CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Panthers coach Ron Rivera says wide receiver Steve Smith is "highly doubtful" for Sundays game against the Atlanta Falcons with a knee sprain. Rivera is optimistic about Smiths status for the playoffs. Smith had an MRI Monday and it revealed a sprained posterior cruciate ligament. Rivera says Smith "will be treated week to week. It was good news considering the alternative." The Panthers wrapped up a playoff spot Sunday against New Orleans, but can clinch the NFC South division title and a first-round bye in the playoffs with a win against Atlanta. Smith injured the knee running a slant route in the first quarter and was taken to the locker room for observations. He returned midway through the second quarter and ran one route before taking himself out of the game. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . As each game passes (each has played close with the exception of last night) it becomes clearer just how evenly matched these two teams are and how one mistake, or one bad inning, is likely to sway the result. Authentic Jerseys Cheap . -- Jane Kish stopped all 25 shots she faced as the Weyburn Gold Wings blanked the Sudbury Lady Wolves 3-0 on Friday to advance to the gold-medal game at the Esso Cup. http://www.authenticwholesalejerseys.net/ .ca NHL Power Rankings, ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks. Moving up, from 10 to seven this week, the Pittsburgh Penguins have won seven straight despite a depleted lineup. NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap . Mako Vunipola was promoted from the reserves, with Matt Mullan called up to the bench on Thursday. "It is important that Joe is with his partner at this exciting time," England coach Stuart Lancaster said. Wholesale MLB Jerseys . Kelli Stack and Alex Carpenter also scored for the Americans, who avoided a repeat of Finlands upset at the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., in November. Finnish goalie Noora Raty made 58 saves in that one, but the three-time Olympian could stop just 40 of 43 U.JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The rebuilding Jacksonville Jaguars are hoping to get several instant starters in the NFL draft. They could be at just about any position — except quarterback. Although owner Shad Khan said the team would draft as many as two signal callers, general manager Dave Caldwell made it clear that none of the quarterbacks in this years draft is ready to step in and play right away. Not even for Jacksonville, which already has made Chad Henne the starter for 2014. "I think the majority of this (quarterback) class has a ways to go," Caldwell said. The Jaguars have the third overall pick in Thursday nights first round — selecting in the top 10 for the seventh consecutive year — and 10 choices thereafter. With a roster still being overhauled after winning just six games over the last two seasons, Jacksonville would prefer to trade down from No. 3 and garner even more picks. If not, the team likely will address an area of need, possibly selecting versatile Buffalo linebacker/defensive end Khalil Mack or dynamic Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins. Jacksonville signed Seattle defensive ends Chris Clemons and Red Bryant in free agency, and re-signed defensive end Jason Babin, but all of them are at least 30 years old. Mack would fit perfectly in Jacksonvilles hybrid Leo position and give second-year head coach Gus Bradley a young pass rusher to potentially become the centerpiece of his defence. Watkins would provide one of the leagues worst offences a big-time playmaker and help offset the loss of suspended receiver Justin Blackmon. Caldwell said last week he would be surprised if Blackmon, suspended indefinitely for repeated violations of the leagues substance-abuse policy, played next season. The Jaguars are likely to address the quarterback position in later rounds, possibly 39th overall. Caldwell, Bradley and offensive co-ordinator Jedd Fisch had a private workout with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, opting to take a second look at Louisvilles star after his oft-criticized pro day. "We just wanted to make sure on what we were seeing and compare that to tape," Caldwell said. "His (pro day) was a very strict workout and wasnt tailored to what our offence would be, so we did a workout similar to our offence. "I dont know manny years where theres a lot that come out and are definitely ready," Caldwell said of the QBs.dddddddddddd "Andrew Luck came out and he was ready. Matt Ryan, when Matt came up, he was truly ready and he proved he was. But to say were going to get this guy in and hes going to be ready to go doesnt happen that often." Aside from the quarterback quandary, here are five things to know about Jacksonvilles draft: TRADE TALK: Caldwell said two teams have called to talk about potentially trading for the No. 3 pick. He declined to identify the teams, but said hes more likely to find a trade partner if Houston and St. Louis pick from the top two spots. He didnt rule out Jacksonville moving up, even in the first round. "If somebody we really want is there, we will go after him," Caldwell said. DRAFTING NEEDS: If any team could preach drafting "best player available" in every round, it would be Jacksonville, which has numerous holes. But Bradley acknowledges the draft is more about filling needs. "Is it really best available?" he said. "We say best available, but is it? No, need obviously plays into it. I think its best available if someones there and its like, Are you kidding me? Hes here? Then you have those conversations of, Weve got to take this guy." OBVIOUS HOLES: There are at least two offensive positions the Jaguars are sure to draft, aside from quarterback: centre and receiver. Veteran centre Brad Meester retired after 14 years in Jacksonville, and the team doesnt anticipate having Blackmon next season. Jacksonville signed Pro Bowl centre Alex Mack to an offer sheet, but Cleveland matched the five-year, $42 million deal. ANOTHER OT? After drafting Texas A&M offensive tackle Luke Joeckel with the No. 2 overall pick last year, could Jacksonville go in the same direction? With Auburns Greg Robinson, Michigans Taylor Lewan and Texas A&Ms Jake Matthews all projected as top 10 picks, the Jaguars are at least trying to make it appear they are interested in adding another offensive tackle at No. 3. "That would be a big step for us in getting better on the offensive line," Bradley said. OFF THE BOARD: The Jaguars have taken 36 players off their draft board because of injury or character concerns. ' ' '

Roberto Luongo sat down with NHL on TSN host James Duthie for his first broadcast interview since regaining starting goalie status with the Vancouver Canucks and talked about his rollercoaster off-season and the year to come in Vancouver. Click here to listen to Part 1 aired on SportsCentre in its entirety. In Part 1, Luongo touched on where he was mentally at following the end of last season. “I had moved on from Vancouver and I was ready to start a fresh new chapter of my career somewhere else,” the three-time NHL All-Star told Duthie. “It felt like a divorce, I accepted it and I had moved on personally. The only problem was she wanted me back.” Luongo also talked about the draft day trade of Cory Schneider, which vaulted him back into the starters role for Vancouver. “I was kind of floored to be honest with you. Out of all the situations that I envisioned, that wasnt one of them,” he said. “Thats a pretty big move, I thought, to make without having input from the guy youre going to put your trust in.” Luongo was also asked about his feelings toward the Canucks ahead of the 2013-14 season. “I dont know whats going to happen down the road but wherever I am, Im going to be 100 per cent committed to that place. Right now Im in Vancouver and Im 100 per cent committed to that.” Catch the conclusion of the interview on SportsCentre, Saturday at 7pm et/4pm pt. Video of the interview will also be available on TSN.ca. Rob Gronkowski Womens Jersey . Rico dove horizontally to meet Andoni Iraolas precise long cross from the right to score his second league goal of the season in the 33rd minute. Two minutes later, Aritz Aduriz netted Bilbaos second when he raced forward and pounced on a poor clearance by Villarreal defender Mateo Musacchio, sending a low shot rolling past goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo. Tom Brady Womens Jersey . But history aside, theyre still happy to participate in the Par 3 contest, traditionally held on the day prior to the first round of the Masters. http://www.shoptheofficialpatriots.com/Elite-Sony-Michel-Patriots-Jersey/ . He made that dream a reality Wednesday night. Olt, who grew up in Branford, Connecticut, attended UConn and made a nearly 2 1-2 hour trek to Boston a handful of times to watch the Red Sox, belted a two-run homer, one of four hit by Cubs in a 16-9 rout that completed a three-game interleague series sweep. Tom Brady Youth Jersey . - Justin Turner is at his best with runners in scoring position, and he delivered again in a big spot for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tedy Bruschi Patriots Jersey . Goldeyes third baseman Ryan Pineda drove in three runs and the pitching staff didnt allow an earned run, as Winnipeg downed Kansas City 6-3 in American Association exhibition action at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas.MONTREAL -- Adonis Stevensons has an approach to fighting much taller opponents -- the bigger they come, the harder they fall. The 36-year-old Montreal fighter will put that to the test in the second defence of his World Boxing Council light heavyweight title when he faces six-foot-three Englishman Tony Bellow on Nov. 30 at the Pepsi Colisee in Quebec City. "I fought Chad Dawson, who is six foot three. He go down," the five-foot-10 Stevenson said Thursday. "I fought Aaron Pryor (Jr.), who was six-foot-five. He go down. "It doesnt matter." The two fighters and their promoters held news conferences in Quebec City and Montreal to announce the bout. The co-feature will be another light heavyweight title clash between hard-hitting Russian Sergey Kovalev (22-0-1), the World Boxing Organization champion, and Ismayl Sillakh (21-1) of Ukraine. The bouts are to be aired on the U.S. specialty channel HBO. The southpaw Stevenson (22-1, 19 knockouts), the only Canadian with a world title from one of the major sanctioning bodies, has become one of the rising stars of boxing with his devastating punching power. He won the WBC belt and The Ring magazine title as linear champion with a thundering left hook only 76 seconds into his bout with Dawson in June. He followed that on Sept. 28. by pounding former IBF champ Tavoris Cloud so badly that the challenger quit after seven rounds. Bellew was in the Bell Centre audience for that one. Bellew (20-1-1) became mandatory challenger with a 12-round decision over Isaac Chilemba in May. The Liverpool native, who will be fighting