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Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - OUTLOOK: Some things never change. In the West Coast Conference, that means every team is gunning for Gonzaga. Mark Fews Bulldogs captured yet another WCC title a year ago and posted a conference best 29 victories. Never resting on their laurels, Few and company brought in a top-notch recruiting class and once again should be the cream of the crop in the conference. Things look pretty similar right behind Gonzaga as well, with the usual suspects giving chase in the form of BYU and Saint Marys. Dave Roses Cougars have one of the premiere scorers in the nation and if they can find balance up front, they might just go from being a bridesmaid to the bride in 2014-15. Randy Bennett and the Gaels posted 23 wins a year ago, but this years roster will look quite different. That however, doesnt mean there will be a dropoff in wins, as Saint Marys should once again linger around the top of the WCC standings. The team that the big boys better watch out for is Portland. Eric Revenos Pilots knocked off both Gonzaga and BYU a year ago, but finished one game under .500 overall (15-16). That should change this season, as the team is loaded with potential, particularly its perimeter shooting. Joining Portland just below the upper echelon will be San Francisco, Santa Clara and San Diego. Rex Walters Dons finished third in the standings a year ago and posted 21 wins overall. The team has scoring threats in the frontcourt, but will need to prove itself in the backcourt to stay within striking distance down the stretch. Kerry Keatings Broncos should improve on their 14-win season from a year ago thanks to solid guard play. However, like many teams in the league, a one-dimensional offense makes it hard to compete with the Gonzagas of the world. Bill Griers Toreros posted a winning season last year (18-17) thanks in large part to stellar defensive play and a confident backcourt. The formula looks the same so not much should change this time around for San Diego. The bottom of the WCC will feature Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount and Pacific. Marty Wilson cant seem to keep his best players happy. The Waves won eight conference games a year ago and finished fifth in the standings. That would be a pleasant surprise this season considering losses both up front and in the backcourt. Max Good is out at Loyola Marymount, making room for Mike Dunlap to take over the reins in L.A. The good news is that Dunlap has a clean slate. The bad news is, patience is still the mantra regarding the Lions. Ron Verlin ushered in Pacifics return to the WCC last year and the Tigers were able to finish with a winning overall record (18-16), even if only six of those wins came in conference play. An empty cupboard might be an understatement considering the teams top returning scorer averaged just seven points per game a year ago. CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Gonzaga PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Gonzaga, 2. BYU, 3. Saint Marys, 4. Portland, 5. San Francisco, 6. Santa Clara, 7. San Diego, 8. Pepperdine, 9. Loyola Marymount, 10. Pacific TEAM BY TEAM ANALYSIS: GONZAGA: Not only does Gonzaga have the talent to run away with the conference crown, there is enough in the cupboard to make a serious run at the national title. The Zags lose a solid frontcourt option with the departure of Sam Dower (14.4 ppg), but have more than enough to compensate. The backcourt is top heavy with the return of Kevin Pangos (14.4 ppg) at the point and Gary Bell Jr. (11.0 ppg). Now throw in USC transfer Byron Wesley (17.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg), along with sixth-man Kyle Draginis (6.1 ppg) and there are plenty of moving parts for Few to work with. Replacing Dower up front would be a concern for most teams, but Gonzaga has the ever-evolving seven-footer Przemek Karnowski (10.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg) in the middle to play along 6-10 Kentucky transfer Kyle Wiltjer (10.2 ppg in 2013). The cream of the recruiting crop has a pedigree in the 6-10 Damantas Sabonis. Son of Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis, the younger Sabonis is a versatile athlete that moves well for a big man and has a strong all-around game. BYU: The Cougars won 23 games a year ago, but played second fiddle to Gonzaga with a second-place finish in the WCC (13-5). There are a couple of notable losses this season, namely guard Matt Carlino (13.7 ppg) transferring to Marquette and forward Eric Mika (11.