lot last season.
Key players
- Brady Shoulders (Mercer): Started all 29 of his games last season, averaging 9.3 points and 6.8 rebounds.
- Quinton Perkins II (Mercer): Hit 51 threes at 40.8% last season.
- Keelan Steele (Mercer): Shot 60.5% from the field at Maine last season but 55% at the line.
- Josh Dixon (Georgia Southern): Averaged 9.0 points with a 27.7% usage rate at Milwaukee last season.
- Truman Claytor IV (Georgia Southern): Shot 34.3% from three off the bench at Little Rock last season.
- Dwayne Williams Jr (Georgia Southern): Played 13.0 minutes a game last season and made 93.8% of his free throws.
Numbers that matter
| Georgia Southern returning minutes | 13.2% | The Eagles are almost an entirely new team, making last season's numbers a loose guide. |
|---|---|---|
| Mercer returning minutes | 24.2% | Mercer also turned over heavily but kept Shoulders and Perkins. |
| Georgia Southern defensive rebound rank, last season | 341st | A glass weakness Mercer could exploit if its new frontcourt crashes. |
| Georgia Southern 3-point attempt rate, last season | 48.8% | A shooting-heavy identity that now rests on transfers. |
Mercer vs Georgia Southern: quick answers
When is Mercer vs Georgia Southern?
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET.