Feb. 20, 2004

MACON, GA - Florida Atlantic University will take on Mercer University Saturday night in its final regular season road game of the season. Tip-off between the Owls and Bears is scheduled for 7:00pm at the University Center in Macon, GA. The game can be heard on WLVJ 1040-AM and www.fausports.com. Both teams will be looking to snap losing streaks as the Owls have dropped eight straight while the Bears have fallen in their last four.

FAU enters the game 8-16 overall and 5-12 in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Owls are in eighth-place in the A-Sun and are still looking to become one of just two eligible teams to clinch the final spot in the A-Sun Tournament. FAU leads Campbell (3-14) by two full games with three remaining in the regular season. Campbell plays at Gardner-Webb on Friday.

Earnest Crumbley continues his run at the FAU all-time scoring record. The senior scored 16 in FAU's loss to Georgia State on Thursday and now needs just 31 points to take over the top spot. He currently has 1,471 points and is 30 behind Craig Buchanan's 1,501 points. Buchanan played four years from 1993-1997. Crumbley has already set FAU career marks with 485 assists, 267 three-point field goals, and 114 games played.

Mike Bell posted his ninth double-double on Thursday. His 13 points and 13 rebounds keep him in second-place in the A-Sun with 18.9ppg and first with 9.7rpg.

Mercer enters the game with a 10-16 record overall and is in seventh-place, two games ahead of FAU, in the A-Sun. The Bears have lost four straight games, including an 83-58 loss Saturday at home against UCF. Scott Emerson, the A-Sun preaseson player-of-the-year, leads the team with 14.9 points per game but has seen only 14 games of action due to injury. Delmar Wilson is averaging 12.6ppg.

This is the 16th meeting between the two teams. FAU holds an 8-7 series edge. FAU won the other meeting this year, 90-72, at FAU Gymnasium on January 3. The Owls, which will be playing for the first time at the University Center, are 4-3 on the road against Mercer.