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg) going on an LDS mission, but Rose doesnt seem worried about making up that production, as scoring sensation Tyler Haws is back in the fold. The WCC Player of the Year last season, Haws (6-5, 200) finished sixth in the nation in scoring at 23.2 ppg. The hope is that versatile guard Kyle Collinsworth (14.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 4.6 apg) returns to form after having ACL surgery last year. Scoring in the backcourt wont be a problem, but BYU must find it along the frontline. Forward Nate Austin (6-11, 230) is a force on the boards (7.9 rpg), but doesnt bring much in terms of scoring (3.8 ppg). Freshman Isaac Neilson (6-10, 230) could be called upon to shoulder the scoring burden down low and keep teams honest when defending BYUs perimeter game. SAINT MARYS: The Gaels also won 23 games last season, but Randy Bennett has his work cut out for him with mass defections across the board, most notably guards Stephen Holt (15.2 ppg) and James Walker II (9.8 ppg) and forward Beau Levesque (9.2 ppg). What Bennett must do is mesh his holdovers with 10 newcomers and come up with a winning formula. Stanford grad student Aaron Bright (9.3 ppg) will take over at the point and team with Minnesota transfer Joe Coleman (8.7 ppg) in the backcourt, along with senior Kerry Carter (9.3 ppg). Another grad student Desmond Simmons (6-7 forward from Washington) will get plenty of work up front and should fit in well with a healthy Garrett Jackson (6-6, 225) and big man Brad Waldow (6-9, 260), who is a force in the low post. Redshirt freshman forward Calvin Hermanson (6-6, 200) could be a star in the making and has a chance to shoulder some of the scoring load early on for Saint Marys. PORTLAND: Coach Reveno returns four of his five starters and seven of his top eight scorers from a year ago and that is definitely a good thing as the Pilots try and move up the WCC ladder this season. Sure, a 15-16 overall record that included just seven conference wins isnt exactly something to brag about, but there were key victories along the way that showed Portland as a gritty, competitive team. This is a team that will win this year with its backcourt play. Perimeter shooting will be the key and that will likely center around senior guard Kevin Bailey (16.5 ppg). Opponents will pay the price for paying too much attention to Bailey, as fellow guards Bryce Pressley (8.7 ppg), Bobby Sharp (8.4 ppg) and Alec Wintering (7.7 ppg) are all capable of making big shots. Forward Ryan Nicholas (12.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg) is gone and his production down low will be sorely missed. It will also put more pressure on 6-11 center Thomas van der Mars (13.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg), who is an all-conference caliber performer after leading the WCC in field-goal percentage last season (604). SAN FRANCISCO: Rex Walters Dons were once again in the mix for the conference crown a year ago and once again, fell just short, posting a third-place finish (13-5), while winning 21 games overall. Walters must immediately find adequate replacements for the departed Cole Dickson (15.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg) up front and Avry Holmes (12.5 ppg) in the backcourt. The best options along the frontcourt come in the form of senior forward Kruize Pinkens (12.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and junior forward Mark Tollefsen (10.5 ppg). Perimeter scoring will be handled by junior guards Tim Derksen (9.0 ppg) and Matt Glover (8.0 ppg). Walters will need to rely on a freshman or two to handle the point this year, as a lot is expected of newcomers Devin Watson (6-1) and Frankie Ferrari (5-11). Watson averaged 25.0 points and 8.0 assists per game as a HS senior. The Dons arent going to win any scoring titles this year, but they will continue to contend nonetheless. SANTA CLARA: Kerry Keatings days may be numbered at Santa Clara. Yes, he has a pair of postseason titles under his belt, but they were CBI and CIT crowns, not NCAA or even NIT championships. In fact, the Broncos havent even made an NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996. That streak will probably continue this season unless Keating finds a way to get production from somewhere besides his two backcourt stars. Sophomore guard Jared Brownridge had a record-setting freshman season averaging 17.2 ppg. A great shooter, with a non-stop motor, his numbers shouldnt waiver this season. It certainly helps that senior Brandon Clark is roaming along the perimeter as well after netting 16.9 ppg as a junior. Quality big men have been scarce under Keatings watch and this year is no different. There isnt a whole lot of scoring punch up front as Keating will look to senior forward Yannick Atanga (3.