Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, competes in the Southern Conference and is best remembered for one of the greatest NCAA Tournament upsets of the 2010s. The Bears have built a competitive program and are a fixture of Southern Conference basketball.
The Bears mascot was adopted early in the school's athletic history, representing the strength and power of the animal found throughout Georgia's forests.
The 2014 NCAA Tournament first-round upset of #3 seed Duke, 78-71, one of the most celebrated mid-major victories in recent tournament history.
Mercer's 2014 upset of Duke was led by five seniors who had committed to building the program together, making the victory a culmination of a four-year journey.
The Mercer Bears compete in the Southern and hold an all-time record of 760–819 (.481 winning percentage) across 53 recorded seasons dating back to 1973-74.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 19-13 | 11-7 (Southern) | Ryan Ridder | |
| 2024-25 | 14-19 | 6-12 (Southern) | Ryan Ridder | |
| 2023-24 | 16-17 | 8-10 (Southern) | Greg Gary | |
| 2022-23 | 14-19 | 6-12 (Southern) | Greg Gary | |
| 2021-22 | 16-17 | 8-10 (Southern) | Greg Gary | |
| 2020-21 | 18-11 | 8-9 (Southern) | Greg Gary | |
| 2019-20 | 17-15 | 11-7 (Southern) | Greg Gary | |
| 2018-19 | 11-20 | 6-12 (Southern) | Bob Hoffman | |
| 2017-18 | 19-15 | 11-7 (Southern) | Bob Hoffman | |
| 2016-17 | 15-17 | 9-9 (Southern) | Bob Hoffman | |
| 2015-16 | 19-15 | 8-10 (Southern) | Bob Hoffman | |
| 2014-15 | 19-16 | 12-6 (Southern) | Bob Hoffman | |
| 2013-14 | 27-9 | 14-4 (A-Sun) | Bob Hoffman | |
| 2012-13 | 24-12 | 14-4 (A-Sun) | Bob Hoffman | |
| 2011-12 | 27-11 | 13-5 (A-Sun) | Bob Hoffman | |
| 2010-11 | 15-18 | 11-9 (A-Sun) | Bob Hoffman | |
| 2009-10 | 16-17 | 10-10 (A-Sun) | Bob Hoffman | |
| 2008-09 | 17-15 | 11-9 (A-Sun) | Bob Hoffman | |
| 2007-08 | 11-19 | 6-10 (A-Sun) | Mark Slonaker | |
| 2006-07 | 13-17 | 8-10 (A-Sun) | Mark Slonaker | |
| 2005-06 | 9-19 | 7-13 (A-Sun) | Mark Slonaker | |
| 2004-05 | 16-12 | 11-9 (A-Sun) | Mark Slonaker | |
| 2003-04 | 12-18 | 9-11 (A-Sun) | Mark Slonaker | |
| 2002-03 | 23-6 | 14-2 (A-Sun) | Mark Slonaker | |
| 2001-02 | 6-23 | 4-16 (A-Sun) | Mark Slonaker | |
| 2000-01 | 13-15 | 10-8 (TAAC) | Mark Slonaker | |
| 1999-00 | 12-21 | 7-11 (TAAC) | Mark Slonaker | |
| 1998-99 | 8-18 | 5-11 (TAAC) | Mark Slonaker | |
| 1997-98 | 5-21 | 2-14 (TAAC) | Mark Slonaker | |
| 1996-97 | 3-23 | 1-15 (TAAC) | Bill Hodges | |
| 1995-96 | 15-14 | 7-9 (TAAC) | Bill Hodges | |
| 1994-95 | 15-14 | 8-8 (TAAC) | Bill Hodges | |
| 1993-94 | 5-24 | 3-13 (TAAC) | Bill Hodges | |
| 1992-93 | 13-14 | 7-5 (TAAC) | Bill Hodges | |
| 1991-92 | 11-18 | 6-8 (TAAC) | Bill Hodges | |
| 1990-91 | 2-25 | 1-13 (TAAC) | Brad Siegfried | |
| 1989-90 | 7-20 | 2-14 (TAAC) | Brad Siegfried | |
| 1988-89 | 14-14 | 9-9 (TAAC) | Bill Bibb | |
| 1987-88 | 15-14 | 8-10 (TAAC) | Bill Bibb | |
| 1986-87 | 12-16 | 7-11 (TAAC) | Bill Bibb | |
| 1985-86 | 15-14 | 6-8 (TAAC) | Bill Bibb | |
| 1984-85 | 22-9 | 10-4 (TAAC) | Bill Bibb | |
| 1983-84 | 14-14 | 6-8 (TAAC) | Bill Bibb | |
| 1982-83 | 13-15 | 6-8 (TAAC) | Bill Bibb | |
| 1981-82 | 16-11 | 8-8 (TAAC) | Bill Bibb | |
| 1980-81 | 18-12 | 7-4 (TAAC) | Bill Bibb | |
| 1979-80 | 16-12 | 3-3 (TAAC) | Bill Bibb | |
| 1978-79 | 21-6 | 2-0 (TAAC) | Bill Bibb | |
| 1977-78 | 16-11 | Ind | Bill Bibb | |
| 1976-77 | 6-19 | Ind | Bill Bibb | |
| 1975-76 | 15-10 | Ind | Bill Bibb | |
| 1974-75 | 9-17 | Ind | Bill Bibb | |
| 1973-74 | 16-8 | Ind | Joe Dan Gold |
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| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|