MACON, GA. -- Jaron Dougherty scored 25 points and delivered the go-ahead free throw in overtime to help Mercer escape Furman, 69-66, in women's basketball action Thursday evening at Hawkins Arena.

The victory improved Mercer to 9-4 overall and 3-1 in SoCon play while Furman dropped to 5-8 overall and 1-3 in league action.

Furman, which got 22 points and 13 rebounds from Tierra Hodges, trailed Mercer 58-56 with eight seconds remaining in regulation when Celena Taborn took an inbounds pass on the right wing and hit a cutting Tate Walters, who converted the layup to tie the game and send it to overtime.

In the extra period Taborn put the Paladins up, 60-58, with a layup, but Mercer tied it on the ensuing possession on a Jill Harris jumper.

Hodges put Furman back ahead 62-60 with a pair of free throws, but Mercer again answered with two game tying free throws by Amoria Neal-Tysor with 3:19 to go.

After the Paladins missed a shot on their next possession and a foul call sent Dougherty to the line with 2:16 on the clock, the junior forward converted one of two opportunities to give Mercer the lead for good, 63-62.

Furman turned the ball over on its next to trips down the floor, and Mercer took advantage, connecting on a pair of jump shots to take control.

The Paladins trailed 37-28 early in the third period before battling back to tie it at 41-41 on a Grayson Boone 3-pointer from the right corner with 3:46 remaining.

Freshman guard Sydney James fed Taborn for a layup to give Furman a 54-51 advantage at the 6:31 mark of the fourth quarter, but the Paladins went scoreless for the next three minutes before Hodges tied it with a jumper at 56-56.

Walters joined Hodges in double figures for Furman with 12 points.  The freshman guard from Buford, Ga., also registered six assists and six rebounds in 43 minutes of action.

Furman shot 49.0 percent from the field (25x51) and connected on 7-of-18 3-pointers. The Paladins, however, were hurt by 23 turnovers, which gave Mercer a 21-4 advantage off miscues. 

Neal-Tysor contributed 19 points for the Bears, who matched the Paladins with 25 made field goals while taking 23 more shots.

Hodges' double-double was her eighth of the season.

The two teams meet again Saturday at 6:00 p.m.