PISTONS-HORNETS
Monroe scores 23, leads Pistons to 106-78 win over Hornets
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Greg Monroe had 23 points and 12 rebounds, D.J. Augustin added 18 points and the Detroit Pistons handed the Charlotte Hornets their third straight loss 106-78 on Tuesday night.
Monroe, who had 14 double-doubles in January to tie a franchise record, was dominant inside and on the drive when the Pistons build a 23-point lead at the end of the third quarter. They coasted to an easy win.
Monroe has recorded at least 20 points and 10 rebounds 48 times since the 2011-12 season, which is the most 20-10 games in the Eastern Conference during that span.
Jodie Meeks and Anthony Tolliver each had 16 points for the Pistons, who are 16-9 over their last 25 games.
TIMBERWOLVES-HORNETS TRADE
Hornets get Mo Williams from Wolves for Gary Neal
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets have acquired veteran point guard Mo Williams from the Minnesota Timberwolves for guard Gary Neal.
The Hornets will also get shooting guard Troy Daniels and will send a second-round pick to the Timberwolves. The deal was announced on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old Williams is averaging 12.2 points and 6.4 assists per game in 41 games, including 19 starts for the injured Ricky Rubio. He is second on the team shooting 34.7 percent from 3-point range. He will give the Hornets a reliable veteran backup to Kemba Walker.
The 30-year-old Neal is a score-first guard averaging 9.9 points per game this season.
Yahoo! Sports first reported the trade.
MISSOURI-SOUTH CAROLINA
Thornwell’s 14 leads South Carolina to 65-60 win over Mizzou
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Sindarius Thornwell scored 14 points and Laimonas Chatkevicius added 13 points and eight rebounds to lead South Carolina to a 65-60 win over Missouri in a game between the Southeastern Conference’s bottom two teams.
The Gamecocks (12-11, 3-8 SEC) led by 10 in both the first and second halves, but couldn’t put the Tigers (7-17, 1-10) away until late.
Missouri had cut South Carolina’s lead to 54-51 with less than three minutes to go when Thornwell hit his second 3-pointer of the game.
The Gamecocks would stretch the lead to 10 again before the Tigers hit a couple of late 3-pointers.
Missouri’s bad season took a turn for the worse. The Tigers had only nine players in uniform and lost sophomore guard Wes Clark to a gruesome arm injury in the second half.
The Tigers have lost 10 in a row.
T25-NOTRE DAME-CLEMSON
Grant leads No. 10 Notre Dame to 60-58 win at Clemson
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Jerian Grant scored 22 points and Demetrius Jackson hit the tying and go-ahead baskets as No. 10 Notre Dame outlasted Clemson 60-58 on Tuesday night.
The Tigers (14-10, 6-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) missed two shots at the end, including a 3-pointer by Damarcus Harrison that hit off the rim as time ran out.
The Irish (22-4, 10-3) overcame a four-point deficit down the stretch to push past Clemson with Grant a major factor in the rally. Notre Dame trailed 56-52 after Rod Hall’s three-point play for the Tigers with 4:07 to go.
But Grant followed with two foul shots, then stole the ball to lead to Jackson’s tying layup. After Jackson’s basket put Notre Dame up for good 58-56, Grant hit a fadeaway jumper.
Notre Dame bounced back after a 90-60 loss at home last Saturday to No. 4 Duke.
Jaron Blossomgame led Clemson with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
MEMPHIS-EAST CAROLINA
East Carolina rallies to beat Memphis 64-53
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) — B.J. Tyson scored 24 points — 20 points in the second half — to help East Carolina rally to beat in Memphis 64-53 on Tuesday night.
Caleb White added 11 points and the Pirates (11-13, 4-7 American Athletic Conference) finished shooting 46 percent after being held to 26.9 percent in the first half and trailing 25-21 at halftime.
The Pirates’ defense stiffened in the second half and Tyson scored eight straight points, then Terry Whisnant and he both dunked as East Carolina led 33-23. The lead changed hands five times until Tyson put the Pirates up 56-50 with 2:47 left, sparking a 14-4 run that saw East Carolina lead 62-53 with 55 seconds left, their largest lead of the game.
East Carolina’s bench outscored Memphis’ bench 39-16 as the Tigers were without leading scorer Austin Nichols.
Shaq Goodwin and Nick King scored 13 apiece for Memphis (14-10, 6-5), and Goodwin grabbed 12 rebounds.
CAMPBELL-LIBERTY
Liberty snaps 12-game skid, beats Campbell 73-60
LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) — David Andoh had 16 points and seven rebounds, and Theo Johnson added 15 and eight to help Liberty snap a 12-game losing streak by beating Campbell 73-60 on Tuesday night.
Ryan Kemrite added 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Kemrite tied a career-high, which he set Friday, with four 3-pointers.
Kyre’ Hamer’s 3-pointer about a minute into the second half gave Campbell (9-17, 3-10 Big South) its biggest lead of the game, 40-32, but Johnson hit a 3 and Kemrite added three more during a 14-0 run which gave Liberty the lead for good.
Campbell, at one point in the second half, went 11 minutes between field goals while Liberty (7-19, 1-12) made 12 of 18 (66.7 percent) second-half field goals.
The Flames made 8 of 12 overall from 3-point range.
Hamer led Campbell with 16 points and seven rebounds. Reco McCarter added 13 points, six rebounds and five assists.