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg) to up his game, along with sophomore forward Nate Kratch (3.6 ppg) and seven-foot center Robert Garrett (1.3 ppg). SAN DIEGO: There were plenty of positives to take from San Diegos season a year ago, as the Toreros brought an end to a four-year streak of losing campaigns, finishing 18-17 overall, with a postseason appearance in the CIT. With four starters returning, Bill Griers squad may take another step in the right direction. The best of the bunch returning is All-WCC senior guard Johnny Dee (16.6 ppg), who led the NCAA in free throw accuracy last season (.945). Dee is not the only option along the perimeter for San Diego, as fellow guards Duda Sanadze (12.9 ppg) and Christopher Anderson (10.3 ppg) bring scoring punch as well. Like most teams in the middle of the conference, a lack of difference makers down low is the Toreros weakness. Dennis Kramer (11.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg) was the teams best option in the paint last season, but the 6-11 center has moved on. A lot is expected of CS-Northridge transfer Brandon Perry (6-7, 265) and sophomore Brett Bailey (6-6, 205), but this team lacks size and will only go as far as its perimeter game takes it. PEPPERDINE: The recurring theme in Malibu is that Coach Wilson must continue dealing with players leaving before their time is up. This year is no different as guard Malcolm Brooks (10.3 ppg) has moved on to Cal State Fullerton. Adding fuel to the fire is the graduation of Brendan Lane (13.0 ppg). The cupboard isnt totally bare though, as centerpiece Stacy Davis returns to lead the way. The 6-6 junior guard is an all-conference performer with the ability to both score (15.1 ppg) and rebound (7.6 rpg). However, Davis cant do it alone and Wilson must find help from a slew of youngsters that includes seven freshmen and five sophomores. Sophomore point guard Jeremy Major (9.1 ppg, 4.5 apg) did some nice things a year ago and could evolve into a go-to-guy in 2014-15. Oregon transfer A.J. Lapray (6-5, 190) and Oklahoma Player of the Year Shawn Olden (6-3, 175) could see tons of minutes early on. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT: The Mike Dunlap era at Loyola Marymount begins in 2014-15. Returning to his alma mater, Dunlap is intimately familiar with what it takes to produce at LMU. After 30 years in the college and NBA coaching ranks, Dunlap will preach patience as he attempts to turn things around. Thats a good thing, since he will need to offset the significant losses of guard Anthony Ireland (18.5 ppg, 5.4 apg) and forward Gabe Levin (11.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg). In fact, only two starters return from last years squad, but with only 13 total wins and four WCC victories, a change may be just what the doctor ordered. There is only one bona fide scorer on the roster to speak of and that is sophomore guard Evan Payne (15.5 ppg). Minutes should be abundant for role players like Matt Hayes (6-1, 170), Chase Flint (6-1, 180), Ayodeji Egbeyemi (6-4, 210), Simon Krajcovic (6-3, 185) and David Humphries (6-4, 200). There is no way to sugarcoat the inexperience up front for Pepperdine, which will need youngsters to mature in a hurry. PACIFIC: Verlin was able to post a winning season in his first year at the helm at Pacific. Making it two in a row will be a monumental task. Verlins squad went 18-16 last year, but really struggled in conference play with a 6-12 record. Pacific loses about 80 percent of its scoring from a team that put up a modest 73.1 ppg to begin with. Key losses include Tony Gill (11.4 ppg), Andrew Bock (11.3 ppg) and Sama Taku (11.1 ppg). Sophomore guard T.J. Wallace (7.0 ppg) returns as the teams top offensive threat, but must carry the load after starting just three games a year ago. Verlin has fortified his roster with juco transfers like Dulani Robinson (5-8, 165), Alec Kobre (6-2, 185), Sami Eleraky (7-0, 245) and Eric Thompson (6-8, 240), but it is likely to be a long year