BROWNS-PANTHERS
Panthers beat Browns 17-13, move into first place
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Cam Newton threw for one touchdown and ran for another, and the Carolina Panthers defeated the Cleveland Browns 17-13 on Sunday to take over sole possession of first place in the NFC South.
The victory sets up a winner-take-all showdown next Sunday at Atlanta between the Panthers (6-8-1) against the Falcons (6-9) for the division title.
The winner will join the 2010 Seattle Seahawks as the only teams in NFL history to reach the postseason in a non-strike-shortened season with a losing record.
Newton threw for 201 yards and ran for 63 yards just 12 days after the quarterback suffered two fractures in his lower back following an automobile accident. Jonathan Stewart ran for 122 yards and caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Newton.
Johnny Manziel made his second NFL start for Cleveland but left with 1:49 left in the first half with a hamstring injury and did not return.
HURRICANES-RANGERS
Talbot, Rangers edge Hurricanes for 6th win in row
NEW YORK (AP) β Ryan McDonagh’s first-period goal held up and Cam Talbot made 18 saves as the New York Rangers extended their winning streak to six with a 1-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday night.
The Rangers completed a sweep of the home-and-home weekend series against the Eastern Conference-worst Hurricanes, who lost for the eighth time in nine games.
Talbot is 3-3-1 this season backing up Henrik Lundqvist, with all three of his victories being shutouts.
McDonagh scored his second goal of the season 4:10 into the game. He slapped the puck in the slot past goaltender Anton Khudobin, who has yet to win this season (0-8-2).
T25-ELON-NORTH CAROLINA
Gray leads No. 6 North Carolina to 85-67 victory
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) β Allisha Gray scored 20 points and Stephanie Mavunga added 10 points and 11 rebounds to help No. 6 North Carolina defeated Elon 85-67 at the Carolinas Challenge on Sunday.
The Tar Heels (11-1) led just 46-43 at halftime, but opened the final period with a 23-8 run to take control over Elon, coached by former North Carolina star and NCAA tournament star Charlotte Smith.
Mavunga started the Tar Heels’ decisive charge with a putback, Xylina McDaniel added a jumper and Gray hit a 3-pointer to give them a 53-43 lead. Mavunga had two more baskets in the run and when Brittany Rountree made her third 3 of the game, North Carolina was up 69-51 with 12:02 left.
Sam Coffer had 16 points to lead Elon (5-4), which has lost four of its last five games.
McDaniel had 14 points before leaving in the second half with an ankle injury.
T25-LIBERTY-SOUTH CAROLINA
No. 1 South Carolina beats Liberty 84-44
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) β A’ja Wilson came off the bench for 17 points and 10 rebounds to get her second career double-double and No. 1 South Carolina cruised past Liberty 84-44 Sunday.
Aleighsa Welch scored 15 points and Tiffany Mitchell added 14 for the Gamecocks (12-0), who have 12 days off before beginning Southeastern Conference play. Simone Brown led the Lady Flames (6-5) with 12 points. Ashley Rininger and Karly Buer each added 10.
The win, at the Subway Classic being hosted by the University of Minnesota, allowed the Gamecocks to tie the school-record win streak of 12 set during the 2001-02 and 1979-80 seasons.
COKER-SOUTH CAROLINA
Notice scores 19 points as South Carolina routs Coker 78-52
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) β Duane Notice scored 19 points and led four players in double figures to propel South Carolina to a 78-52 victory over Coker Sunday afternoon.
The contest with the Division II Cobras was close for the opening 16 minutes before the Gamecocks used an 11-2 run over the final four minutes of the half.
South Carolina led 24-21 with a little less than four minutes remaining before closing on an 11-2 run to lead 35-23 at the break.
South Carolina continued the run, opening the second half on a 9-3 spurt.
Notice has scored 85 points his last four games after having just 47 points the first six.
Laimonas Chatkevicius added 16 points, Demetrius Henry set a career-high with 16 and Ty Johnson finished with 12 for the Gamecocks (7-3), who now have won five straight.
Errick Bethel led Coker (3-5) with 14 points.
REINHARDT-WINTHROP
Winthrop trounces NAIA Reinhardt 100-72
ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) β Keon Moore and Andre Smith each scored 18 points on Sunday and Winthrop routed NAIA Reinhardt 100-72.
Moore and Smith each made four 3-pointers and Winthrop shot 55.6 (10-18) from beyond the arc.
Xavier Cooks scored 17 and Tevin Prescott and Keon Johnson scored 12 apiece for Winthrop (5-6), which shot 66.7 percent (38 of 57) from the field to Reinhardt’s 37.5 percent (27 of 72).
Reinhardt opened with back-to-back 3-pointers for a 6-2 lead, but Josh Davenport hit a jumper, sparking a 16-2 run and Winthrop led 44-32 at halftime.
Winthrop had a 14-point lead, 54-40, on a layup by Smith, then led 87-62 after Moore hit back-to-back 3-pointers. The Eagles reached the 100-point mark on Duby Okeke’s jumper with 44 seconds to play.
Corey Ricks led Reinhardt (1-5) with 21 points, Perie Finley scored 12, Matt Porter 11, and Justin Zachary 10.
COASTAL CAROLINA-CENT ARKANSAS
Coastal Carolina keeps Central Arkansas winless 72-55
CONWAY, Ark. (AP) β Warren Gillis scored 12 points of his 18 points during the second half and Coastal Carolina pulled away for a 72-55 victory over Central Arkansas on Sunday.
Gillis also had 10 rebounds and five assists for Coastal Carolina (9-3), which scored 13 straight in the second half, extending to its largest lead at 58-39 with 6:42 left.
Central Arkansas (0-10) took a 27-26 lead into halftime after Joel Fiegler’s jumper with 44 seconds left in the period. But the Chanticleers took the lead back with the first points of the second half and never trailed again.
Badou Diagne made both of his 3-point attempts and finished with 17 points. Elijah Wilson scored all 11 of his points in the second half for Coastal Carolina.
Jordan Howard had 15 points and Jake Zuilhof had 12 to lead the Bears.
SHRINE BOWL-COACHES
Kirby, Brown to lead Shrine Bowl teams
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) β John Kirby of Eastern Alamance High will lead North Carolina and Jerry Brown of Spring Valley High the South Carolina team in the 2015 Shrine Bowl game.
Shrine Bowl athletic director Ron Long announced the coaching staffs for next year during Saturday’s contest.
Assisting Kirby for the Tar Heel squad are Bobby Curlings of New Bern, Antonio King of Durham Hillside, Shane Handy of Randleman, Mark Holcomb of North Davidson, Kelly Holder of Mount Airy and Charlie Metcalf of Asheville.
Brown’s assistants for the Sandlapper team are Louie Alexander of Mid Carolina, Wil Young of Greer, Kevin Crosby of Bamberg-Ehrhardt, Jimmy Noonan of Wando and Mike Martin of Woodruff.
Next year’s game, which pits the top high school players from North and South Carolina, is Dec. 19 at Wofford College.
