5 reasons all Atlantans should cheer for Mercer

It’s time to rally behind the dancing, Duke-beating Macon sensation
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On Friday, the boys from a little-known liberal arts college in Macon pulled off an upset of historically the most feared and revered team in college basketball. People all over the nation wondered, Mercer? Where is Mercer? While folks in Atlanta thought, Mercer? Our Mercer?

Yes, our Mercer. Here’s why all Atlantans should get behind the Bears before they take on Tennessee Sunday evening.

  1. Not only is the university’s main campus just an hour-and-a-half away, Mercer has an Atlanta campus where 3,200 students are enrolled in graduate and professional programs.

  2. Star point guard Langston Hall, the Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year, hails from Stone Mountain and graduated from Chamblee High School.

  3. Some 30,000 Mercer alums work within a 25-mile radius of downtown Atlanta, according to the university. Hey alums, have you claimed a local sports bar yet? With the return of your football program in 2013, plus the hoops success, it’s time to unleash Mercer sports fandom on the city.

  4. Even if there were another Georgia school in the tourney (there isn’t), Mercer’s the one with real Cinderella potential. After Friday’s game, a BuzzFeed reported jokingly tweeted a picture of a one-room schoolhouse with the caption, “Wow, here’s the scene at Mercer right now.”

  5. The Nae Nae, the victory dance that became an instant .gif sensation after Friday’s game, originated in Atlanta with the rap group We Are Toonz. As if there were any doubt.

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