UNDATED (AP) β The Memphis Grizzlies have halted a three-game skid as Mike Conley scored 18 points and Jeff Green added 16 in a 97-83 rout of Sacramento. Memphis hit its first five shots of the second quarter and led by as many as 16 in the period before cruising the rest of the way. The outcome puts the Grizzlies a half-game ahead of the Houston Rockets, who were 99-96 losers at Toronto.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Avery Bradley’s 30 points and eight rebounds led Boston to a 116-104 triumph over the Hornets in Charlotte. Evan Turner had 15 points for the Celtics, who climbed percentage points ahead of Brooklyn for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff berth. The Hornets are 1 Β½ games in back of the Celtics and Nets.
MONTREAL (AP) β The Tampa Bay Lightning have completed a sweep of their five-game season series with the Canadiens by earning a 5-3 victory in Montreal. Vladimir Namestinikov (nah-MEHST’-nih-kahv) scored twice and collected three points as the Lightning pulled within one point of the Canadiens for the NHL’s Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division leads. Ben Bishop stopped 23 shots for the victory.
CHICAGO (AP) β Scott Darling stopped 31 shots and the Chicago Blackhawks scored the last three goals in a 4-1 triumph over the Los Angeles Kings. It was a 1-1 game until Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson (CHAHL’-mur-suhn) scored 64 seconds apart early in the second period. Marian Hossa had a goal and an assist as the Blackhawks moved within four points of the Central Division-leading Nashville Predators, while keeping the Kings two points out of a playoff berth.
UNDATED (AP) β Top seeds Connecticut and Maryland have advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, where they will face each other on Sunday. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (kah-LEE’-nah mahs-KAY’-dah loo-ihs) scored 27 points as UConn rolled to a 91-70 win against Dayton. Lexie Brown scored 13 of her 15 points during the second half of the Terrapins’ 58-48 downing of Tennessee.
