Titus leads Mercer women

          Shannon Titus scored a career high 29 points – on 13 of 23 shooting – to lead Mercer to a 69-51 win Friday over Wofford and into the Southern Conference women’s finals.
          Again.
          The 24-7 Bears got 12 points from Dodge County grad Rachel Seph and 10 from Linnea Rosendal as they spread the scoring out among some not normally leading the way.
          KeKe Calloway and Amanda Thompson teaming for only  16 points didn’t matter, although Thompson had a normal 12 rebounds and Calloway six, Titus blocking five shots.
          Mercer led 28-21 at the half despite shooting only 22.2 percent, to 31.3 for Wofford. The Bears got better, the Terriers didn’t, Mercer taking control with a 25-16 third quarter.
          The Bears have Saturday off before facing either Furman or Chattanoooga at noon Sunday in the championship. 

Peach Belt

          Men’s Wednesday scores: Francis Marion 96, Young Harris 88; Augusta 89, Columbus State 65; UNC Pembroke 105, Georgia College 81; USC Aiken 90, Lander 74.
          Saturday’s semis: Augusta vs. UNC Pembroke, 5 p.m., USC Aiken vs. Francis Marion, afterward.
          Rutland grad Ty’lik Evans had 22 points for USC Aiken in Wednesday’s win.
          Women’s Wednesday scores: Lander 107, Francis Marion 70; Clayton State 59, USC Aiken 44; North Georgia 82, Georgia College 51; Columbus State 71, Flagler 68.
          Saturday’s semis: North Georgia vs. Clayton State, 12 p.m.; Lander vs. Columbus State, afterward.

ACC

          Women’s Thursday scores: Syracuse 67, Virginia 57; UNC 80, Georgia Tech 73; Clemson 80, Virginia Tech 79; Florida State 51, Duke 41
          Friday: 11 a.m., Syracuse 92, Miami 85; 2 p.m., Notre Dame 95, UNC 77; 6 p.m., Louisville 75, Clemson 67; 8 p.m., N.C. State 69, FSU 62
Saturday: 12 p.m., Syracuse vs. Notre Dame; 2:30 p.m., Louisville vs. NC State

SEC

          Women’s Thursday scores: Tennessee 69, LSU 66; Missouri 87, Florida 56; Arkansas 86, Georgia 76; Auburn 63, Alabama 52
Friday’s games: 12 p.m., Mississippi State 83, Tennessee 68; 2 p.m., Missouri 70, Kentucky 68; 6 p.m., Arkansas 95, South Carolina 89; 8 p.m., Texas A&M 64, Auburn 62
Saturday: 5 p.m., Mississippi State vs. Missouri; 7:30 p.m., Arkansas vs. Texas A&M

Atlantic Sun

          Men’s Thursday scores, semifinals: Liberty 71, North Florida 63; Lipscomb 78, NJIT 55
          Final, Sunday, 3 p.m., Nashville: Liberty vs. Lipscomb
          Women’s Friday games, quarterfinals: FGCU 58, NJIT 45; North Florida 55, North Alabama 53; Liberty 65, Jacksonville 53; Kennesaw State 67, Stetson 59
          Wedneday’s semifinals: Kennesaw State vs. FGCU; Liberty vs. North Florida  

    

 Wednesday SoCon women
Suspense?
          None, except by exactly how much Mercer would beat Western Carolina by in the first game of the Southern Conference women’s basketball tournament in Asheville, N.C.
          If you had the Bears by 33, you win.
          Mary Persons grad KeKe Calloway scored 18 points and Amanda Taylor had 17 rebounds in the Bears’ 55-32 win.
          Mercer (23-7) extended its winning streak against conference opponents to 39 straight, and active streak to 15.
          The players of the year – Calloway by the media and Thompson by the coaches – did plenty of damage in fewer minutes than usual. Mercer led 27-10 at halftime, and did actually lose the fourth quarter, albeit 12-11.
          Mercer, which had 10 players get at least 10 minutes, outrebounded WCU 49-33 and allowed all of three assists, although the Bears committed 18 turnovers, 11 on WCU (4-26) steals.
          The Bears next get fifth seed Wofford, another 11 a.m. tip on Friday.
          Thursday’s women’s scores: Wofford 75, ETSU 66; Furman 67, Samford 52; Chattanooga 72, UNCG 62.
Friday: 11 a.m., Mercer vs. Wofford; 1:30 p.m., Furman vs. Chattanooga.
The championship is at 12 p.m. Sunday.