The Dalton State men's basketball team took its No. 13 NAIA Division I ranking to Pulaski, Tenn., and pulled out a 68-67 Southern States Athletic Conference win Thursday night against No. 5 Martin Methodist. The visiting Roadrunners (16-2) trailed by 13 points in the first half but got within four by halftime and overcame an eight-point deficit afterward. Sean Tate's free throw with 23.6 seconds left held up as the margin of victory. Jamaine Burrey scored 20 points in 23:12 of playing time off the bench for DSC, which got 15 points from Jordan Bowling, 10 points and 14 rebounds from Ladaris Green and nine points apiece from Tate and Preston Earle.
Lee University's basketball teams were swept in a Gulf South Conference doubleheader Thursday night at Union University in Jackson, Tenn., with the Lady Flames losing 63-49 and the men falling 94-75. Shelby Brown had 14 points and 10 rebounds off the bench and Emileigh Swafford scored 11 points for the Lady Flames (10-5, 7-5), who were just 19-of-61 from the field, including 1-of 16 from 3-point range. Union (14-2, 10-2) was led by DeAnna Thompson's 16-point, 13 rebound performance. The Flames (9-8, 4-8) were led by Chase Cullen with 14 points and Cory Billingsley and Jervon Johnson with 11 each. Marterrace Brock scored 31 points for Union (14-4, 8-4), and Corion Pearson added 28.
Baseball
Covenant College was picked this week to finish second in USA South baseball this year. The conference's 11 head coaches gave Ferrum seven first-place votes and 94 points, one more than Covenant with three firsts. Piedmont got the other first and was picked third with 82 points. Covenant also got four votes in the D3baseball.com Preseason Top 25 released Wednesday. The Scots and Ferrum each went 19-8 in USAS play last regular season, but Covenant had the tiebreaker for the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III and returns six All-USA South honorees for ninth-year coach Doug Simons.
Chattanooga State's baseball team had a good fall semester in the hallways as well as on the field. The school reported Thursday that this year's diamond Tigers had a combined fall grade point average of 3.11.
Tennis
Murray County High School tennis standout Gabbie Bordelon signed scholarship papers Thursday to continue her career at Dalton State College. She has played No. 1 or 2 singles throughout her Lady Indians career and has a 3.8 GPA. DSC coach Michel Bates has worked with Bordelon for six years in her job with the Dalton Parks and Recreation Department. "Gabbie is a great young lady. She will be an asset to our tennis program and to the college as a whole," Bates said.