Mike Harden scored the last four points of the game as the Dalton State men's basketball team completed a rally from 17 points down to edge visiting Life University 78-77 on Tuesday at Mashburn Arena. That was the 8-1 Roadrunners' second slim win over the Running Eagles (7-7) this season, as Dalton State had pulled out a 91-89 overtime victory on Nov. 14 in Marietta, Ga. Harden wound up the winners' leading scorer Tuesday with 16 points, capped by the decisive baskets with 1:29 and 1:10 to go. The Eagles took a 59-42 lead with 15:59 remaining and weathered one DSC surge to hold a 77-67 margin with under four minutes left. Carnilious Simmons had 14 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals for Dalton State, while Reed Dungan and Isaiah Box scored 11 and 10 points and Box and Harden also had four assists each. Life's Dalarian Williams scored 34 points on 14-of-18 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 on free throws, while Chris Rhoney scored 23 points and Zach Landis contributed eight points, eight assists and five steals and matched Williams with 10 rebounds. Rhoney hit five 3-point shots, but one of his five misses from long range was in the final minute.
* Tennessee Tech guard Akia Harris from Chattanooga was the co-freshman women's basketball player of the week in the Ohio Valley Conference for her play against Vanderbilt and IUPUI last week. Harris, who played at Girls Preparatory School and then Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists against the Commodores and 11 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals against IUPUI. Tech plays tonight at Lipscomb. Another candidate for the freshman honor was Maddie Wright from Boyd-Buchanan, who scored 11 points for Belmont on 5-of-8 shooting in a 75-74 loss at Minnesota.