HORNETS-WIZARDS
Jefferson has 18 and 12; Hornets stay hot, top Wizards 92-88
WASHINGTON (AP) β Al Jefferson had 18 points and 12 rebounds Monday night, and the Charlotte Hornets’ hot January carried over into Groundhog Day with a 92-88 win over the Washington Wizards.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist added 13 points and 13 rebounds, Brian Roberts scored 18 points, and Gerald Henderson put in 17 for the Hornets, who have won six of eight. They went 10-4 in January despite losing Kemba Walker to a knee injury that will keep him sidelined at least six more weeks.
John Wall, who continues to battle a sprained right ankle and migraine-like headaches that give him an aversion to bright light β not a good scenario for anyone in an NBA arena β scored 16 points on 4-for-14 shooting with 10 assists for the Wizards, who have dropped three straight.
Bradley Beal led Washington with 18 points and a season-high 11 rebounds.
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN-WINTHROP
Moore, Smith lead Winthrop past Charleston Southern, 77-55
ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) β Keon Moore scored 19 and Andre Smith added 18 to help Winthrop cruise to a 77-55 win over Charleston Southern on Monday night.
Moore and Smith combined to make 14 of 24 (58.3 percent) field goals, and hit four 3-pointers apiece, for Winthrop (12-10, 7-4 Big South). Derrick Henry added 13 points and Tevin Prescott 11.
Charleston Southern (13-9, 7-4), which came into the game averaging 10 made 3-pointers per game, hit just 4 of 28 (14.3 percent), including 1 of 15 in the first half.
Winthrop shot 53 percent in the opening period, took a 42-26 lead into halftime and led by as many as 27 in the second half.
Saah Nimley led Charleston Southern with 15 points, but made just 4 of 13 field goals, including 1 of 8 from 3-point range. Will Saunders and Aaron Wheeler scored 12 apiece.
ARKANSAS-STRETCH RUN
Arkansas begins final stretch with NCAA tourney in sights
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) β Arkansas’ goal all season has been to return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008.
After a last-second loss at Florida, the Razorbacks (16-5, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) have few chances left to impress the selection committee.
Led by forward Bobby Portis’ SEC-best 17.7 points per game, Arkansas returns home to host South Carolina (11-9, 2-6) on Tuesday night.
The game is the first of two straight at home for the Razorbacks, who have 10 regular season games left to impress the selection committee. Only one of those, a visit to No. 1 Kentucky on Feb. 28, comes against a ranked opponent.
S CAROLINA-HENRY
Gamecocks F Henry could return against Arkansas
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) β South Carolina coach Frank Martin said starting forward Demetrius Henry could return from a concussion this week.
Henry missed last Saturday’s 67-50 victory over Georgia. The Gamecocks (11-9, 2-6 Southeastern Conference) play at Arkansas (16-5, 5-3) on Tuesday night.
Henry sustained the injury last Tuesday at practice. Martin said the 6-foot-9 sophomore did some activities at the team’s workout Sunday and responded well. Martin said Henry will do a bit more at the next practice and if the player comes through that in good shape, his status for Tuesday’s game will be evaluated.
Henry has averaged 6.7 points and 4.1 rebounds this season.
Sophomore reserve guard Justin McKie, who also missed the Georgia win with a concussion, won’t play against Arkansas, Martin said. There was no timetable for McKie’s return.
T25-WOMEN’S BKB POLL
South Carolina still No. 1 in AP women’s hoops poll
UNDATED (AP) – South Carolina remains No. 1 in The Associated Press poll for the 11th straight week, while George Washington enters the Top 25 for the first time since 2008.
The Gamecocks stayed perfect at 21-0 after winning all three of their games this past week by an average of nearly 22 points.
South Carolina is followed Monday by UConn, Baylor, Notre Dame and Maryland. Tennessee, Oregon State, Louisville, Florida State and Arizona State round out the first 10.
George Washington enters the poll at No. 24 after winning its 17th consecutive game Saturday with a rout of George Mason. The Colonials (19-2) were last in the Top 25 in the final poll of the 2008 season.
Oklahoma fell out a week after entering the Top 25.
SEC DEPTH
SEC hoping its improved balance pays off in postseason
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) β The Southeastern Conference men’s basketball pool appears deeper than usual, even though it’s not reflected in the Top 25.
Although No. 1 Kentucky is the league’s sole representative in the Top 25, the SEC has six schools among the top 60 teams in the RPI, the most of any conference. Some mock NCAA tournament brackets have six SEC teams making the field: Kentucky, Arkansas, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi and Texas A&M.
That’s an encouraging sign for a league that has only earned three NCAA bids each of the last two seasons. But it offers no guarantees.
While the SEC has plenty of NCAA tournament candidates, only Kentucky can feel certain about earning an invitation. The league’s other postseason contenders still have much more work to do.
