VMI, ETSU, Mercer to join SoCon COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Southern Conference officials believe they have secured the league's future -- and reversed a troubling trend -- by adding East Tennessee, Mercer and VMI as new members. The conference announced Thursday that East Tennessee and Mercer accepted invitations, while VMI's addition must be ratified Friday by the school's Board of Visitors, something considered a formality. The SoCon had been one of the most plundered leagues recently with five of its 12 members choosing to leave since November. East Tennessee was part of the Southern Conference from 1978 until 2005, when it left for the Atlantic Sun Conference. VMI competed in the Southern Conference for 79 years until 2003. Mercer had been one of the A-Sun's founding members in 1978. All three are expected to join in July 2014, giving the league 10 members for the 2014-15 academic year. http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...caneers-mercer-bears-join-southern-conference
Wofford edges Western Carolina, wins SoCon championship Wofford guard Karl Cochran remembers waking up at 6 a.m. for preseason conditioning workouts, leaping over chairs and diving for loose balls and wondering how it was going to help him. Now he knows. Cochran scored 23 points, and the Terriers beat Western Carolina 56-53 on Monday night to capture the Southern Conference championship and a spot in the NCAA tournament. Read more http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400544675
Jason Capel out as coach Jason Capel has been let go after four seasons as coach at Appalachian State. Athletic director Charlie Cobb said Monday that the school will not renew Capel's contract. Capel is in the final year of a four-year deal that expires at the end of March. The former North Carolina player -- whose brother Jeff is on Duke's staff -- was the youngest coach in Division I when he was hired in 2010. Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...ppalachian-state-parts-ways-coach-jason-capel
Appalachian State hires Davidson's Jim Fox Appalachian State has hired Davidson assistant Jim Fox to coach its men's basketball team. Athletic director Charlie Cobb announced Fox's hiring Tuesday. Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...ox-hired-coach-appalachian-state-mountaineers
Wofford stuns No. 5 North Carolina 79-75 in Chapel Hill Wofford coach Mike Young walked into his postgame news conference wearing a soaked dress shirt and sheepishly drying himself with a towel. "Pardon my appearance," Young said, "a little over-exuberance from my team." It's OK, coach. Beating fifth-ranked and reigning national champion North Carolina -- on the road, no less -- deserves a hearty celebration. Fletcher Magee scored 27 points to help the Terriers stun the Tar Heels 79-75 on Wednesday night, snapping UNC's 23-game home winning streak. read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400986157
No. 25 Furman tops Elon 98-77 after debut in rankings Furman has no margin for error if it wants to stay in the AP Top 25. But the strain of that situation wasn't evident in the program's debut as a ranked team. Alex Hunter scored all of his 18 points in the second half, and No. 25 Furman won its first game since it cracked the rankings, 98-77 over Elon on Tuesday night. Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401085900
No. 25 Furman stays unbeaten with 74-60 win over SC Upstate Furman coach Bob Richey could sense his No. 25 Paladins felt the load of the school's first-ever ranking and being one of only 10 unbeaten teams left in the country. So he had some advice in the locker room Saturday with his team down four at the half. "Coach told us pressure is when you are 0-10, not 10-0," Paladins forward Matt Rafferty said. The Paladins (10-0) charged ahead immediately after halftime and cruised to a 74-60 win over South Carolina Upstate, continuing one of the most remarkable stories of the college basketball season. Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401088250
No. 23 Furman tops Charleston Southern 77-69, stays unbeaten No. 23 Furman took another step in its remarkable early-season journey, one coach Bob Richey expects will benefit his team the rest of the way. The perfect Paladins (11-0) used a late run to pull away from Charleston Southern for a 77-69 victory Tuesday night in their first-ever home game as a Top 25 team. Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401088251
Mounce's 26 lead No. 23 Furman to 93-50 win over UNCW Furman coach Bob Richey says sophomore forward Clay Mounce does not understand how good he can be. Anyone watching Mounce's play against UNC Wilmington is starting to figure that out. Mounce tied his career best with 26 points and added 10 rebounds as No. 23 Furman ran past the Seahawks, moving to 12-0 with a 93-50 victory Saturday. read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401084030
No. 24 Wofford trounces Chattanooga 80-54 in AP Top 25 debut Wofford made a successful debut as an AP Top 25 team by relying on the same businesslike approach that got the Terriers to this point. Fletcher Magee scored 18 points and the 24th-ranked Terriers pulled away in the second half to trounce Chattanooga 80-54 for their 16th consecutive victory. read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401088790
Magee scores 36, No. 24 Wofford races past Samford 85-64 When it was over, Wofford coach Mike Youngtook a brief moment to enjoy the view. Fletcher Magee made eight 3-pointers on his way to a season-high 36 points, and the 24th-ranked Terriers beat Samford 85-64 on Saturday. read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401088816
No. 22 Wofford downs VMI 99-72 for 18th straight win Fletcher Magee knows there are times when his shot just isn't going to fall. The Wofford guard never worries about it, knowing his teammates have his back. "It's definitely nice," said Magee, who has made more 3-pointers than any active NCAA Division I basketball player. "We have a bunch of guys that can come out and (score). So if a guy is denying me the ball or making it hard on me, we have so many other guys that score the ball so easily and so efficiently that it makes it easier for everyone." Nathan Hoover picked up the slack on Saturday, leading a balanced scoring attack with 17 points as No. 22-ranked Wofford extended its school-record winning streak to 18 games with a 99-72 victory over VMI in the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference Tournament. Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401121612
Magee, Jackson lead No. 22 Wofford past ETSU 81-72 As Fletcher Magee ran off a screen, grabbed a pass and with his back to the basket spun around in midair and swished it from 27 feet away, East Tennessee State coach Steve Forbes turned to his assistant coaches and shook his head. "It's comical that he can be looking the other direction and make a 3," Forbes said of Wofford's 3-point shooting phenomenon. After four years, Forbes still hasn't figured out how to stop the player who has more career 3-pointers (498) than any active player in Division I. "Break his legs? I don't know," Forbes said. Magee scored 26 points on 6-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc, power forward Cameron Jackson added 20 points and seven rebounds, and No. 22 Wofford beat East Tennessee State 81-72 on Sunday to advance the Southern Conference Tournament championship game. The top-seeded Terriers (28-4) will play UNC Greensboro on Monday night. Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401121616
Hoover leads No. 20 Wofford to SoCon title 70-58 over UNGG Nathan Hoover is the guy who never stops competing in Wofford practices regardless of the situation. That feistiness carried over to the Southern Conference Tournament championship game on Monday night. The junior guard scored all 20 of his points in the second half on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and went 8 of 8 from the foul line as No. 20 Wofford battled back to defeat UNC Greensboro 70-58 to win the tournament title and earn an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401121618
Magee sets record, Wofford tops Seton Hall for 1st NCAA win If you didn't know who Fletcher Magee was before, you should now. Magee set the Division I career record for 3-pointers, poured in 24 points and led seventh-seeded Wofford to an 84-68 victory over Seton Hall in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night. Read more http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401123404
Wofford shocks depleted No. 17 North Carolina, 68-64 The venue was different, but the result was the same. Wofford traveled to Chapel Hill and shocked a ranked North Carolina team again, getting 19 points from Trevor Stumpe and riding a 16-0 run in the second half to a 68-64 win over the 17th-ranked Tar Heels on Sunday. read more https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401168255