on his 31st birthday, felt Dawson took Stevenson lightly and that Cloud went in unprepared. He said he wont make those mistakes. "I dont believe he has fought someone as hungry, someone who will show him that much respect and someone who will come with a game plan," said Bellew. "I dont think he wants to fight a six-foot-three guy who can box. "Its a bit of a danger for him." Bellew is a former Commonwealth champion who lost a previous world title attempt by majority decision to WBO champ Nathan Cleverly in Liverpool in 2011. He has won five fights in a row since then. He will perform outside England for the first time, but says hes looking forward to it. "Ive wanted to do this my whole career," he ssaid.dddddddddddd"I sell 10,000 seats easily in Liverpool. "That brings huge pressure. Ive always wanted to get away and do something not many from my home town have done." Bellew respects Stevensons power, but disputes the comparisons with former heavyweight great and knockout artist Mike Tyson the Canadian has drawn. "Hes kidding a lot of people," he said. "After the Dawson fight, people have him down as some sort of Mike Tyson. "Hes the total opposite. Hes an out and out counter puncher. He fights off fear. He doesnt want to get hit. Hes felt what it likes to be knocked out. Thats something Ive never felt." Stevensons only loss was by second-round knockout in 2010 to journeyman Darnell Boone, who was 16-15-2 at the time. Not long after, Stevenson, a one-dimension boxer, was taken under the wing of legendary trainer Emanuel Steward to add some technique to his power. Steward died last year of an intestinal disorder, but his nephew Javan (Sugar) Hill has kept the same program. Stevensons skills are noticeably better, but it is still the stunning force of his blows that win his fights. Many opponents have gone in confident they can outbox him until they take the first hammer-like shot. "Im under no illusions," said Bellew. "This is the top level. "Hes the man of the moment with HBO. Theyve labelled him the new Tyson. Hes this, hes that. But just for a second, look past all the hype and look deeper into the record. If you look, I aint facing Superman. Hes been knocked out by a journeyman. If Darnell Boone can do it, so can I." Its been just two months between fights for Stevenson, so he will have little break from heavy training. Fatigue may be a factor. Stevenson said he just wants to get the mandatory defence out of the way so he can concentrate on bigger bouts in 2014. "My last fight, I didnt get hit," he said. "Thats why I took this fight. I just want to finish with that, but after that Im going to have a good break." Promoter Yvon Michel said that if Stevenson wins, his next fight is not likely to be a unification bout with Kovalev, who may end up facing Jean Pascal. Pascal is to fight Lucian Bute in a long-anticipated showdown between former world champions from Montreal on January 18 at the Bell Centre. ' ' '

The National Hockey League handed down a 10- game suspension to New York Rangers forward Daniel Carcillo on Friday. At the 5:51 mark of the first period and following a fight with Montreals Brandon Prust in Thursdays Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, Carcillo used his elbow to try and disengage from linesman Scott Driscoll and swiped the side of Driscolls face with his forearm prior to being escorted to the penalty box. Carcillo was given an automatic game misconduct for his actions, and the suspension is commensurate with Rule 40.3 regarding physical abuse of officials. The rule states: "Any player who deliberately applies physical force to an official in any manner (excluding actions as set out in Category I), which physical force is applied without intent to injure, or who spits on an official, shall be automatically suspended for not less than ten (10) games." Had the feisty 29-year-old winger caused any physical harm to Driscoll, he could have been subject to Rule 40.2, which allows for a 20-game suspension to "any player who deliberately strikes an official and causes injury or who deliberately applies physical force in any manner against an official with intent to injure, or who in any manner attempts to injure an official." The ban means Carcillo wont be eligible to return unless the Rangers advance to the Stanley Cup Finals and reach a deciding Game 7. Luke Kuechly Panthers Jersey . Power had a two-lap average of 218.896 mph in qualifying Friday at the high-banked, high-speed 1 1/2-mile track for his 34th career pole. Christian Miller Jersey . The 33-year-old Spaniard, who held the lead since the second round, turned in a solid final round that featured six birdies and two bogeys to finish on 22-under 266. The victory is Garcias first this year with his last win coming at the Johor Open, an Asian Tour event in Malaysia last December. http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/authentic-dj-moore-panthers-jersey/ . Having won the first leg 1-0 in Barcelona, Madrid entered the match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium already in control and quickly sealed its place in the semifinals when Jese Rodriguez scored in the seventh minute. Sam Mills Jersey . 3 seed Phillip Kohlschreiber from Germany. Defending champion Marin Cilic also reached the semifinals -- his fourth in Zagreb -- defeating fellow Croat Ivan Dodig. German qualifier Bjorn Phau beat Dudi Sela of Israel to reach his first semifinals in nearly five years. Sam Mills Womens Jersey . Wearing bib No. 1, Maze skied through the gates cleanly to defend her big first-run lead and finish 0.07 seconds ahead of Anna Fenninger of Austria. Defending champion Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany was third, trailing 0.PARIS - Manchester Uniteds resurgence continued in the English Premier League as the Red Devils beat archrival Liverpool for a sixth consecutive league win on Sunday, while Juventus has its lead cut to one point in Serie A.In Spain, Villarreal ended Atletico Madrids streak of 27 straight home games without a loss and defending champion Paris Saint-Germain lost its first game in the French league.Here is a look at the leading action in European football:___ENGLANDManchester Uniteds unlikely title challenge in the Premier League gained further momentum with a 3-0 win over Liverpool, plunging last seasons runner-up into more disarray.Goals by Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Robin van Persie sealed a sixth straight win for United, which has recovered from a disappointing start to the campaign to climb to third place and within eight points of leader Chelsea.The scoreline was harsh on Liverpool, which was repeatedly denied by United goalkeeper David de Gea, but exposed the teams inefficiency up front and underlined the change in fortunes of Englands two biggest clubs.Eliminated from the Champions League on Tuesday, Liverpool dropped to 10th place in the Premier League after Tottenhams 2-1 win at Swansea in Sundays other game.Christian Eriksen drove in an 89th-minute winner for Spurs, who are seventh.___ITALYPatrice Evra scored his first goal in Serie A but Juventus was held 1-1 at home by Champions League hopeful Sampdoria.Radja Nainggolan scored as second-place Roma won 1-0 at 10-man Genoa to bounce back from its Champions League elimination and set up a title fight with three-time defending champion Juve in the second half of the season.We took advantage of the chance to pull within one point that we didnt take advantage of last time, Roma coach Rudi Garcia said, referring to a wasted opportunity last weekend. Weve learned well.Evra put Juventus ahead with a header before Sampddoria substitute Manolo Gabbiadini equalized by shooting inside the far post for his sixth goal of the season.ddddddddddddAlso Sunday, AC Milan beat Napoli 2-0 at the San Siro with goals from Jeremy Menez and Giacomo Bonaventura, ending Napolis 11-match unbeaten streak___FRANCEStill unbeaten at the start of the week, Paris Saint-Germain was handed a second consecutive loss in the space of five days as the French champions lost 1-0 at relegation-threatened Guingamp following their 3-1 defeat against Barcelona in the Champions League.Jeremy Pied headed home the winner and goalkeeper Jonas Lossl denied Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a decisive save in the closing stages. But leader Marseille did not take advantage of PSGs setback as Marcelo Bielsas team also lost 1-0 at Monaco. Bernardo Silva scored the winner, preventing Marseille from extending its lead at the top of the standings to four points.___SPAINVillarreal striker Luciano Vietto scored late to grab a 1-0 over Atletico Madrid, using a quick change of foot to shed Diego Godin before firing the winner past goalkeeper Miguel Moya with six minutes to play.The defending champions hadnt lost in the league at its Vicente Calderon Stadium since May 12, 2013, a 2-1 defeat to Barcelona.Atleticos loss left it seven points adrift of leader Real Madrid and three behind Barcelona.Real Sociedad drew 1-1 with Athletic Bilbao under steady rain at Anoeta Stadium in coach David Moyes first Basque Country derby.___GERMANYBayer Leverkusen and Borussia Moenchengladbach drew 1-1 in the Bundesliga, while promoted Paderborn held second-place Wolfsburg by the same score on Sunday.Leverkusen midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu opened the scoring in the early game with an effort inside the far corner. But the home side failed to hold on to the lead and was made to pay six minutes before the break when Roel Brouwers equalized after a corner. ' ' '

