CHARLESTON SOUTHERN-NC STATE
NC State rolls past Charleston Southern 86-50
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) β Freshman Caleb Martin scored a season-high 17 points in his first start to help North Carolina State beat Charleston Southern 86-50 on Friday night.
Martin started in place of leading scorer Trevor Lacey, who sat out with an ankle injury. But the Wolfpack (8-1) had no trouble winning in the return to Reynolds Coliseum β the program’s longtime former campus home β for a two-game set this weekend.
Ralston Turner also scored 17 as N.C. State ran off 22 straight points to blow the game open early, leading 46-20 by halftime and cruising in its first game since beating Wake Forest in an early Atlantic Coast Conference opener nearly a week earlier.
Cedrick Bowen scored 14 points to lead the Buccaneers (5-3), who hit their first shot for a 3-0 lead then went scoreless for 7-plus minutes to watch this one get away quickly.
PANTHERS-INJURIES
Rivera: Stewart to start for Panthers, Williams doubtful
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Panthers coach Ron Rivera says running back Jonathan Stewart will start Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
DeAngelo Williams, Carolina’s all-time leading rusher, is listed as doubtful on the injury report with a broken hand. Rivera indicated Thursday that Williams would not play this week, but amended that on Friday saying Williams could play in an emergency situation if another running back were to become ill before the game.
Quarterback Cam Newton and offensive lineman Amini Silatolu have been ruled out for the game, as expected.
Stewart ran for 155 yards and a touchdown in last week’s 41-10 win over New Orleans and leads the team in rushing. Williams has already missed seven gsames with injuries.
Carolina (4-8-1) is a half-game behind the Saints and Falcons in the NFC South.
UMBC-VIRGINIA
Virginia advances to NCAA men’s soccer final
CARY, N.C. (AP) β Darius Madison scored in the fifth minute, and Virginia beat Maryland-Baltimore County 1-0 on Friday to reach the championship of the NCAA College Cup.
The Cavaliers will play Providence or UCLA on Sunday. Virginia is seeking its sixth title following four championships under coach Bruce Arena from 1991-94 and another under current coach George Gelnovatch in 2009.
Pablo Aguilar gained possession from UMBC’s Marquez Fernandez just outside the penalty area and passed to Madison, whose low, right-footed shot beat diving goalkeeper Billy Heavner.
The Retrievers had been unbeaten in 10 games and had not allowed a goal in their first four NCAA tournament games.
Virginia goalkeeper Calle Brown made one save and withstood nine corner kicks in his ninth shutout this season.
T25-CLEMSON-OFFENSE
Clemson’s new trio says offense won’t change
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) β Clemson’s new offensive leaders say the 18th-ranked Tigers will maintain their aggressive, fast-paced style that former coordinator Chad Morris brought in four seasons ago.
Co-coordinators Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott said Friday that a high-tempo offense has been a critical part of Clemson’s success and that won’t change with them in charge. The Tigers also added quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter to fill that aspect of Morris’ job. Morris left earlier this month to become SMU’s head coach.
Morris’ offenses averaged better than 40 points and 500 yards in 2012 and 2013 with a quick-strike attack that often wore out opponents. Elliott was running backs coach and Scott the receivers coach during Morris’ tenure. Both said Morris prepared them to one day move up to larger roles once he departed.
BRAVES-MARKAKIS
Markakis gets $2 million signing bonus from Braves
ATLANTA (AP) β Nick Markakis will receive a $2 million signing bonus by Jan. 1 as part of his $44 million, four-year contract with the Atlanta Braves.
Markakis has annual salaries of $10.5 million as part of the deal, which was announced Dec. 3. He can earn $50,000 for making the All-Star team, winning an MVP award, earning the World Series MVP honor or getting selected the comeback player of the year.
Markakis can earn $25,000 apiece for winning a Gold Glove and the League Championship Series MVP.
The right fielder spent his first nine big league seasons in Baltimore. But he left as a free agent to sign with the Braves, not too far from where his family moved when he was 10 β Woodstock, Georgia, north of Atlanta.
FALCONS-JONES INJURY
Julio Jones misses another practice with hip injury
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) β Coach Mike Smith says he still expects Julio Jones to play on Sunday against the Steelers after the Falcons’ star wide receiver missed his third straight practice with a hip injury.
Smith said Friday Jones has been running under the supervision of trainers. Safety William Moore (foot) worked on the side during practice and also is questionable.
Smith said, “I’m still confident” Jones and Moore will play.
Jones had 11 catches for a team-record 259 yards with one touchdown before the fourth-quarter injury in the 43-37 loss to the Packers. It was the second straight week he has set a personal high for yards receiving.
Cornerback Robert Alford (wrist) will not play.
