The Covenant College men's basketball team went 1-8 in the 2014 part of its schedule but opened 2015 and USA South play with a 66-54 win Friday at Ferrum. Ferrum won the women's game 81-62 despite a career-high 23 points from Haley Soles. Soles made six 3-point shots and had four assists and Aleigha Williams had 14 points and three steals for the Lady Scots (0-9), who got nine rebounds, five assists and three steals from Abbey Bailey. Covenant closed out the men's game with a 15-1 run and got 15 points from Colton McGriff and 11 from T.J. Cox, countering 22 by Jamal Pullen for Ferrum (4-7, 0-1). Will Portlock added five assists and three steals in the win, and Bryant Engbers had nine rebounds.
Preston Earle and Sean Tate scored 15 points apiece and Ladaris Green had 15 rebounds with 13 points as Dalton State defeated visiting Mobile 73-65 in Southern States Athletic Conference men's basketball Friday night. Jordan Bowling also scored 13 points and Tate had seven assists for the Roadrunners (11-2, 3-1), who host Belhaven at 5 p.m. today. DSC led 44-29 at halftime against Mobile (4-8, 0-3), which got 13 points and 16 rebounds from Daouda Soumaoro.
Diamontae McKinley made six of his seven 3-point shots and scored 29 points Friday as the Ashford University men's basketball team defeated Tennessee Wesleyan 84-72 in the Embry-Riddle Bahama Classic at Daytona Beach, Fla. Dominique Walls scored 22 points, Anthony Woods contributed 14 points and five assists and Tevin Harris had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Ashford (6-9). Dante Turnipseed led TWC (5-6) with 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting off the bench, including three 3s, while Justin Simmons tallied 11 points and Charles White and Devante Jenkins had six and five assists. The Iowa team shot 58.3 percent from the field; the Bulldogs shot 50.9 percent.
General
Former Alabama and Seattle Seahawks star running back Shaun Alexander will be the special speaker for the annual Fellowship of Christian Athletes "Road to Victory" banquet set for 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 17 at the Chattanooga Convention Center, and the public is invited to join area FCA players, coaches and supporters. Individual tickets cost $50 with tables for eight available for $350 and sponsorships ranging from $500 to $5,000. Anyone interested can see www.chattanoogafca.org or call area director Jay Fowler at 877-3561 or 309-4255.