After winning Sundays Heritage Classic game in Vancouver, there is a sense that perhaps the Senators can use that victory as a springboard down the stretch. One would think that winning one of the NHLs signature events – with 50,000 fans watching in the stadium and a larger-than-normal television audience – could propel this team onto a much-needed winning streak. But looking at the brief history of these events, there is hardly any connection between winning an outdoor game and any subsequent success in the NHL. A few years ago, the 2008 Penguins and the 2009 Red Wings each made it to the Stanley Cup Final in the same year after winning the Winter Classic game – although that was more likely the result of having a powerhouse lineup than anything to do with playing in an outdoor game. For the Senators, a better comparable would be to look at some of the less dominant teams that have won an outdoor game and how that affected them immediately afterwards. This season, for example, the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Winter Classic in Ann Arbor – but then turned around and lost their next four games. In 2011, the Calgary Flames beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 in the Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium. The Flames ended up losing three of their next five games, so any momentum they gained from winning the outdoor game was non-existent. The same can be said for the 2003-04 Montreal Canadiens, who beat the Edmonton Oilers in the first-ever outdoor game at Commonwealth Stadium. The Habs managed to win only two of their next five games – although they did manage a pair of ties as well. This season, we even saw the Anaheim Ducks stumble after winning the outdoor game at Dodger Stadium against the Los Angeles Kings. The Ducks lost four of their next five games – marking their worst stretch of the regular season. The same thing happened to the 2010 Boston Bruins and the 2011 Washington Capitals – each team lost four of their next five games after winning the Winter Classic. So in many cases, it seems like teams suffer a letdown – rather than an uplift – following a big win in an outdoor game. Heres a look at how every team that has won an outdoor game fared in their next 5 games: 2003-04 Montreal Canadiens – Won Heritage Classic 4-3 at EdmontonNext 5 games: 2-1-2 record 2007-08 Pittsburgh Penguins – Won Winter Classic 2-1 at BuffaloNext 5 games: 4-1-0 record 2008-09 Detroit Red Wings – Won Winter Classic 6-4 at ChicagoNext 5 games: 4-1-0 record 2009-10 Boston Bruins– Won Winter Classic 2-1 at BostonNext 5 games: 1-4-0 record 2010-11 Washigton Capitals – Won Winter Classic 3-1 at PittsburghNext 5 games: 1-2-2 record 2010-11 Calgary Flames – Won Heritage Classic 4-0 at CalgaryNext 5 games: 2-2-1 record 2011-12 New York Rangers – Won Winter Classic 3-2 at PhiladelphiaNext 5 games: 4-1-0 record 2013-14 Toronto Maple Leafs – Won Winter Classic 3-1 at Ann ArborNext 5 games – 1-4-0 record 2013-14 Anaheim Ducks – Won Stadium Series 3-0 at Los AngelesNext 5 games – 1-4-0 record 2013-14 NY Rangers – Swept Stadium Series 7-3 (Devils) and 2-1 (Islanders) at New YorkNext 5 games: 4-1-0 record Mesut Ozil Jersey .Y. -- Kristen Gillman rallied to win the U. Emiliano Martinez Arsenal Jersey . The ongoing funk on penalty kill and an unusually quiet night on home ice for the power play divided the Leafs from the Bruins at the ACC in a rare Sunday night affair. http://www.arsenalsoccerproshop.com/Authentic-Henrikh-Mkhitaryan-Arsenal-Jersey/ . (January 11, 2014) – Once again Kevin Martin proved why he is the all-time TSN skins leader, winning $11,500 in prize money and a spot in the Travelers All-Star Curling Skins Game presented by Pintys final following a semifinal victory over Brad Jacobs earlier this evening at the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in Banff, Alta. Rob Holding Arsenal Jersey . Nathan Beaulieu, Tomas Jurco, Danick Gauthier and Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and an assist each as the Sea Dogs extended the longest streak in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Matteo Guendouzi Jersey . Pistorius denied the allegation that he said to the close friend of the girlfriend he killed: "How can you sleep at night?" The accusation by Kim Myers provided a bizarre twist during the trial of the world-famous double-amputee Olympian, who is facing 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder for shooting dead Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, at his home last year. BALTIMORE -- Manny Machado will have to wait at least another day before making his season debut with the Baltimore Orioles. Machado joined his teammates and was poised to be activated from the 15-day disabled list before rain postponed Tuesday nights game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The game has been rescheduled for Thursday night, previously a day off for both teams. Machado hasnt played for Baltimore since undergoing left knee surgery last October. The 2013 All-Star third baseman wont formally come off the DL until the next day the Orioles are to play a game, manager Buck Showalter said. Rain is in the forecast Wednesday, too. Machado is ready to play, rain or shine. "Im here to play baseball," he said, "If it is snow, if it is rain, if it is whatever." After a rehabilitation assignment that consisted of playing three games for Class A Frederick, Machado was convinced hes ready to compete again at the major league level. "The last couple days definitely helped," he said. "I felt ready a couple days ago. ... It was just a matter of getting the repetitions. I feel good. Thats the main thing. I feel great. My body feels good, everything feels good. Im jusst excited to be up here.dddddddddddd" The 21-year-old Machado hit .283 with 14 homers, 71 RBIs and 51 doubles last year, his first full season in the majors. He will fill the roster spot vacated by slugger Chris Davis, who went on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained left oblique. Machado will also provide stability defensively next to fellow Gold Glove winner J.J. Hardy. "We played 156, 157 games together on the left side of the infield last year, so its going to be nice to be looking over to my right and being pretty familiar with each other," Hardy said. "Were all happy to a have him back." Machado insists theres no play defensively that he would be reluctant to make. "Im ready to play baseball. Im going to go out there and make whatever play comes my way," he said. "I made a couple of nice plays in the lower levels, and I feel good defensively. I feel great (there). Im not concerned about anything. Im a baseball player, and Ive been doing this my whole life. Im just going to go out there, and whatever comes my way, just go out there and do it and play some baseball and have some fun at the same while Im doing it." ' ' '

Milwaukee, WI (SportsNetwork.com) - Frank Kaminsky scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, leading second-ranked Wisconsin to a 49-38 victory over Marquette on Saturday at the Bradley Center. Josh Gasser hit four 3-pointers and added 12 points for the Badgers (8-1), who bounced back from an 80-70 home loss to fourth-ranked Duke on Wednesday. Wisconsin beat its state rival for the second straight year and won for the fourth time in the last six meetings. Matt Carlino provided most of the offense for Marquette (4-4) with 18 points. The Eagles shot just 28.9 percent and fell to 0-3 against ranked opposition this season. Marquette also lost to Ohio State and Michigan State last month. Final Score: (7) Virginia 74, VCU 57 Richmond, VA (SportsNetwork.com) - Justin Andersons status heading into Saturdays game was questionable. He appeared fine on the court, however, and his performance spearheaded seventh-ranked Virginias 74-57 win over VCU. Anderson, who sprained his left ankle in Wednesdays win over No. 21 Maryland, missed the two days of practice leading up to the game, then scored 21 points with eight rebounds to lead the Cavs. Anthony Gill supplied 18 points and Malcolm Brogdon added 15 for Virginia (9-0), which has won 11 of its 13 all-time meetings with the Rams. Treveon Graham did all he could late for VCU (5-3), but his team-high 17 points was not enough to slow down Anderson and company. Melvin Johnson was the only other Ram in double figures with 15 points. Final Score: (10) Villanova 74, Saint Josephs 46 Villanova, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Josh Hart scored 12 points with eight rebounds as 10th-ranked Villanova cruised to a 74-46 win over Saint Josephs on Saturday. Darrun Hilliard and Phil Booth each had 11 points for the Wildcats (8-0), who never trailed en route to extending their Big 5 winning streak to eight games. Ten Villanova players scored at least two points as head coach Jay Wright went deep into his bench, which nearly outscored the Hawks by itself. The Wildcats reserves combined to contribute 40 points. DeAndre Bembry led Saint Josephs (4-4) with 13 points and Chris Wilson and Brendan Casper scored nine apiece. Final Score: Green Bay 68, (15) Miami-Florida 55 Coral Gables, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Carrington Love posted career-highs of 20 points and nine rebounds, helping Green Bay beat 15th-ranked Miami-Florida 68-55 on Saturday. Keifer Sykes scored 18 points with seven boards for the Phoenix (6-2), who held the Hurricanes to 32.8 percent shooting. Deandre Burnett paced Miami (8-1) with a personal-best 21 points. Sheldon McClellan finished with 16 points and eight rebounds and Angel Rodriguez added 12 points but shot 2-of-15 from the floor. Final Score: NJIT 72, (17) Michigan 70 Ann Arbor, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - The New Jersey Institute of Technology is the only independent program in Division I mens basketball. The power conferences arent going to want to schedule the Highlanders any time soon. Just ask Michigan. Damon Lynn scored 15 of his 20 points in the second half, as NJIT pulled off a stunning 72-70 win over the 17th-ranked Wolverines on Saturday at Crisler Center. Ky Howard and Winfield Willis each chipped in 17 points for the Highlanders (3-5), who played a top-25 team for the first time since joining the Division I ranks in 2006-07. Caris Levert tried to keep Michigan in the game with a career-high 32 points, connecting on 6-of-8 from 3-point range, but the Wolverines (6-2) came up short and had a two- game win streak stopped. Final Score: (21) Maryland 82, Winthrop 62 College Park, MD (SportsNetwork.com) - Jake Layman scored 21 points and Richaud Pack added 16, leading 21st-ranked Maryland to an 82-62 victory over Winthrop on Saturday. Melo Trimble contributed 16 points with seven assists and five rebounds for the Terrapins (8-1), who bounced back with a solid effort after suffering their first loss of the season on Wednesday at former conference rival Virginia. Jared Nickens chipped in 12 points, while Damonte Dodd finished with nine and 10 rebounds in the victory. Maryland shot 47.8 percent and made an efficient 29-of-35 free throws. Keon Moore scored 20 points and Keon Johnson added 18 for Winthrop (3-4), which has lost two straight and four of its last five. Final Score: (24) Illinois 70, American 55 Champaign, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Malcolm Hill posted 13 points as a balanced No. 24 Illinois used a first-half surge to dispatch American, 70-55, on Saturday. Rayvonte Rice contributed 10 points for the Illini (7-1), with Jaylon Tate and Maverick Morgan totaling eight apiece. Pee Wee Gardner picked up a game-high 16 points for the Eagles (5-4). Jesse Reed had 13 points and John Schoof poured in 12. Joe Gomez Jersey .A caravan greeted the former Boston Red Sox pitcher at the airport and took him to a public park in Santo Domingo, where a crowd lined a 19-mile stretch of highway to catch a glimpse of him.Once at the park, Martinez went on stage accompanied by players David Ortiz and Robinson Cano as merengue music played and fireworks lit up the sky. Nathaniel Clyne Liverpool Jersey . As the only competitor to try two quads, much less complete them, Kovtun ended the day nearly nine points ahead of Japans Tatsuki Machida, who opened with a clean quad but then stepped out of the triple toe loop that was the second jump in his combination. http://www.liverpoolgear.us/Authentic-Trent-Alexander-Arnold-Liverpool-Jersey/ . Jones took a beating, the worst one of his record reign, in a bout against