Ramon Vila isn't quite sure how the basketball ended up in his hands with 16 seconds to play Thursday night at McKenzie Arena.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga sophomore forward was a bit delirious at that point.
With the Mocs holding a one-point lead over Mercer after he hit a free throw, Vila made the defensive play of the game, blocking Ross Cummings' layup attempt. UTC's Kevin Easley then hit two free throws and the Bears missed a 3-point shot as UTC won 73-70.
The Mocs (9-10, 4-2 Southern Conference) have won two straight and three of their past four games.
"The whole game they were just getting buckets on ball screens, so Coach told us to watch that," said Vila, who played 33 minutes, his most in nine games with the Mocs and the most as a college player for the Arizona State transfer.
"I wasn't feeling very comfortable at that time because I was so, so tired. I just jumped, and the ball went right in my hands. It just happened the way he coached me, so he gets the credit for it."
UTC coach Lamont Paris had seen Mercer (6-12, 1-5) do enough damage on simple ball screens throughout the game, especially the hot-shooting Cummings, who scored a game-high 22 points. Cummings got free in the lane on the play, but the 6-foot-8 Vila stood tall to swat the ball away.
"They attacked it and he found himself in the right position, jumped up and didn't foul and we got the rebound," Paris said. "It was a good play, good activity and good for Kevin to go find the ball."
Easley, who had been on fire for the Mocs of late, was hounded all game by the Bears and finished with 11 points on 3-of-11 shooting. He did, however, lead UTC in rebounds with 10 and helped secure the win with his two free throws with 10 seconds to play.
Paris said the close finish and Easley's clutch play after a difficult night were good signs for his young squad.
"Kevin wasn't as efficient as he can be today, but Ramon was good around the basket and Jerry (Johnson) did a good job all game," Paris said. "If I had to draw it up this way - and again, Kevin had to make two pressure-filled free throws - and now in his memory banks he knows he can make those. You don't have to talk yourself into believing something.
"Those are the experiences with a young group that's improving that can mean so much."
After Easley's free throws the Bears called timeout, and Paris instructed his team to foul to avoid a potential tying 3-point shot. Mercer, though, made two quick passes and tried to catch Cummings coming off a screen. This time the Mocs squeezed him, forcing Djordje Dimitrijevic to launch a deep 3-point attempt that fell off at the buzzer.
Again, another teachable moment for a young team.
"We were specifically trying to keep him from getting one off," Paris said of Cummings, who was 5-for-6 from 3-point range. "We did a good job of switching off. We were actually going to foul, but we didn't. Again, that's young guys. We huddled and drew that specific play up and talked about when we wanted to foul.
"But what do I know? We didn't foul, and they didn't make a shot and we're sitting here after winning the ballgame."
Johnson led UTC with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting. During a first-half 14-2 run in which the Mocs took a 34-26 lead, Johnson hit a pair of 3-pointers, Donovann Toatley scored five straight points and Vila had consecutive baskets. The Bears, though, rallied to within three by halftime and took a 56-53 lead with 10:37 to play on five quick points from Cummings.
The Mocs' lead was still four when Easley hit his lone 3-pointer of the game, but a drive by Marcus Cohen put Mercer back on top at 70-69 moments later before Toatley tied it by making one of two free throws with 1:21 to play. Dimitrijevic missed a layup before Vila put the Mocs up for good with his free throw, setting up the final frantic 33 seconds.
"Every time we needed a bucket or a spark, I want to be that guy," said Johnson, who has been dealing with a hip injury. "This win is huge. It's definitely a confidence booster, but it doesn't mean anything until the end of conference play."
Toatley finished with 13 points, with David Jean-Baptiste adding 11 for the Mocs, who won their seventh consecutive home game while keeping Mercer winless on the road this season.
UTC returns to McKenzie Arena to face The Citadel at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.