Die Allianz T-D-P » career-high 36 points against New Hamp

HOUSTON -- There were no bumps on this road to Rio.Next up for the U.S. Olympic mens basketball team is the trip to Brazil, where the Americans think they can play even better now that theyre done having to go place to place.As a team, I think youre going to see a much different team over there, Carmelo Anthony said.Anthony scored 19 points and the U.S. wrapped up its unbeaten exhibition tour with a 110-66 victory over Nigeria on Monday night.The Americans werent quite as potent this time but were dominant defensively after pouring on the points in a record-setting romp over the Nigerians four years ago. They forced the African champions to miss their first 22 3-point shots and held them to 4 for 29 behind the arc.Klay Thompson had 17 points and Kevin Durant added 14 for the U.S., which went 5-0 and wasnt tested during its easy five-city, pre-Olympic schedule. The U.S. men and women -- who arrived in Houston earlier Monday and attended the game -- are scheduled to fly Tuesday night to Rio de Janeiro, where both will be favored to repeat as Olympic basketball champions.We leave tomorrow night and then its off, hopefully, to a gold medal, U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said.The mens team will have to wait until it gets there for a close game -- if one comes at all. The Americans previously defeated Argentina, China twice and Venezuela by an average of 42.8 points, scoring 101 per game. They play the Chinese again to open Olympic play on Aug. 6 and also meet Venezuela again.This one was only close for a few minutes, perhaps a little longer than the Americans 156-73 victory in the 2012 Olympics, when Anthony set U.S. records by scoring 37 points and going 10 for 12 from 3-point range in just 14 minutes. He was 0 for 6 beyond the arc this time but scored nine points in the third quarter, when the lead ballooned to 43 points.The Americans rang up the most points ever scored in an Olympic game in the London contest, but Nigeria started better this time. Ben Uzoh brought the players on the Nigerian bench to their feet with a dunk over DeAndre Jordan in the first quarter, but the Americans gradually pulled away late in the period and kept increasing the lead from there.DeMar DeRozan had a few powerful dunks and Kyle Lowry and Jordan hooked up on a spectacular one, as Lowry threw an alley-oop pass from beyond halfcourt that Jordan slammed down.Were a talented team, its about just finding a rhythm, DeRozan said. We find rhythms later in the first quarter, in the second quarter. Now its about just starting from the gate.Chamberlain Oguchi finally got Nigerias first 3-pointer with a little under 4 minutes remaining. He added three more from there and finished with 21 points.Its hard because theyre so good in transition. It seemed like all of those 3-point misses kind of led to their leak outs and as we know when they can get into an open court they kind of feed off of that, Nigeria coach Will Voigt said.The U.S. played without starting point guard Kyrie Irving, who rested a bruised left thigh he sustained when he was bumped on a pick in the Americans victory over Venezuela on Friday in Chicago. Also, Indianas Paul George missed a second game with a left calf injury.Krzyzewski said both were expected to be fine for the Olympic opener.Lowry started for Irving and finished with eight points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. DeRozan, his Toronto teammate, scored 13 points.---Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BriancmahoneyCharlotte Hornets Pro Shop .S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey. Stitched Hornets Jerseys . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. https://www.cheaphornets.com/ . Ancelotti says Ronaldo has recovered from a hamstring injury but "but he doesnt feel comfortable yet so we wont risk him." Madrid is third in the Spanish league, six points behind leader Barcelona, going into Saturdays game against Valladolid. Custom Charlotte Hornets Jerseys . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. Hornets Jerseys China . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse.PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley knew the Rams were in for a tough one against Providence, which had won the matchup of cross-state rivals six straight times.He didnt see this coming, though.Kyron Cartwright, who had made four 3-pointers all season, hit four of five from beyond the arc in the first half. The Providence point guard finished with 19 points and eight assists to lead the Friars to a 63-60 victory over No. 21 Rhode Island on Saturday.Thats sports, and thats the type of thing that makes coaches go gray and lose their hair, Hurley said after his team lost for the third time in four games. Four 3-pointers in seven games and he made four today -- all in the first half.Rodney Bullock scored 17 points for the Friars (6-2). Cartwright had 15 in the first half and Jalen Lindsey scored nine of his 13 points in the second, five during a 7-0 run that erased a seven-point deficit.My teammates were telling me, `You need to take those shots to open up the defense, Cartwright said. (And) we dont shoot the ball to not make it.Hassan Martin had 14 points and 17 rebounds for Rhode Island (5-3), which lost at unranked Valparaiso and Providence a week after falling to No. 1 Duke. E.C. Matthews scored nine points and went 1 for 8 from 3-point range, airballing a 3 with 2 seconds left with a chance for the Rams to tie it.Games like this might help us down the stretch, Martin said. `So you just tell everybody to keep their head up.The Rams led 47-40 with 12:15 left when Cartwrights arm appeared to catch Christion Thompson in the left eye. Thompson went to the court, flailing his arms in the air looking for a call, but the teams played on until Lindsey hit a 3-pointer to make it a four-point game at 11:00.Lindseys free throws brought the Friars within two points, and Ryan Fazekas scored on a fast-break goaltending call to tie it. From there, there were three more ties and kept the game within one possession until Lindsey hit a fallaway jumper with 43 seconds left to give Providence a 59-55 lead.ddddddddddddWe beat a tournament team today, Providence coach Ed Cooley said.POLL IMPLICATONSIt will be difficult for Rhode Island to stay in The Associated Press Top 25 after its stumbles.Hurley said he isnt concerned.The goal at the beginning of the season was to win the Atlantic 10 and play in the NCAA Tournament.Thats all still in play.We expect to have a long and great season. Nothings changed for us, he said. We lost two tough road games in a long season.BULLOCKS BOUNCE-BACKBullock scored a career-high 36 points against New Hampshire on Wednesday, but he missed all three shots from the field in the first half and had only three points on six free throws at the break.Cooley told him not to worry about the shooting and to try to make something happen with rebounding or defense.Somebody coming of a great scoring game like he did theres going to be a lot of attention on him, Cooley said. I thought he showed some definite grit in the second half.TIP-INSRhode Island: Martin hit all three of his 3-point attempts in the first half. ... Martin surpassed the 1,000-point milestone against Valparaiso on Tuesday. ... The Rams have lost nine straight to Big East teams.Providence: The Friars lead the all-time series 73-56, including a buzzer-beating victory last year in Kingston. ... They are 1-1 against ranked teams this season, having lost to then-No. 7 Virginia on Nov. 26.UP NEXTRhode Island: Hosts Old Dominion on Tuesday.Providence: Hosts Brown on Tuesday.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. ' ' '