Alexander Gustafsson that knocked the light heavyweight champion on the canvas for the first time in his career and put his belt in jeopardy. Lazar Markovic Jersey . Thats the feeling that eight Canadian Football League teams are experiencing right now in advance of the expansion draft to stock the Ottawa Redblacks. Dominic Solanke Liverpool Jersey . "For the past several weeks, Logan has been dealing and playing with an upper body injury," said general manager Doug Wilson in a statement. "Despite his efforts to play through it, the injury has not responded as we had hoped and Logan has made the decision to undergo a surgical procedure to repair the problem.CLEVELAND -- Stephen Curry somehow misplaced his shooting touch coming out of the locker room at halftime. He located it just in time to save the Warriors. Curry scored 29 points and made a clutch jumper with 13.5 seconds left as the Golden State opened a long road trip with their fifth straight victory, 108-104 in overtime against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. Curry, who nearly recorded a triple-double by adding 11 assists and nine rebounds in 48 minutes, was just 1 of 11 from the floor in the second half and OT when he pulled up and knocked down the games biggest shot to give the Warriors a 108-104 lead. "Thank God for the green light," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "Hes a guy we believe in. Were not going to tell him to stop shooting." David Lee, who didnt have a point or rebound in the first half, finished with 19 points before fouling out for the Warriors, who are on the road for seven games over the next 13 days. Kyrie Irving scored 27 for Cleveland, which dropped its fifth straight and lost its third tight game in a row. The Cavs lost by three in Boston on Saturday and two in double-overtime against Atlanta on Thursday. "Weve just got to close out games better," Irving said. "It sounds simple but weve just got to do a better job of it." Irving drained a 3-pointer with 9.5 seconds left in regulation to tie it 99-all. The Warriors, who once trailed by 17, quickly pushed the ball up the floor for one final shot, but Currys 8-foot runner in the lane bounced off the rim in the last second, sending the teams to overtime. Curry threw his head back in disbelief at the miss. "It was my best look," he said. "I just missed it." But the silky smooth point guard more than made up for it in the extra session. After Irving missed, Curry fed Andre Iguodala on the wing and the Warriors forward alertly hit a cutting Draymond Green for a dunk to put Golden State ahead 106-104 with 59 seconds to go. Jarrett Jack misfired for the Cavs, and with the 24-second shot clock winding down on the Warriors next possession, Curry dropped a contested 23-foot jumper from the left side to put Golden State up by four. "It was frustrating," Curry said of his drought before hitting his big jumper. "None of them were tough looks. They were shots I made in the first half. You realize you have time to make some more plays.dddddddddddd I was blessed I had more opportunities." The Warriors then stole Clevelands last inbounds pass to wrap up a grind-it-out win. Green went just 2 of 10 from the field but added 10 rebounds, and Klay Thompson scored 16 for Golden State. Currys shot wasnt falling after halftime, so he adjusted his game and picked up seven assists in the second half and overtime. The loss wrapped up a strange weekend for the Cavs, who excused Andrew Bynum indefinitely on Saturday for conduct detrimental to the team. The Cavs are trying to trade the 7-foot centre, who signed a two-year, $24 million contract with Cleveland in July and showed flashes of being dominant again but became a headache. Bynums bizarre situation continues to hover over the Cavs. His locker was empty except for a half-loaf of whole grain bread, a jar of peanut butter, headphones, a pair of sneakers and shower sandals. Its unlikely hell be back to fetch them as the Cavs will either deal or release him before Jan. 7, the deadline for his contract to be guaranteed. The Cavs beat the Warriors at their own fast-paced game in the first half, building a 64-47 lead with 1:13 left before halftime on Jacks 3-pointer. But Curry, who came in shooting just 32 per cent (20 of 63) from the field in his past four games, knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and Golden State closed the half with an 8-0 tear to pull within 64-55 at the break. Curry went 5 for 5 from long range in the first half. The Cavaliers reeled off 18 straight points in the first quarter, turning a five-point deficit into a 12-point lead. Irving and C.J. Miles made 3-pointers during the stunning run, which helped Cleveland open a 35-26 lead after one. NOTES: The Warriors have won six in a row over the Cavs. ... Not surprisingly, Jackson had high praise for Curry, who came in averaging 23.2 points and 9.5 assists. "Hes a star player," Jackson said. "I think people realize that. I love the fact hes picking and choosing when to facilitate, when to score. Hes scoring the basketball but even more impressive is hes second in the league in assists." ... The Warriors will travel 8,300 miles on their road trip, which ends Jan. 8 at Brooklyn. ... Cavs coach Mike Brown said he had to take off his expensive shoes during the pregame walk-through and convince his young players he wasnt wearing Hush Puppies. ' ' '

Dallas, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Antoine Roussel and Jamie Benn scored 16 seconds apart in the third period as the Dallas Stars downed the Washington Capitals, 5-4, on Saturday. Tyler Seguin, Jason Spezza and Erik Cole each posted a goal and an assist for the Stars, who had lost five of six coming into the game. Kari Lehtonen turned aside 28 shots in the win. Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Ovechkin, Eric Fehr and Andre Burakovsky all lit the lamp for the Capitals, who have dropped their past two. Justin Peters allowed all five goals on 26 shots. Washington had trailed 3-0, but scored twice in the second period and tied the game just 21 seconds into the third when Ovechkin switched to the forehand on a breakaway and snapped it in for his 25th of the year. The Stars, though, took the lead back three minutes later, as a John Klingberg wrister from the right wing was tipped to the left side by Ryan Garbutt. Roussel was there to snap it in for a 4-3 lead. Just 16 seconds later, Benn gave the Stars some breathing room after Seguins pass from the right wing missed its intended target and went to the left wing where Benn wrister it home. Washington had all kinds of chances from there, but Lehtonen turned them all aside until Backstrom scored with 3:26 to play to make it a one-goal game. Ovechkin brought the puck back to the top of the left circle and used a backdoor pass to get it to the low right side where Backstrom one-timed it in for his 14th of the season. The Caps pulled Peters from the net for an extra attacker late, but the Stars kept them from getting set up to hold on for the victory. Dallas scored on the power play just 2:26 in as Spezza sent a backhand pass from the right boards to the slot where Seguin was all alone for an easy goal and a 1-0 lead. It was 2-0 after Jyrki Jokipakka threw a shot on net from the high slot that Cole tipped in with 1:42 left in the first. The Stars took a 3-0 lead at 4:13 of the second, as a rush play was finished when Cole passed it from the right wing to the slot and Spezza slapped it home. Washington, though, scored the next two goals to make it a one-goal game and got it started at 5:30 of the second on a 2-on-1 break that Fehr finished off for his 14th of the year. The Caps made it a 3-2 game with just under four minutes to play in the second as Burakovskys wrister from the slot beat Lehtonen to the glove. Game Notes Dallas plays in Chicago on Sunday ... Washington returns home to face Edmonton on Tuesday ... Dallas was 1-for-5 on the power play, while Washington finished the game 0-for-3 ... Jokipakka, who was recalled from Texas of the AHL earlier on Saturday, had two assists. Jamel Dean Jersey . Rajon Rondo had 18 of Bostons season-high 38 assists and the Celtics committed just seven turnovers in a 118-111 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Vita Vea Jersey . The 23-year-old Woods, Tiger Woods niece, closed with a 4-under 69 at Royal Pines to finish at 16-under 276. Lee also shot 69 in the event sanctioned by the European and Australian tours. Woods birdied the par-5 15th to open a two-stroke lead, hitting a wedge from about 120 yards to 4 feet. http://www.authenticbuccaneerspro.com/Ronde-barber-buccaneers-jersey/ . Peko, a fourth-round pick in 2006, started all 16 games and a playoff loss to San Diego last season. He was second on the line with 72 tackles and had a career-high three sacks. John Lynch Jersey .S. womens soccer team to a 2-0 win over China in Colorado in the afternoon. Matt Gay Jersey . Kelli Stack and Alex Carpenter also scored for the Americans, who avoided a repeat of Finlands upset at the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., in November. Finnish goalie Noora Raty made 58 saves in that one, but the three-time Olympian could stop just 40 of 43 U.We dont like penalty shootouts to end matches. Thats what they tell us. Play on until they score. Argentina and Netherlands may still be playing until Sundays final if that were the case. It was a drab affair, arguably the worst game of the World Cup. With so much on the line, no team came close to proving why they deserved to win it. Fittingly, the record books will show it as a draw: A stalemate in every sense of the word. It was a chess match where both players didnt make moves for long stretches. Just when it looked like either of them could capture their queen, along came two of the best pawns on the board. It was Javier Mascherano vs. Ron Vlaar. Both players were magnificent for their team but their standout performances said a lot about the oppositions weaknesses. Argentina have been waiting for a player to step up to a level that Lionel Messi has been at during this World Cup, but on a night when their current captain didnt get close to that level, their former skipper stepped up with an absolutely immense performance. Mascherano sat deep, allowed the defenders to play deep as well and flat out refused the Dutch any space in front of them. It forced their opponents to play long balls to try and get Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie into the match. In possession, Mascherano was also excellent with distribution helping his side attack down the right and target Bruno Martins Indi. Louis van Gaal reacted quickly at half-time by removing the Feyenoord man. That Argentina forced them into a move so quickly played a big part in how the game was played. When Nigel De Jong, back after a thigh injury, had to come off in the second half, suddenly van Gaal only had one move left. A move he decided to use by removing the ineffective van Persie in extra time. No one could argue that the