T25-ALABAMA-S CAROLINA
No. 1 South Carolina women cruise past Alabama 85-54
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) β A’ja Wilson scored 17 points, Alaina Coates had 14 points and 10 rebounds and No. 1 South Carolina routed Alabama for the second time this month in a 85-54 victory Thursday night.
The Gamecocks (20-0, 8-0 Southeastern Conference) shook off a sluggish first half to roll past the Crimson Tide. On Jan. 8, South Carolina won at Alabama 102-59.
While this one didn’t get as out of hand, the Gamecocks showed once again why they’ve been on top of the rankings for the past 10 weeks.
Wilson, the 6-foot-5 freshman, scored seven points in a 19-3 first-half run as South Carolina moved in front for good.
Coates put up her SEC-leading ninth double-double this season and added five blocks. Leading scorer Tiffany Mitchell was the Gamecocks’ third double-figure scorer with 11 points.
Karyla Middlebrook had 11 points to lead Alabama. Leading scorer Ashley Williams fouled out with eight points.
SC-UPSTATE-JACKSONVILLE
Greene scores 22 points, leads USC Upstate to 78-65 win
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) β Ty Greene scored 22 points to lead South Carolina Upstate to its first victory at Jacksonville since 2009, 78-65 on Thursday night.
Greene, who had five 3-pointers, went over 20 points for the fourth straight game while Michael Buchanan added 14 points and Fred Miller 11 for the Spartans (15-7, 3-3 Atlantic Sun). Miller added six assists with USC Upstate going over 20 for the second consecutive game while committing only eight turnovers.
Kori Babineaux had 22 points and Josh Adeyeye and Andris Misters 10 apiece for the Dolphins (7-16, 1-5), who lost their fourth straight.
The Spartans led from the opening minute and took a 44-34 halftime lead. They never let their lead go under double figures in the second half, building a 19-point advantage with 2:59 left. They finished at 49.2 percent from the field and were 11 of 27 from the arc.
COLL OF CHARLESTON-TOWSON
Towson holds off College of Charleston 74-70
TOWSON, Md. (AP) β Four McGlynn had 14 of his 20 points in the second half and Towson held off College of Charleston 74-70 on Thursday night.
Towson (10-12, 3-6 Colonial Athletic Association) held Charleston to 19 first-half points, had a 14-point halftime lead and led 39-25 with 14 minutes left in the second. Charleston (6-16, 1-8) then came to life doubling it point total over a 7 Β½ minute stretch and closing the margin to just 52-51.
Towson never relinquished the lead, however, as McGlynn scored the next seven points to push the Tigers to a 59-51 lead with 4:49 left. The Cougars continued to threaten and finished with 51 second-half points.
Mike Morsell added 15 points and six rebounds for the Tigers, who outrebounded Charleston 42-26.
Canyon Barry, Joe Chealey and Terrance O’Donohue scored 16 each for the Cougars. Barry had all 16 and O’Donohue 13 in the second half.
ETSU-FURMAN
Croone leads Furman over East Tennessee State 59-55
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) β Stephen Croone scored 24 points, including four free throws in the final six seconds, to lead Furman to a 59-55 win over East Tennessee State on Thursday.
Lester Wilson, who scored 21 points, hit a jumper with 2:35 to play to give East Tennessee State a 53-51 lead. After Croone made two free throws with six seconds left, Furman was up 57-53.
Desonta Bradford was fouled on a 3-point attempt with two seconds left. He made the first two but missed the third. Furman got the ball and Croone hit two more free throws with a second left to secure the win.
Larry Wideman had a career high with 14 points and Devin Sibley added 11 for the Paladins (7-13, 4-5 Southern Conference). Croone matched his career high with 11 rebounds.
Jalen Riley added 10 points for the Buccaneers (12-8, 6-5), who trailed 29-24 at the half.
NASCAR-ELLIOTT-GORDON’S REPLACEMENT
Chase Elliott to replace Jeff Gordon in No. 24 next season
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Chase Elliott will replace Jeff Gordon when the four-time NASCAR champion retires at the end of this season.
Elliott is the reigning Xfinity Series champion, and Hendrick Motorsports had to find a Sprint Cup seat for him or risk losing the 19-year-old to another organization.
Elliott will drive a second season in NASCAR’s second-tier series this year with JR Motorsports. He will also make five Sprint Cup starts, debuting in March at Martinsville, in the No. 25 Chevrolet for Hendrick.
He’ll be paired with Gordon’s current crew chief, Alan Gustafson, next season. No sponsor was announced.
Gordon announced last week that his 23rd season will be his final full-time year as a driver.
NASCAR-LARSON-24
Larson wants to build his own legacy in Ganassi’s No. 42
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Kyle Larson was unfazed Wednesday at Chase Elliott being named Jeff Gordon’s replacement in the iconic No. 24.
Many NASCAR fans believed that Larson was the heir apparent to the four-time champion, a notion Gordon fueled with constant praise of the reigning Sprint Cup Series rookie of the year.
Only Larson drives for Chip Ganassi Racing, and says he’s happy right where he is behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet. Gordon announced last week that 2015 will be his last in the car, and Hendrick Motorsports on Wednesday named 19-year-old Elliott his replacement.
Larson says he’s cool with that. Larson was part of Ganassi’s four-driver lineup that won Sunday’s prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona.
