SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer’s Kahlia Lawrence has been named the Innovative Office Solutions Southern Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for games played Jan. 5-11, the league office announced Tuesday. The sophomore guard averaged 31.0 points per game as the Bears opened up conference play with a pair of overtime wins.

Lawrence kicked off league play last Thursday by pouring in a career-high 36 points on 15-of-25 shooting, helping Mercer to an 86-78 overtime win at UNCG. Her 15 made field goals marked a career high and are the most made in one game by a SoCon player this season. She added six assists and three steals in 42 minutes against the Spartans. Lawrence lifted the Bears to another overtime win on Saturday, notching 26 points, seven rebounds and two assists in a 92-88 triumph at Western Carolina. She went 13-of-24 from the floor versus the Catamounts en route to her seventh game this season of 20 or more points.

The Columbus, Ga., native currently ranks second in the SoCon with an average of 17.9 points per game and is in the top five in the league in field-goal percentage (.439) and assists (2.8 per game).

Mercer will be back in action when it takes a six-game winning streak to Samford on Saturday. The contest is set for a 3 p.m. (EST) tipoff and can be seen on ESPN3.

Other nominees: Tianna Tarter (ETSU), Whitney Bunn (Furman), Destiney Elliott (Samford), Jasmine Joyner (Chattanooga) and Jordan Frazier (Wofford).

Innovative Office Solutions SoCon Women’s Basketball Player of the Week

Nov 17: Kahlia Lawrence, Mercer

Nov 24: Lucy Mason, UNCG

Dec 1: Lucy Mason, UNCG

Dec 9: Sydni Means, Mercer

Dec 15: Krista Stricklin, Samford

Dec 22: Tianna Tarter, ETSU

Jan. 5: Lucy Mason, UNCG

Jan. 12: Kahlia Lawrence, Mercer

-www.SoConSports.com-