Dutch team needed Klaas Jan Huntelaar but for a game that looked so destined for penalties, the removal of the Manchester United striker could be questioned. What definitely needs to be questioned is the order of the penalty takers for the Dutch. It was clear that van Gaal wanted to keep as many of his players in the same spot as they were used in the shootout victory over Costa Rica. That day the Dutch went four-for-four in order: van Persie, Robben, Sneijder, Kuyt. Huntelaar was the fifth taker but wasnt used. Against Argentina, van Gaal looked at his team and knew the only one he had to replace was van Persie at number one. Every credit to Ron Vlaar, the Aston Villa player, to step up and replace van Persie in the shootout but making him the first shooter was the wrong decision. In 24 previous World Cups the team that missed first lost 20 times. You cannot ask a player to take tthe first penalty in a key shootout when he wasnt even in your choice to be in the top five in the last shootout.dddddddddddd. Vlaar had had a wonderful match. Argentina tried to force things wide but ultimately they were drawn back centrally and Vlaar, in the middle of the back three, won every tackle and aerial duel he went for. After 120 minutes, though, his job was not done. Showing nerves, he stepped up quickly, from the prompt of the whistle, and it wasnt a good penalty. The moment Vlaars effort was saved by Sergio Romero the momentum changed. Lionel Messi was the right choice for Argentina to take the first penalty and, to no ones surprise, he scored. Messi had struggled throughout the game, which was the first World Cup game he has played when he didnt get a touch in the opponents penalty area. It was clear the Dutch had done their homework and their mandate was to shut down Messi. He will receive his fair share of criticism based on this performance but, once again, this match was another shining example of how much he needs his teammates to take him to glory. The Barcelona man has carried Argentina to this stage, it is only fitting that some - in this case Romero, Mascherano and the rest of the shooters - helped carry him to the final. They are, however, a team that arrives in the final with flaws. This is nothing new. Many teams have reached the World Cup Final when not playing very well but few have won it. Argentina showed a lot of grit and fight in this semifinal, just like they did in the 120 minutes against Switzerland and the narrow 1-0 defeat over Belgium. However, despite their fight they do look very ordinary. They arrive in the final after scoring just two goals in three knockout matches. The only team in World Cup history to do that was Argentina in 1990 and that was a terribly average side who frustrated Germany for over 80 minutes in arguably one of the worst games in football history. No one will be hoping for a repeat on Sunday but I am sure it will cross Argentinas mind that they will be naive to think they can play an open, expansive game against Germany. The Dutch end their quest to be world champions with their heads held high. They went further than most imagined and many of their young players, players produced by their own clubs in their own league, will grow and get better for this experience. Many will also find new clubs, too. However, they will also reflect on just how close they were – once again – to getting over a significant hurdle on penalties. Van Gaal departs for Manchester United after a very good World Cup but ultimately his decision on the order of the takers had a massive impact on this result. ' ' '

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte sees the commitment to the handoff and cant help but come away impressed.The only thing that would be better for him would be if he was talking about his own team instead of this weeks opponent. The Bears will see a squad committed to the run when they host DeMarco Murray and the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night.Its impressive to see, said Forte, who made it clear Monday he wants more carries.Last week, he had just five for six yards, and the Bears (5-7) ran only eight times in a loss at Detroit that all but guaranteed they will miss the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years.On Thursday night, theyll see a team that committed to the run by upgrading its offensive line in recent years and putting the ball in Murrays hands. He has played in all 12 games after missing time in each of his first three seasons, and the results so far are jaw-dropping. He leads the NFL in yards rushing (1,427) and attempts (288) and is a huge reason why the Cowboys are challenging the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC East championship.The Bears have been struggling all season in just about every phase, something they did not envision.A team that ranked second in the NFL in scoring last season has taken a big step back in Year 2 under coach Marc Trestman, with the Bears failing to produce more than 28 points in a game.Only three times this season has Forte attempted more than 19 rushes. In four games, he has finished with 13 or fewer. And the five carries against the Lions matched a career low he set against Arizona in 2009 and Kansas City in 2011.Forte said the Bears cant afford a repeat this week.Its of the utmost importance, especially if were playing outside, with the weather and stuff, Forte said. You cant just sit back there and throw 50 passes a game and expect to win. Their front four were pinning their ears back. They didnt have anything to do but pass rush. Theyre not respecting the run and then if you play-fake, theyre not going to take the play-fake because you havent been running the ball.The Bears were facing the leagues stingiest run defence last week. Even so, Forte said thats no reason to completely abandon the run, and they need to stick with it to open up the passing game.He and offensive co-ordinator Aaron Kromer said the game plan last week called for Chicago to go with some quick screens early on and then move to the run. But it didnt quite unfold the way the Bears envisioned.Kromer would not say how many run plays the Bears called, only that there were more than what showed on tape.It didnt help that the Bears again fell into an early hole and trailed at halftime for the eighth time this season. They trailed the Detroit 24-14, and for the season, theyve been outscored a whopping 223-117 over the first two quarters.Even so, Kromer said the Bears still could have run the ball down 10 at halftime.And I think in the future, that will happen, he added.Meanwhile, Trestman reiterated that the Bears need more balance. But the struggle to find it continues.As I look back, theres a lot of different things that go into that, he said. The only thing I could say is we didnt run it enough. We would have liked to run it more. It didnt happen that way, and weve got to move forward to Dallas. We could have that discussion forever. We need to run the ball more than we did.NOTES: DT Jeremiah Ratliff practiced on a limited basis after missing the Lions game because of a knee injury, while S Chris Conte sat out after injuring his eye against Detroit. TE Martellus Bennett (foot), WR Alshon Jeffery (hamstring) and CB Tim Jennings (groin) were also among the limited participants.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Darius Slayton Jersey . After the loss, White refused to make good on the bet, instead offering Hoyt tickets to a Bears game. Saquon Barkley Womens Jersey . Ramon, 30, played in a career-high 97 games with the Goldeyes in 2013. He also matched a career-high eight home runs and posted 52 RBI. http://www.authenticnygiantspro.com/Oshane-ximines-giants-jersey/ .40 metres at the Drake Relays. Drouin, from Corunna, Ont., bested his own record of 2.38 metres set in Aug. Phil McConkey Jersey . Mark Van Guilder, Austin Watson and Colton Sissons also scored for the Admirals (22-13-10), who are 2-0-2 in their last four outings, while Roussel tacked on an assist for a two-point night. Greg Pateryn scored once for the Bulldogs (20-22-4), who lost their fifth straight contest, and also assisted on Gabriel Dumonts goal. Evan Engram Womens Jersey . - This is just the warm-up act for 18-year-old William Nylander.TORONTO -- Toronto FC manager Ryan Nelsen has ticked off another box, acquiring backup goalkeeper Chris Konopka from the Philadelphia Union on Friday in advance of the MLS roster freeze. Fridays deal comes four days after Toronto acquired forward Bright Dike from Portland for Argentine striker Maximiliano Urruti, allocation money and a 2015 first-round draft pick. Toronto gave up a third-round pick in 2014 for the 28-year-old Konopka. While it was a small piece of the puzzle, the Konopka trade all but signals the end for goalkeeper Stefan Frei, Torontos longest-serving player and one-time vice-captain. Frei, relegated to the bench after an injury in the first pre-season game allowed Joe Bendik to claim his job, had a one-on-one talk with goalkeeping coach Stewart Kerr after practice Friday. He declined to speak to the media afterwards. Frei, 27, was destined to leave at the end of the year any way upon the expiration of his contract, rendered surplus to requirements by his US$200,000 salary and the fine play of Bendik. Nelsen essentially said Frei deserves better than Toronto can give him. "Hes such a great guy and such a great goalkeeper and he wants to be a No. 1. And he deserves, he should be a No. 1. And he is a No. 1 in this league -- on probably 75 per cent of most teams." With Freis money off the books next season, the 24-year-old Bendik will likely be rewarded with an improved contract. Bendik and Konopka are both making $46,500 this season, essentially backup goalie money. "Weve had our eye on Chris for a while," said Nelsen. "Hes at a good price, (has) good experience." Konopka was playing behind Zac McMath, who has started all 28 games this season for Philadelphia. McMath is making US$155,000 this season. Frei has started 81 regular season games for Toronto, but none this season or last. A broken nose and Bendik have kept him on the bench this year. In 2012 he was sidelined by a broken leg and ankle injury. A model citizen, with a flair for art off the field, Frei has never complained about his poor fortune. He has been one of the clubs stalwarts. Nelsen said Frei will continue to back up Bendik the remaining games of the season. Toronto is also high on 19-year-old Quillan Roberts and will likely look to loan out the young keeper next year to help him gain experience. "Thats a position where you probably mature a little later than most other positions," said Nelsen. Toronto (4-13-11) still has big holes to fill in its roster. Two marquee strikers, both falling under the designated player label, are on the to do list during the January transfer window, with Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment having earmarked US$26 million for such acquisitions in the last window. Nelsen says he is also looking for two or three "hardened" MLS players -- "at the right age to complement the younger players we have." He mmaintains he now has the assets to acquire such talent.ddddddddddddThe club has eased its salary cap concerns, has allocation money to spare and is likely trying to move on players like striker Robert Earnshaw and fullback Richard Eckersley. "Were in a nice situation now," said Nelsen. "Weve got room to move." Nelsen said he did get offers from clubs prior to the salary freeze. But he says he has "probably 12 or 13 or 14" players whom he wont trade unless an amazing deal presents itself. He is well aware of Torontos less-than-stellar past reputation as traders. "Toronto has let go a lot of players who have become dominant players in the league," he said. "We cant do that for short-term gain. We know theyre going to progress. I know theyre going to become dominant players soon. Maybe not next year but in 2015 or 16." The Toronto FC manager looks to use his connections during the off-season to send some of his young talent to train with other clubs. Defender Doneil Henry and midfielders Kyle Bekker and Jonathan Osorio all seem destined to spend time with teams in Europe for seasoning. Nelsen has plenty of youth on his roster, with 13 players aged 24 or younger. Toronto looks to snap a six-game winless streak (0-3-3) as it visits the New York Red Bulls (13-9-6) on Saturday. The wrong combination of results and Toronto could be eliminated from playoff contention for the seventh straight year. The post-season may be off the table but Nelsen says his squad is gaining valuable experience while playing for jobs next season. Toronto is down to three strikers with Robert Earnshaw tweaking his hamstring while scoring in Wednesdays 1-1 tie with the visiting Chicago Fire. That leaves Nelsen with Andrew Wiedeman, Justin Braun and Dike, whose 15 minutes off the bench Wednesday represented his Toronto debut and his first first-team action since undergoing knee surgery in February. Dutch striker Danny Koevermans, who has been frustrated by a string of injuries since returning from his own knee surgery, will travel with the team but is only expected to see action in an accompanying reserve match. Eckersley is a question-mark after suffering a leg knock during collision in training Friday. The Red Bulls have won their last two, winning 4-1 in Houston last time out. New York is unbeaten in its last nine games against Toronto. Star Red Bulls midfielder Tim Cahill will miss Saturdays game through injury. NOTES -- In the wake of David Millers open letter to Toronto FC, in which he criticized the clubs management and returned his remaining season tickets, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment offered to set up a meeting with the former Toronto mayor and MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke. Miller declined via Twitter, saying: "Thanks, but quite seriously, there are lots of supporters who deserve that, not just me. You know where I stand." ' ' '

Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - I was hoping that was vodka, Kansas coach Bill Self said after taking a sip of water in a press conference following his teams 72-40 loss to Kentucky on Nov. 18. Self isnt the only coach thats needed a swig after having to play the Wildcats this season. Kentuckys not only looking to run the table, it may break the bank. But can a bunch of teenagers and 20-somethings really become the first team since Indiana in 1976 to finish a season undefeated? Its possible. Coach John Caliparis Cats sport an NCAA-record nine former McDonalds All- Americans and have more size than some NBA teams, with six players on the roster 6-foot-9 or taller. Due to that length, Kentucky is on pace to become the most efficient defense in NCAA history -- at least since KenPom.com has tracked the statistic. The Wildcats are allowing opponents to score just 82.3 points per 100 possessions. So basically once you struggle to successfully navigate past one Wildcat defender who is 6-foot-10, youve got a 7-footer behind him ready to swat your shot several rows into the seats. The Wildcats, who are outscoring their adversaries by 25.7 points per game, are blocking a nation-leading 7.9 shots per game and allowing opponents to shoot just 31.7 percent from the floor. Since Kentucky was drowning with stars after several players from last years national championship runner-up team returned, Calipari employed two five-man platoons. The Blue Platoon is made up of starters, while the White Platoon features what Calipari likes to call reinforcements. If you take their first and second teams and split them up, theyd probably have the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation, SMU coach Larry Brown told USA Today in a November article concerning the Wildcats. We got our first good look at the platoon system in the Champions Classic against Kansas. The Jayhawks made only 11 field goals -- just three in the second half -- had 11 shots blocked and shot 19.6 percent from the floor. More blowouts followed. Kentucky defeated then-No. 6 Texas -- one of the handful of squads that comes close to matching the Wildcats size -- 63-51 on Dec. 5, rolled past North Carolina 84-70 on Dec. 13, beat UCLA in a laugher, 83-44, on Dec. 20 and took care of its Bluegrass rival and the then-No. 4 Cardinals 58-50 on Dec. 27 in Louisville. I dont know in my 20 years coaching at the Division I level that Ive coached against a better team than what this team looks like, Bruins coach Steve Alford said following his teams loss to UK. Im a firm believer theyve got a chance to run this thing out. Theyre that good. Theyre that talented. The Wildcats got off to a 24-0 start in that one and were up 41-7 at the half. UCLA was 3-of-37 from the floor in the opening 20 minutes. If there is a weakness, its the youth. The young Cats have gotten up for the big programs, but have also played down to lesser competition. Kentucky trailed by five against Buffalo at halftime before pulling away for a 71-52 win on Nov. 16 and Columbia held a 25-23 edge at the break in Lexington on Dec. 10. The Wildcats eventually prevailed 56-46 in that one. Then conference play began and Kentucky looked even more vulnerable. It needed overtime to dispatch Ole Miss 89-86 on Jan. 6 and a pair of extra sessions to take down Texas A&M 70-64 in College Station four days later. The Wildcats have responded, though, winning their next two SEC games by a combined 71 points. They thrashed Missouri 86-37 on Tuesday, then walloped Alabama 70-48 in Tuscaloosa on Saturday. The question has been posed, does Kentucky have a go-to guy that it can turn to in the waning minutes of the close game? Its a fair question, but Aaron Harrison is used to hitting big shots. His NCAA Tournament run last season speaks for itself. And with all the length inside, the Wildcats snatch an NCAA-leading 43.8 percent of missed shots and will therefore be attempting more field goals down the stretch in potential close encounters. While nobody has gone through a season unscathed since the Hoosiers, a few have come close, although just two have made it to the NCAA Tournament without a loss. A stacked UNLV team, which featured five future pros including Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony, was 34-0 before falling to Duke in the Final Four. Last years Wichita State squad, of course, fell to eighth-seeded Kentucky in the third round in what turned out to be the game of the tournament. Saint Josephs began 27-0 during the 2003-04 campaign prior to an 87-67 loss to Xavier in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament. The Hawks then fell to second-seeded Oklahoma State in the Elite Eight of the Big Dance. Tony Allen nailed a go-ahead 3-pointer with 6.9 seconds remaining to lift the Cowboys, 64-62. Illinois was 29-0 in 2004-05, but lost its regular-season finale to Ohio State when Matt Sylvester knocked down a go-ahead triple with 5.1 ticks to play to vault the Buckeyes to a 65-64 triumph. Calipari has flirted with perfection before. His 2007-08 Memphis team started 26-0 before losing to rival Tennessee. The Tigers werent defeated again until Kansas nipped them in the title game. The Wildcats are still 23 games away from perfection, but if they can keep it going, itll be Calipari taking swigs. His youngsters wont be allowed to. Cutting down the nets will have to do. PROJECTED BRACKET MIDWEST (Cleveland) 1. Kentucky* vs. 16. Monmouth*/Alabama State* winner 8. Oklahoma State vs. 9. SMU 4. Louisville vs. 13. Northeastern* 5. VCU* vs. 12. Western Kentucky* 6. Stanford vs. 11. Tulsa* 3. Maryland* vs. 14. UL Monroe* 7. Providence vs. 10. Colorado State 2. Kansas vs. 15. North Dakota State* WEST (Los Angeles) 1. Duke vs. 16. Albany* 8. Iowa vs. 9. LSU 4. West Virginia vs. 13. Sam Houston State* 5. Seton Hall vs. 12. Harvard* 6. Baylor vs. 11. Miami-Florida/St. Johns winner 3. Utah vs. 14. Eastern Kentucky* 7. Cincinnati vs. 10. Michigan State 2. Gonzaga* vs. 15. Bryant* EAST (Syracuse) 1. Virginia* vs. 16. Colgate*/Grand Canyon* winner 8. Georgetown vs. 9. Dayton 4. Wichita State* vs. 13. NC Central* 5. Oklahoma vs. 12. Wyoming* 6. Butler vs. 11. NC State/George Washington winner 3. Iowa State vs. 14. Coastal Carolina* 7. San Diego State vs. 10. Washington 2. Wisconsin vs. 15. Sacramento State* SOUTH (Houston) 1. Villanova* vs. 16. North Florida* 8. Old Dominion vs. 9. Indiana 4. North Carolina vs. 13. UC Davis 5. Texas vs. 12. Buffalo* 6. Arkansas vs. 11. Kansas State* 3. Notre Dame vs. 14. Cleveland State* 7. Northern Iowa vs. 10. Xavier 2. Arizona* vs. 15. Mercer* FIRST FOUR OUT Syracuse Ohio State Wofford Georgia NEXT FOUR OUT BYU Alabama Temple Tennessee * - denotes conference leader. In a result of a tie atop the standings, the team with the higher RPI was chosen. Dave Winfield Jersey . In mens doubles, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Croatian Mate Pavic and Andre Sa of Brazil. Ozzie Smith Jersey . The 19-year-old from Westmount, Que., was edged 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-3 by third-seeded Alize Cornet of France. Cornet broke Bouchard twice in the last set and saved six break points in the three-hour match. http://www.padressale.com/padres-randy-jones-jersey/ .com) - Robert Upshaw made a putback jumper to put 17th-ranked Washington ahead with 1:27 remaining in the game and the Huskies held on to beat Eastern Washington 81-77 on Sunday. San Diego Padres Jerseys . -- What Anthony Jennings lacked in experience, LSU more than compensated for with a talented supporting cast in the Outback Bowl. Custom San Diego Padres Jerseys . The first of the three games will be played in Week 4, when the Oakland Raiders will take on the Miami Dolphins on Sept.ATLANTA -- Kirk Hinrich made all the right moves for the Chicago Bulls in the final minute of the game. Not so much for Jeff Teague and the Atlanta Hawks. Hinrich buried six big free throws down the stretch and Teague had a couple of costly turnovers as the Bulls held on for a 107-103 victory at Atlanta on Tuesday night. Mike Dunleavy scored 