PITTSBURGH -- Plenty of the numbers from Pittsburghs breezy 99-80 victory over Gardner-Webb looked pretty.
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.And none of them mattered to coach Kevin Stallings. Sure shooting 54
percent and never being challenged on Monday night was nice, especially
three days after needing double-overtime to hold off Eastern Michigan in
Stallings coaching debut with the Panthers. Yet Stallings is more
concerned about whether his team is ready for a far sterner test on
Thursday against SMU at Madison Square Garden in the 2K Classic.You look
at our defensive numbers, they were indicative of a team that was not
really wired into play, he said. Thats my fault. Thats my job.Cameron
Johnson scored 18 points and made all four of his 3-point attempts for
Pitt (2-0). Michael Young put up 18 points and seven rebounds in 15
minutes after being held out of the starting lineup for only the second
time in his career due to a minor violation of team rules. Sheldon Jeter
added 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.Still, the Panthers led the
Runnin Bulldogs trade baskets early in the first half and for long
stretches in the second. Stallings wonders if his players are getting a
little too caught up in the free-flowing offense Stallings brought with
him from Vanderbilt.Maybe Ive sent the wrong message about tempo and
offense and things like that, Stallings said. Were not ready to beat
anybody thats equivalent to us in terms of talent because we dont
sustain any type of defensive intensity.At one point in the first half,
Stallings pulled the entire starting five off the floor in frustration.I
think he just wanted more effort and energy, Johnson said. He cited a
lack of focus for that.Not that much was required over the final 30
minutes after a 10-0 burst that included a pair of 3-pointers by Johnson
to give the Panthers a 30-14 lead that was never threatened.RUNNIN WITH
THE PANTHERSLaQuincy Rideau finished with a career-high 23 points for
Gardner-Webb (0-2) while adding eight rebounds and six assists. David
Efianayi scored 20 points and Liam OReilly chipped in 14. The Runnin
Bulldogs spread the floor to provide Rideau with room to slice his
6-foot-1 frame through the lane.I felt there was little more space where
maybe we could attack the paint off the dribble, Gardner-Webb coach Tim
Craft said. The problem is we werent converting. Some of the finishes
were a little wild.BIG MAN DEBUTPitt junior Rozelle Nix made his
long-awaited debut after missing last season with a foot injury. The
6-foot-11, 300-pound Nix entered with just over 4 minutes left and
finished with four rebounds and on emphatic block on Gardner-Webbs DJ
Laster that sent Nixs teammates erupting off the bench.He got me once
like that once, Jeter said. Im not ashamed to admit it. Im not afraid to
admit it.BIG PICTUREGardner-Webb: After managing just 44 points in a
lackluster loss to SMU in the opener last week, Gardner-Webb was happy
to try and keep pace with Pitt in what Craft called a learning
experience for a young team that will rely on Rideau and Efianayi --
both sophomores -- to carry some of the scoring load.Pitt: Despite the
defensive issues, the Panthers seem to have quickly embraced what
Stallings wants to do on the other end of the floor. The Panthers made
13 of 26 3-pointers and finished with 29 assists on 35 field goals.UP
NEXTGardner-Webb: plays Eastern Michigan in Indianapolis on Friday.Pitt:
faces SMU on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
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.
Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the
scoring at San Mames Stadium.
He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame
in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was
sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat.
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.
The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to
Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former
heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates
for the U.ARDMORE, Pa. -- Adam Scott and Steve Stricker dont have much
in common except for how infrequently they play golf tournaments.
Scott began to scale back on his schedule two years ago, devising a plan
that would help him practice more, play less and be ready for the
biggest events. Stricker, who turned 46 in February, decided this year
to spend more time at home in Wisconsin. The U.S. Open is only his
seventh tournament this year, and he might only play three more.
"I congratulated him on his semi-retirement," Scott said. "Welcome to
the club."
Stricker would love to part of another club to which Scott belongs -- a
major champion.
Since returning to the top of his game in 2006, he has given himself a
couple of reasonable chances. Stricker was the 36-hole leader at Winged
Foot in 2006 until a 76-73 weekend dropped him into a tie for sixth,
three shots behind. He was tied for the lead after 63 holes at Oakmont a
year later, only to shoot 42 on the back nine to tie for 13th.
He also played in the final group at Carnoustie in the 2007 British
Open. He tied the major championship record at Atlanta Athletic Club in
the 2011 PGA Championship with a 63 in the opening round, though he
couldnt keep it going.
At 46, and playing a limited schedule, Stricker is running out of time.
And thats OK with him.
"Im kind of past that," he said Tuesday. "I think that the decision that
I made earlier this year about playing less has taken some of the
pressure off me. Im completely fine with my career and what Ive done.
And dont get me wrong -- Im still very competitive and I still really
want to win. I still want to play well. But Im just enjoying it.
"Im enjoying coming out here and playing and not really having any
expectations at all."
He is far from a forgotten figure. He has a pair of runner-up finishes
this year -- to Dustin Johnsoon at Kapalua and to Tiger Woods at Doral
-- and is No.
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. 13 in the world. He remains No. 8 in the Presidents Cup standings, so
his form is not far off.
What makes him intriguing at this U.S. Open is his wedge game.
Stricker is vastly improved off the tee, turning that into one of his
strengths. As for his putting? Not only is he regarded one of the best
in the game, hes so good with the flat stick that even Woods sought him
out for advice in March -- and then beat him to win the World Golf
Championship at Doral.
But its the wedge play that typically allows Stricker to set up birdie
putts. And there are a lot of wedges to be struck at Merion, a course
that starts and finishes with holes that are long and strong, and
features a stretch of short par 4s in the middle where birdies figure to
be made.
"I like the setup," Stricker said. "Theres a lot of short irons when you
get into certain parts of the course, but there are also a lot of long
clubs into some of these holes. I think that still the advantage kind of
goes to some longer hitters here, just because were not getting any
roll in the fairway at all. But I like that theres a lot of short irons.
Theres a good mixture of long and short. You dont really get to play to
your medium game too much, unless they move up some of the tees on the
par 3s."
One thing he can count on is being fresher than anyone else in the
field. Stricker hasnt played in a month. He tied for 37th in The Players
Championship, where he was coming off another monthlong break since the
Masters.
Thats not to suggest hes been lounging around the house all day.
"Im busier now than I ever have been for some reason," Stricker said. "I
dont know what it is -- I guess kids. People know that Im playing less,
so theyre asking me for things and to do things. Im staying extremely
busy."
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