By Aaron Beard Associated Press WINSTON-SALEM — Wake Forest spent the first half Wednesday night watching pesky High Point pick apart its defense with dribble drives and kickouts for open perimeter shots. Once the Demon Deacons went against their hel ...Read More

By Bret Strelow bstrelow@salisburypost.com DURHAM — Charlotte forward Shamari Spears filed in behind teammate K.J. Sherrill as the 49ers proceeded toward midcourt. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski shook hands with Sherrill, then used his left hand to pa ...Read More

By Ronnie Gallagher rgallagher@salisburypost.com In some programs, when you're projected star returner goes down in the first game of the season, it spells doom. Not the case this season for Angelyn Brown's Livingstone Blue Bears. Brittany Wright ...Read More

By Ronnie Gallagher rgallagher@salisburypost.com After finishing 16-12 last season, Catawba women's coach Angie Morton sat down with assistant Ricky Joines to assess the Indians' needs. It wasn't hard to figure out. Catawba needed a post presence. ...Read More

By Joedy McCreary Associated Press DURHAM — Mike Krzyzewski settled in at the podium between his two veteran guards, gesturing first toward Nolan Smith and then toward Jon Scheyer. "I know these guys are happy to be together again," Coach K said. ...Read More

By Mike London mlondon@salisburypost.com MISENHEIMER — Back-to-backs is a tough way to open a basketball season, but Catawba's drained squad hobbled out of Merner Gym with a championship on Monday. Led by tournament MVP Rob Fields' 23 points, Cata ...Read More

By Bret Strelow bstrelow@salisburypost.com DURHAM — Playing in a real game for the first time in 20 months, Shamari Spears enjoyed the second successful debut of his collegiate career. Spears, a former Salisbury star, tied his career high of 23 po ...Read More

By Mike London mlondon@salisburypost.com MISENHEIMER — Twenty-four hours after an ugly loss to Cheyney State, host Pfeiffer salvaged the third-place game in the Highway 52 Shootout by beating Livingstone 99-87. The first half precisely followed th ...Read More

Associated Press CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina went from looking battered, beaten and confused midway through the season to clinching bowl eligibility in its final home game. Now the Tar Heels are hoping for a strong finish on the road. North Carol ...Read More

By Joedy McCreary Associated Press DURHAM — Duke didn't have one of its key players and Coastal Carolina was missing one too. The big difference: The Blue Devils had plenty of other weapons to make up for it. Kyle Singler had 23 points and 11 reb ...Read More

By Ronnie Gallagher rgallagher@salisburypost.com MISENHEIMER — Was Catawba lucky to win its season opener over Livingstone on Sunday night? Indians coach Jim Baker just shook his head, sighed, and said, "Real lucky." Catawba somehow, some way, ra ...Read More

By Mike London mlondon@salisburypost.com MISENHEIMER — Pfeiffer's Davon Gilliard was smacked to the floor on a hard drive midway through the second half, and four teammates immediately sprinted over to lift him back on his feet. Eventually, howev ...Read More

By Mike London mlondon@salisburypost.com Area college athletes ...UNC Pembroke redshirt freshman Derek Davis (South Rowan) made the long trip to Arkansas Tech for the first round of the Division II playoffs on Saturday. The Braves lost 41-13 to th ...Read More

Associated Press AVONDALE, Ariz. — When a fluke accident cost Jimmie Johnson a huge chunk of his points lead, he knew there was no more room for error in his bid to win a NASCAR record fourth consecutive championship. But when it came time to plot ...Read More

Associated Press CHAPEL HILL — Roy Williams had promised there would be times when his North Carolina team looked ready to make a serious run at defending the national championship. And then there would be days like Sunday, when the sixth-ranked Tar ...Read More

By Ronnie Gallagher rgallagher@salisburypost.com If senior leadership means anything, mark down the Catawba men's basketball team for another South Atlantic Conference championship. "We've got four good ones," understated coach Jim Baker of his se ...Read More

By Ronnie Gallagher rgallagher@salisburypost.com In his five seasons as Livingstone men's basketball coach, James Stinson has brought stability back to the Blue Bears program. Entering his sixth season, he's ready to win on a consistent basis. The la ...Read More

By Ronnie Gallagherrgallagher@salisburypost.com They call it the Highway 52 Shootout and that's exactly what it should be as Catawba, Livingstone and Pfeiffer get under way tonight at Pfeiffer in the inaugural tournament. Teams are expected to rotate ...Read More

Associated Press PITTSBURGH — In need of a big win, Charlie Weis and Notre Dame couldn't turn around a troublesome trend. Pitt keeps winning and winning like it hasn't done in 27 years, and now the Panthers are one more victory away from a really big ...Read More

Associated Press The top 25 roundup ... COLUMBUS, Ohio — The oldest of the Buckeyes sent Ohio State back to the Granddaddy of all bowls. Devin Barclay, a 26-year-old former pro soccer player, kicked a 39-yard field goal in overtime to give No. 10 Ohi ...Read More

Associated press COLUMBIA, S.C. — As he watched South Carolina inch closer to a go-ahead score early in the fourth quarter, Florida coach Urban Meyer knew it was time for one of his Gators to make a play. Defensive end Justin Trattou was more than re ...Read More

Associated Press The college roundup ... BOILING SPRINGS — Tommy Beecher threw three touchdown passes and Mike Brown rushed for two scores to help Liberty pull away from Gardner-Webb 51-28 Saturday. Liberty (8-2, 5-0 Big South Conference) took sole p ...Read More

Associated Press The ACC roundup ... DURHAM — Jonathan Dwyer rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns, Josh Nesbitt accounted for three scores and No. 7 Georgia Tech clinched a spot in the ACC championship game by routing Duke 49-10. Orwin Smith retur ...Read More

Associated Press WINSTON-SALEM — The 80-year-old embattled coach was sitting in a golf cart and upbeat moments after his redshirt freshman quarterback kept their bowl hopes alive. Not far away, the opposing team's redshirt senior quarterback was over ...Read More

Associated PressRALEIGH — C.J. Spiller actually did pretty much do it all for Clemson. He ran for a touchdown, caught a scoring pass and threw one of his own to help the 24th-ranked Tigers beat North Carolina State 43-23 on Saturday, putting them in ...Read More