22 points for the Bulls, who have won six of seven. Joakim Noah had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Carlos Boozer finished with 17 points and 11 boards. Dunleavy also had eight rebounds and four assists. He was covered in ice bags as he sat slumped at his locker after playing all but nine seconds in the game. "I appreciate (coach Tom Thibodeau) giving me that nine-second breather at the end of the half," Dunleavy said with a laugh. "That made a big difference." The Bulls won after trailing by 14 points in the first quarter. "They put us in a hole; we fought out of it," Dunleavy said. "We just had to battle the whole game." Since Jan. 1, Chicago is 12-1 when holding its opponent under 90 points. No other team in the league has kept as many opponents under 90 in that span. Teague had 26 points for the short-handed Hawks, who have lost nine of 10. Shelvin Mack scored 17. The Bulls led most of the second half but never pushed the advantage to double figures. "I think they really wanted that game today," Noah said of the Hawks. "We really wanted that game, too. It wasnt pretty at times. Im just happy we were able to come out with the win." DeMarre Carrolls fast-break basket gave Atlanta a 100-99 lead, but Dunleavy answered with a layup. With 1:03 remaining, Carroll sank a 3-pointer to give Atlanta a 103-101 lead. With 43.2 seconds remaining, officials reviewed and confirmed a questionable foul called on Carroll on Hinrichs 3-point attempt. Hinrich made the three free throws to put Chicago in front again. Noahs steal from Teague got the ball back for the Bulls with 20 seconds remaining. Atlantas Kyle Korver stole the inbounds pass, giving the Hawks a chance to take the lead, but Teague stepped ouut of bounds behind the basket.dddddddddddd Hinrich then made two free throws. Noah stripped Mike Scott of the ball on Atlantas next possession, setting up another foul shot by Hinrich. Coach Mike Budenholzer and the Hawks argued that Noah fouled Scott. "Do I think he was fouled?" Budenholzer asked after the game. "I just looked at it, and yes I do." Scott said Noah hit his arm but added "Cant do nothing about it now." Budenholzer also protested Carrolls foul on Hinrich but said after watching the replay he agreed with that call. Hawks All-Star forward Paul Millsap missed his second straight game with a right knee contusion and also will be held out on Thursday at Boston. The Hawks also were without centres Pero Antic (stress fracture, right ankle) and Gustavo Ayon (right shoulder), who had filled in following Al Horfords season-ending torn pectoral muscle. Budenholzer said morale isnt a problem. "I thought our group competed at a very high level for 48 minutes tonight," Budenholzer said. "Thats what were looking for, and thats what is most important to us." Korver hit 3-pointers on Atlantas first two possessions, extending his NBA record to 125 straight games with a 3. Korver added a third trey a couple minutes later, and his strong start seemed to spark the Hawks, who jumped to a 26-12 lead. Chicago closed the deficit with a 13-2 run in the final minutes of the opening period and start of the second quarter. The Bulls led 54-51 at halftime. Mack sank a short jumper with about 2 seconds remaining in the third period. D.J. Augustin, who had 10 points, then banked in a half-court shot for Chicago, lifting the Bulls to an 80-75 lead heading to the final period. NOTES: Glenn Frey of the Eagles, who played at Philips Arena on Monday night, had a second-row seat near midcourt. ... NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving had a front-row seat and tipped his cap when called out by the P.A. announcer and cheered by fans. ... Bulls guard Jimmy Butler missed his second straight game with bruised ribs. ... Korver had 16 points and Carroll had 13. 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OAKLAND, Calif. - The sellout crowd chanted Klay Thompsons name. Both benches stood, equally stunned at what was taking place. Thompsons teammates continued to get him the ball — and he just kept shooting.They just kept wanting to see the show, Thompson said. Thats what they kept telling me.Thompson set a league record for the most points in a quarter Friday night, a thrilling 37-point third period that powered the Golden State Warriors to a 126-101 victory over the Sacramento Kings.I was one of the luckiest NBA players ever to play with Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, David Robinson and some of the greatest players ever, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. As many spectacular things as Michael did, which he did nightly, I never saw him do that.Thompson finished with a career-high 52 points, pleasing 19,596 fans at rowdy Oracle Arena with a performance that will long be remembered in the basketball-loving Bay Area. The All-Star hopeful made all 13 shots, including a league-record nine from 3-point range in a quarter, and hit both of his free throws during a 12-minute span of pure basketball bliss.It was kind of a blur. I wish I could go back and enjoy it some more, but moments like that go by really fast, Thompson said.His streaky shooting stroke helped the Warriors (35-6) erase a sloppy showing in the middle of the game for its franchise-best 18th consecutive home victory. Golden State became the 10th team to win at least 35 games halfway through a season.Thompson surpassed the 33-point mark set by George Gervin in 1978 and matched by Carmelo Anthony in 2008 for the most points in a quarter. Michael Redd and Joe Johnson shared the previous mark for most 3s in a quarter with eight.Thompson, who signed a four-year, near-maximum contract extension worth about $70 million this summer, couldnt remember ever dominating a game like that.Maybe elementary school, he joked.A day after backcourt teammate Stephen Curry received the most All-Star votes in the NBA and Kerr learned he would lead the Western Conference in the leagues showcase game, Thompson let the world know he expects to be right next to them at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 15.Thompson stunned Sacramento — and just about everyone in the building — with a performance unlike any other in league lore. He hit one I-cant-believe-he-just-made-that basket after another — including a 28-footer — and added an alley-oop from Curry on the fastbreak just for good measure.Thompson said two other shots left him just as baffled: an off-balance one in the corner, and another off a curl that got a shooters bounce. He even made one from about 10 feet beyond the 3-point line after a play that didnt count.At that point, Warriors assistant Jarron Collins turned to Kerr and quipped, We have to get more balance.Thompson seemed to love every minute of it, flapping his hands to the crowd while running down court. During one timeout, he sat on the bench with his hands over his head, staring at the scoreboard in disbelief.It was reminiscent of Michael (Jordan), because it was sort of otherworldly, Kerr said.Thompson scored 19 consecutive points during one scintillating stretch, which ended with him zipping a left-handed pass to Draymond Green for a layup.You dont get that hot in (NBA) 2K, Green said, referring to the popular video game.Thompson finally a missed a shot — from 21 feet — at the start of the fourth quarter, only in the game because Kerr said players pleaded with him not to take him out. Thompson left to a standing ovation with 9:28 remaining.You always dream about it, being a big-time scorer and a big-time player. Its crazy its reality, said Thompson, who finished 16 of 25 from the floor, 11 of 15 from long range and 9 of 10 on free throws.Thompsons touch made sure the Warriors equaled the franchises highest win total before the All-Star game. The defending champion 1975-76 Warriors went 35-13 before the break and finished with a team-best record of 59-23.DeMarcus Cousins had 28 points and 11 rebounds in Sacramentos sixth straight loss, though he wasnt that frustrated after this one. How could he be?I mean, the ball was barely touching his fingertips and he was releasing it. Its pretty hard to stop something like that, Cousins said.Rudy Gay was ejected in the second quarter, leaving the Kings (16-27) short-handed.Golden State started with a flurry from long range, going on a 22-2 run in the first six minutes to build an 18-point lead. Kerr dug deep into his bench early, and with second-unit anchor Andre Iguodala getting the night off to rest, the Warriors had little punch off the bench.Sacramento sliced the deficit to just three early in the second quarter, trailed only 56-51 at the half and briefly took the lead in the third quarter until Thompson took over.TIP-INSKings: Fell to 5-14 since Michael Malone was fired as coach. ... Carl Landry, who played for Golden State during the 2012-13 season, missed his fifth straight game with a sprained right wrist.Warriors: Have won the first three meetings this season and seven straight against Sacramento. Its the longest streak in the series since winning seven in row in 1994-95. ... The Warriors are 20-1 at Oracle Arena this season.UP NEXTKings: At New York on Monday.Warriors: Host Boston on Sunday.___Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP Wholesale Oakland Raiders Jerseys . The Leafs were back on the ice Wednesday following an 10-day break. 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Dalton completed his only pass and led the Bengals to a touchdown in his only drive -- one that took four minutes to finish -- and the Cincinnati Bengals ended the preseason with a 27-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night. NEW YORK -- NFL owners likely will consider expanding the playoffs by two teams, beginning in 2015, when they hold their spring meetings in Orlando next week, but a vote on the subject is uncertain. A groundswell for raising the number of playoff qualifiers to seven in each conference figures to get plenty of support from the 32 owners. Most notably, Arizonas Bill Bidwill, who saw his Cardinals go 10-6 and not get in, while Green Bay (8-7-1) qualified by winning the NFC North. The current format of four division winners and two wild-card teams has existed since 2002, when Houston joined the league as an expansion team, bringing the membership to 32. "There will be a report on the potential of expanded playoffs," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Wednesday. "We dont know if there will be any vote at this meeting." Also on the agenda will be alterations to extra points, changing who oversees video replay reviews, and further clamping down on the use of racial slurs by players during games. A change in the playoff structure would be needed if 14 teams qualify, with the top seed in each conference still getting a first-round bye. The next six teams would play in what is now the wild-card round, with the second seed facing No. 7, the third seed taking on No. 6 and the fourth and fifth seeds playing each other. But the NFLs influential competition committee is not presenting a proposal to