in Stockton. Gale Sayers Jersey . -- Craig Anderson has quite a record against his former team, the Florida Panthers. Dick Butkus Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. http://www.officialauthenticbearsproshop.com/Youth-Dan-Hampton-Bears-Jersey/ . - A lot of scenarios ran through Terrell Suggs head when the Baltimore linebacker prepared to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. Custom Chicago Bears Jerseys . - After spending the morning in the hospital, Logan Couture gave the San Jose Sharks the spark they needed. Brian Urlacher Jersey .J. Barea during a three-game shooting slump that was getting him booed off his home court with regularity.JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- The Lions extended their unexpectedly bright start The Florida Panthers are getting closer to filling their head coaching vacancy. The team, which had whittled its candidates down to six last week, now has three finalists. According to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie, GM Dale Tallon will continue to narrow the list and likely make his hire by the end of the week. The six finalists were Dan Bylsma, Marc Crawford, Ron Wilson, Gerard Gallant, Tom Renney, and Bill Peters. George Richards of the Miami Herald reports Crawford remains in the mix. Jeff Skinner Jersey . A rainy day saw the former champion Djokovic handle 14th-seeded Frenchman Jo- Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) under the roof on the famed Centre Court. Kyle Okposo Jersey . -- Craig Anderson has quite a record against his former team, the Florida Panthers. http://www.authenticsabrespro.com/Sam-reinhart-sabres-jersey/ . The turf is scheduled to give way to actual grass that is bright green, so we dont have to complain any more—we just have to wait a few years. Instead, do feel free to complain if the roof is closed for any reason other than to allow a game to be played. Jason Pominville Jersey ... maybe even more than that. Maybe all season I have to take a few blows. Jack Eichel Jersey . Last year, Islanders forward Colin Mcdonald released a "Do It For Colin" campaign to promote his teammate and friend John Tavares for the EA sports honour:The most popular sports voting video ever has to go to Chris Bosh who showcased his comedic abilities in his effort to get fans to vote him into the 2008 All Star Game:You can vote for TJ and other star players for the NHL 15 cover vote here. DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki apparently wasnt kidding when he said an early season game against Charlotte was a must-win for the Mavericks. Once the big German finally found his scoring groove, he got Monta Ellis to play along. Nowitzki scored 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and combined with Ellis to score Dallas last 19 points, and the Mavericks kept the Bobcats winless in Dallas by rallying for an 89-82 victory Tuesday night. "We were just reading one another," said Ellis, who had 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, when Dallas outscored Charlotte 29-15. "Dirk did a great job of keeping us close, then he got us ahead and we ran the two-man game and we just picked to see what the defence was doing." Al Jefferson had 19 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, and Gerald Henderson and Kemba Walker scored 16 apiece for the Bobcats, who fell to 0-10 in Dallas and 1-17 overall against the Mavericks despite leading by 12 in the third quarter. "Weve got to get more organized," said Walker, who also had seven rebounds and five assists. "We tend to stop doing what weve been doing for the first three quarters. In order to win in this league, you have to stick with what youve been doing." The Mavericks had lost four of their previous five and trailed from late in the second quarter to the middle of the fourth before rallying to wrap up a stretch of seven home games in nine outings. Dallas, which is 2-6 on the road, starts a four-game trip Wednesday night in New Orleans. "We talked about it a little bit during timeouts that we needed to get things going," said Nowitzki, who was 1 of 10 from the floor in the first half. "This was a big game for us with us about to hit the road for a lot of tough games." Nowitzki put Dallas ahead for good 79-78 with a free throw after Josh McRoberts was called for a technical after getting whistled for a foul while Nowitzki was setting up with Ellis for a pick-and-roll with 3:08 left. Ellis hit a driving layup on the same