SoCon, A-Sun link for lacrosse and other sports news

Friday, January 10, 2014

The Southern Conference announced Thursday that it will hook up with the Atlantic Sun Conference in developing programs for college lacrosse. The two leagues already are involved together in running the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association. In the new arrangement, the SoCon will oversee men's lacrosse for the conferences' joint effort starting next year with the A-Sun in control of women's lacrosse. Teams in both conferences will be part of each lacrosse league. The A-Sun has six women's lacrosse teams now, including departing SoCon member Elon, and will add Furman and incoming SoCon member Mercer next year with Elon leaving and Old Dominion also adding a team. A-Sun men's lacrosse debuts this year with Furman, Mercer and another incoming SoCon member, VMI, among the six teams. "We are grateful for the spirit of cooperation from the A-Sun and all its men's lacrosse programs," SoCon commissioner John Iamarino said in his league's release.

Basketball

• Lee University lost both of its Gulf South Conference games against tough visiting Delta State basketball teams Thursday night, the Lady Flames falling 71-64 to the ninth-ranked team in NCAA Division II and the Flames losing 67-56. Seneca Walton led Delta's women (11-1, 6-0) with 22 points, while Hollie German scored 28 and Jenna Adams had 17 plus nine rebounds for Lee (7-4, 3-2), with Rachel Lockhart making three steals. Tyquan Roberts had 22 points and nine rebounds off the bench and Corey Billingsley scored 16 points for the Flames (6-5, 2-3), while Devin Schmidt scored 19 and Willie Readus had 16 with seven rebounds for Delta State (12-2, 5-1).

• All 12 Carson-Newman men's basketball players scored in a 94-54 rout of South Atlantic Conference foe Mars Hill on Wednesday, but Ish Sanders from Cleveland High School led them all with 28 points and six assists. He made five of his 12 3-point shots and all seven of his free throws and had no turnovers.

• First-year UTC men's basketball assistant Johnny Taylor, the homegrown leader of the Mocs' 1997 Sweet 16 team, will be the speaker for the Mocs Club's "Breakfast With the Coach" at 8:15 a.m. Saturday at Wally's Restaurant, and the public is invited to attend and order off the menu. Reservations are not required.