the owners. One reason the league is looking at more playoff teams is a stalemate in talks with the players union about expanding the regular season from 16 games. Another is the added revenue stream two more post-season games would provide, with those matches up for bidding among the current network partners -- Fox, NBC, ESPN and CBS, which just grabbed an eight-week Thursday night package -- and potential new broadcasters such as Turner Sports. Scheduling of the extra wild-card games also would be dicey, although Monday night would seem logical for one of them. Of course, adding two more playoff teamss enhances the chances for teams with .dddddddddddd.500 or losing records to get in. Commissioner Roger Goodell has suggested a change to the one-point kick on extra points might be needed because they have become so automatic. New England has proposed moving the line of scrimmage to the 25 for a one-point try, but leaving it at the 2-yard line for a 2-point conversion. "There are a lot of different views in respect to the extra point," said Falcons President Rich McKay, co-chairman of the competition committee. "There were 1,267 tried and 1,262 made (in 2013), and so there is that thought with the extra point maybe we need to add little more skill, and one of the ways to do it might be the way New England proposed." But its a long shot that anything will be done next week, except perhaps experimenting with longer kicks for one week of the preseason. The Patriots also proposed extending the height of the goal posts 5 feet to make it easier to determine whether a kick is good. New England also suggested allowing coaches challenges on everything except scoring plays, which are automatically reviewed. Replay as an officiating tool always is in the news, and owners are expected to discuss having the NFLs director of officiating, Dean Blandino and his staff at the league offices be involved in some review decisions. The league saw several inexplicable replay decisions made by referees last season, although McKay and Rams coach Jeff Fisher, the committees other co-chairman, praised the overall quality of officiating. As for the use of racial slurs and verbal abuse, there already are rules on the books to deal with the issue. But an emphasis on stronger discipline will be discussed by the owners, and McKay noted that taunting fouls went up significantly from 2012 to 2013. "We are going beyond the field of play, we are going to the workplace," Fisher said of trying to eliminate such language. "This is going to be a very significant point of emphasis." 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New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - The NFL issued a statement Friday regarding its investigation into allegations the New England Patriots used underinflated balls during the AFC Championship Game and said the early evidence supports the initial conclusion but that the process is ongoing. The Patriots rolled to a 45-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday in a rain-soaked game at Gillette Stadium and reports began to surface in the hours after the contest that balls were not correctly inflated, which would apparently allow for a better grip in inclement weather. Citing league sources, ESPN.com reported Tuesday night that 11 of the 12 balls used by the Patriots during the game were underinflated by two pounds of air pressure per square inch (PSI). NFL rules mandate game balls, which are inspected by the referee, be inflated to 12 1/2 to 13 1/2 PSI. The playing rules are intended to protect the fairness and integrity of our games, the league said in its statement Friday. We take seriously claims that those rules have been violated and will fully investigate this matter without compromise or delay. The investigation is ongoing, will be thorough and objective, and is being pursued expeditiously. In the coming days, we expect to conduct numerous additional interviews, examine video and other forensic evidence, as well as relevant physical evidence. While the evidence thus far supports the conclusion that footballs that were underinflated were used by the Patriots in the first half, the footballs were properly inflated for the second half and confirmed at the conclusion of the game to have remained properly inflated. The goals of the investigation will be to determine the explanation for why footballs used in the game were not in compliance with the playing rules and specifically whether any noncompliance was the result of deliberate action. We have not made any judgments on these points and will not do so until we have concluded our investigation and considered all of the relevant evidence. The league said Friday the investigation is being led jointly by NFL executive vice president Jeff Pash and Ted Wells of the law firm of Paul Weiss. Wells was the leagues investigator into last seasons bullying scandal involving the Miami Dolphins. According to the statement Friday, the league began its investigation Sunday night and has already conducted nearly 40 interviews. Game officials and Patriots personnel were among those included in those early discussions, although New England quarterback Tom Brady said Thursday he had not yet been contacted. On Thursday, both Brady and Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed the situation and each denied any wrongdoing. Belichick was first to speak on Thursday morning and said he was completely and totally unaware of the issue, adding he was shocked to hear the reports on Monday morning. Brady on Thursday afternoon said he didnt alter the balls in any way and would never break the rules. The Patriots, who will play Seattle in the Super Bowl, have pledged their full support of the investigation and have made personnel, as well as other information, available to the league. If the NFL finds the Patriots deflated footballs intentionally, they could be subject to penalties similar to ones levied after the team was found to have videotaped defensive signals used by the New York Jets during a game in September 2007. Those penalties included a $500,000 fine for Belichick, a $250,000 fine for the team and the loss of a draft pick. Atlanta Falcons Jerseys 2018 . The Rays hope to stay alive for the postseason and salvage the finale of this series Sunday at Rogers Centre, where they dropped a 7-2 decision Saturday. Chris Archer lasted 2 1/3 innings in the no-decision, charged with a run and five hits, and Alex Torres suffered the loss in relief. Cheap Atlanta Falcons Jerseys . 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Deion Sanders Jersey .com) - Sporting Kansas City announced Thursday that club has signed former on-loan midfielder Jimmy Medranda to a permanent contract from Colombian side Deportivo Pereira.Melbourne, Australia (SportsNetwork.com) - Four-time champion Novak Djokovic and reigning titlist Stan Wawrinka were a pair of easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open. The world No. 1 Djokovic disposed of Slovenian Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, while the fourth-seeded Wawrinka moved on in similar fashion, topping Turk Marsel Ilhan 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. Djokovic appeared to be tired and still recovering from illness after his match, saying hed had a rough two weeks health-wise but Im getting up there. His mood changed suddenly when a court-side interview turned to reflections of 2014, when he won Wimbledon for the second time, married his long-time girlfriend, Jelena, and the couple had a son, Stefan. Well those two events are the two most beautiful events I experienced in my life, he said. Stefan, hes a blessing we received ... now I have even more motivation. Djokovic titled here in 2008, then won three straight from 2011-13 before Wawrinka took the crown last year, stunning Rafael Nadal in the final. Its great, bringing me a lot of memories from last year, Wawrinka said of his return. It was great to come back here feeling happy, happy with my game. Up next for Djokovic will be Russian Andrey Kuznetsov, while Wawrinka will meet Romanian Marius Copil. Fifth-seeded U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori beat Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 7-6 (7-1), 6-2, eighth-seeded Milos Raonic was a 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 winner over Illya Marchenko and No. 9 David Ferrer overcame Thomaz Bellucci 6-7 (7-2), 6-2, 6-0, 6-3 at Melbourne Park. No. 12 Feliciano Lopez trailed two-sets-to-one before rallying past American Denis Kudla 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5), while 13th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut got past promising Austrian Dominic Thiem 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5). No. 16 Fabio Fognini was upset by Colombbian Alejandro Gonzalez 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.dddddddddddd Meanwhile, 17th-seeded Gael Monfils overcame fellow Frenchman Lucas Pouille 6-7 (3-7), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4, 18th-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon handled Dutchman Robin Haase 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 and 19th-seeded American John Isner dismissed Taiwans Jimmy Wang 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-4. In other action involving seeds, Italian Paolo Lorenzi upended No. 21 Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-4, 6-3, 6-2; German Benjamin Becker bounced No. 25 Frenchman Julien Benneteau 7-5, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4; German Matthias Bachinger vanquished No. 27 Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 7-6 (7-1), 6-3, 6-1; No. 30 Colombian Santiago Giraldo subdued Czech Jan Hernych 6-3, 6-2, 6-2; and No. 31 Spaniard Fernando Verdasco came back to best Brit James Ward 2-6, 6-0, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3. Aussie favorite and former Melbourne runner-up Lleyton Hewitt moved on by beating Chinese Ze Zhang 6-3, 1-6, 6-0, 6-4. Several other men reached the second round, including tall Pole Jerzy Janowicz, Finn Jarkko Nieminen, Americans Donald Young and Steve Johnson, and Canadian Vasek Pospisil, who outlasted American Sam Querrey in five sets, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. Young should have his hands full with the aforementioned Raonic here on Thursday. Several stars will see second-round action on Wednesday, including four-time Aussie champion and former runner-up Roger Federer, the former titlist and two-time runner-up Nadal and three-time runner-up Andy Murray. The second- seeded former world No. 1 Federer will take on Italian Simone Bolelli, while the third-seeded former top-ranked great Nadal will meet American Tim Smyczek and the sixth-seeded Murray will tangle with Aussie Marinko Matosevic. Also on the Day 3 schedule are seventh-seeded former Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych and 10th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov. 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