PANTHERS-LOSING RECORD
Rivera: No changes likely despite losing streak
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Panthers coach Ron Rivera says he doesn’t foresee any changes to the coaching staff or roster following his team’s latest lopsided loss.
Rivera says, “The answers are in the locker room, in the classroom and on the coaching staff.”
The Panthers just haven’t found those solutions β and time is quickly running out on what has become a forgettable season. Carolina (3-8-1) entered Sunday’s game at Minnesota in control of its own playoff destiny, but lost 31-13 after allowing the Vikings to return two blocked punts for touchdowns.
Rivera’s preseason goal of posting back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history won’t happen. And while the Panthers remain mathematically alive in the weak NFC South, a seven-game winless streak suggests the chances of running the table in December are highly unlikely.
T25-NC CENTRAL-S CAROLINA
Wilson, No. 1 South Carolina rout NC Central 90-26
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) β Freshman A’ja Wilson scored 16 points, reigning Southeastern Conference player of the year Tiffany Mitchell had 14 and South Carolina showed off its No. 1 ranking at home for the first time in a 90-26 victory over North Carolina Central on Monday night.
The Gamecocks (6-0) were already on their way to the Bahamas for the Junkanoo Jam tournament last Monday when they took over the top spot. After winning twice on Grand Bahama Island to retain No. 1 for a second week, South Carolina returned home and quickly put away the overmatched Eagles (2-4).
The Gamecocks led 14-3 in the first five minutes and went on to win their 22nd straight home game.
Wilson added eight rebounds and Mitchell had a career-high seven steals.
Morgan Jones had seven points for the Eagles.
WESTERN CAROLINA-CHARLESTON SOUTHERN
Charleston Southern gets by Western Carolina 72-66
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) β Saah Nimley nailed 5 of 8 from long range and finished with 22 points as Charleston Southern held on for a 72-66 win over Western Carolina on Monday night.
Charleston Southern held a commanding 45-22 lead at the half, but the Catamounts started chipping away. Trailing 63-54 with 6:34 left, Mike Brown nailed a 3-pointer and James Sinclair hit a jump shot to pull to 64-58. Nimley answered with a 3-pointer.
Rhett Harrelson, who finished with 22 points for Western Carolina (3-4), got in for a layup and then followed with a 3-pointer to close to 70-64 with 54 seconds remaining. Nimley answered again with two free throws to seal the win. Harrelson made 6 of 12 3-point attempts.
Will Saunders had 12 points, Cedrick Bowen and Aaron Wheeler chipped in 11 apiece for the Buccaneers (4-2).
SOUTH CAROLINA-MARSHALL
South Carolina beats Marshall 77-59
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) β Duane Notice scored a career-high 27 points to lead South Carolina to a 77-59 win over Marshall on Monday night.
Notice bettered his previous career high of 23 points set against Auburn last March.
Laimonas Chatkevicius added 15 points for the Gamecocks (4-3). Justin McKie scored 12 and Sindarius Thornwell had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
South Carolina built a big early lead and didn’t let Marshall (3-4) get closer than 15 points in the second half.
Ryan Taylor led the Thundering Herd with 11 points.
Marshall tied its lowest scoring output of the season set in its previous game against Cleveland State. The Thundering Herd lost their fourth straight game under new coach Dan D’Antoni.
SAVANNAH STATE-WINTHROP
Winthrop rolls over Savannah State 68-47
ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) β Jarad Scott made 3 of 4 from long range and finished with 15 points to lead Winthrop to a 68-47 victory over Savannah State on Monday night.
Keon Johnson had 13 points and Joseph Lopez chipped in a career-high 12. Andre Smith added eight points and six assists for Winthrop (3-2).
The Eagles, leading 33-23 at the half, opened the second period with a 12-2 run to lead 44-25 and coasted to the win.
Winthrop made 44.8 percent of its field goal attempts in the first half, while limiting the Tigers to just 8-of-28. Savannah State made only 18 of 62 attempts for the game, holding Winthrop to 25 of 56 from the floor (44.6 percent).
Terel Hall led Savannah State (2-5) with 15 points. Alante Fenner added 11.
FURMAN-LIBERTY
Liberty comes back to beat Furman 66-52
LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) β David Andoh scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Liberty to a come-from-behind 66-52 victory over Furman on Monday night.
Furman was ahead 27-26 at the half and led 43-41 at the 10:51 mark of the second half. Liberty’s James Johnson tipped in a missed jumper to start a 17-2 run to give Liberty a 58-45 advantage with 3:12 left. The Flames closed with six free throws and Andrew Smith slammed home a dunk to seal the victory.
Liberty (3-4) outrebounded Furman 42 to 32. The Flames made 25 of 53 field goal attempts (47.2 percent) while limiting Furman (1-4) to 19 of 57 (33.3 percent).
Smith had 12 points and Tomasz Gielo added 10 for Liberty.
Stephen Croone led Furman with 13 points and Geoff Beans chipped in nine.
BARBER-SCOTIA-USC UPSTATE
USC Upstate doubles up Barber-Scotia 105-43
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) β Michael Buchanan scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and USC Upstate beat Barber-Scotia 105-43 on Monday for its fourth largest margin of victory in school history.
Upstate beat Bob Jones 107-41 earlier this season.
Daniel Bridges scored 18 points for USC Upstate (6-2) and Tristan Thomas had 17. Jacob Schulte had 12 points with 10 rebounds and Josh Cuthbertson added 11.
Buchanan made 10 of his 12 field goals as Upstate made 53.2 percent of its shots, including 14 of 36 from 3-point range. Thomas was 5 of 11 from distance and Bridges made four of his nine 3-pointers.
Barber-Scotia (1-9), a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, was led by Walter Jackson with 15 points and ShaQuille Wilson’s 11. The Mighty Sabers made just 14 of 65 shots (21.5 percent) and were out-rebounded 65-26.
RUTGERS-CLEMSON
Etou’s 20 points leads Rutgers past Clemson 69-64
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) β Junior Etou scored 20 points and Myles Mack added 12 points and eight assists to lead Rutgers to a 69-64 win over Clemson on Monday night in the Scarlet Knights first ever game in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Rutgers (4-3) used a 16-2 run to overcome Clemson’s biggest lead in the game after Jaron Blossomgame’s layup with 7:42 left put the Tigers (4-3) up 55-48.
Etou immediate answered with a 3-pointer that started the run. The Scarlet Knights scored on six of their next seven possessions.
Rutgers bounced back from a 19-point loss to No. 7 Virginia that saw the Scarlet Knights score just 26 points.
Damarcus Harrison led Clemson with 15 points, while Blossomgame had 12 points and 10 rebounds for his third consecutive double-double.
The Tigers are now 9-6 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
ALL-ACC
Pitt’s Conner, Clemson’s Beasley lead all-ACC team
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) β Pittsburgh running back James Conner and Clemson defensive end Vic Beasley lead the all-Atlantic Coast Conference football team.
The ACC announced the teams Monday following a vote of 55 members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
Players received three points for a first-team vote, two for a second-team selection and one for a third-team pick.
Conner, the nation’s sixth-leading rusher with an average of 139.6 yards, had the most points with 164. Beasley led all defensive players with 159 points.
Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston of No. 2 Florida State was the first-team quarterback for the second straight year.
Ten players from Atlantic Division champion Florida State made the first team.
The Seminoles’ opponent in the ACC championship game, No. 12 Georgia Tech, had none.