possession, and then a jumper after Anthony Tolliver missed a 3-pointer. Ellis, who got hiss fourth quarter going with a tough baseline jumper late in the shot clock for a 78-76 lead, finished 22 points and five assists.dddddddddddd. Dallas was up 83-78 when Ellis jumped high for a rebound after a miss from Walker. Nowitzki hit a long jumper at the other end to turn the game into a free-throw exercise. Dallas guard Jose Calderon played after missing one game with an ankle injury and had back-to-back 3-pointers to give Dallas a 35-33 lead with 4:16 left in the first half. He finished with 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from long range and was on the floor with Nowitzki and Ellis late. "Nowitzki and Ellis took over the game," Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said. "And if we would run around a double team, theyve got 3-point shooters all over." A cold-shooting first quarter provided a preview of a sluggish offensive game in the fourth quarter, when the teams either misfired or couldnt get off a shot in 10 consecutive possessions with the Bobcats leading 73-70. A 3-minute scoreless stretch ended with three straight made shots -- two jumpers from Nowitzki over McRoberts and a bucket from Jefferson on an assist from McRoberts. The 6-foot-10 McRoberts had three assists, including one on a running behind-the-back pass to Henderson for a fast-break dunk to cap an 11-0 run in the first half. The Mavericks scored the first five points of the fourth quarter on a runner in the lane from Vince Carter and a 3-pointer from Nowitzki to get within 67-65. "The turning point was at the beginning of the fourth quarter when we had a chance to extend the lead or to give it up," Clifford said. The Bobcats went ahead by 12 with a 10-run early in the second half. Henderson had a three-point play for a 54-42 lead after making a jumper earlier, and Walker hit a 3-pointer. NOTES: The teams combined to shoot 28 per cent in the first quarter (11 of 40). ... Bobcats G Michael Kidd-Gilchrist left the game in the second half with a fractured left hand. Clifford said he didnt know how long Kidd-Gilchrist would be sidelined. "Its going to be tough to make up for what he does," Clifford said. 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Although the hosts were outscored five tries to three by the team from Auckland, Marnitz Boshoff landed four penalties and two dropped goals to give them their third win in five games since returning to the competition. The Lions missed out on Super Rugby in 2013 when they lost their place to the Southern Kings, and were expected to struggle after earning their way back into the tournament through a playoff victory. However Saturdays win put them fourth in the standings, while the Blues were 13th after a third loss in four games. The first half belonged entirely to the Lions, as they bounced into the break with a 17-0 lead. After the game had gone scoreless for the first 30 minutes, Blues prop Charlie Faumuina was yellow carded for collapsing a maul close to his own tryline, and two minutes later scrum-half Francois de Klerk capitalized on the numerical advantage to score the games first try. Boshoff added the conversion and a dropped goal, before Courtnall Skosan went over on thhe stroke of half-time gave the Lions a significant advantage.dddddddddddd Boshoff added a penalty after the break to push the gap to 20 points, and the Blues earned a second yellow card when Tom Donnelly failed to use his arms whilst clearing out a ruck. However when the lock returned, the Blues came roaring back into the match with two tries in three minutes to narrow the deficit to eight points. Coenie van Wyks try with 20 minutes remaining gave the Lions some breathing room, but the Blues kept coming and Frank Halai held off a defender to score under the posts moments later. Boshoffs penalty made it 33-22 with 10 minutes to play, only for centre George Moalas converted try to put the Blues within four points. However a couple of penalties from Boshoff made the game safe, ensuring that Benji Marshalls 80th minute try gave the Blues no more than a losing bonus point. ------ Lions 39 (Francois de Klerk, Courtnall Skosan, Coenie van Wyk tries; Marnitz Boshoff 3 conversions, 4 penalties, 2 dropped goals), Blues 36 (Charles Piutau, Bryn Hall, Frank Halai, George Moala, Benji Marshall tries; Chris Noakes 2 conversions, penalty, Simon Hickey 2 conversions). 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