Kritik und Lob » e second player to score in each of his

MIAMI -- Thanks to a dose of defense, Illinois recent turnaround gained momentum Saturday.The Illini held Virginia Commonwealth to 30-percent shooting and won 64-46 in the HoopHall Miami Invitational.The win was the second in a row for Illinois (6-3) after a pair of losses to ranked teams, including a thumping by 32 points from West Virginia.Im proud of our guys for the way they responded from where we were at last week, coach John Groce said. I love the fact that our staff, our support staff, our players said, `Lets get this stuff fixed. Lets come up with solutions. We fixed a couple of things and we played better this week. We took steps in the right direction.Illinois sophomore Leron Black tied a career-high with 18 points, added eight rebounds and was chosen the games most valuable player. Malcolm Hill had 16 points, five assists and two steals, and Jalen Coleman-Lands scored 12 points.VCU (6-2), which was off to its best start since 1993, had a three-game winning streak snapped.We just got hammered, coach Will Wade said. We werent ready to play. We got beat in every hustle category. Its on me. I didnt have us prepared to play. Its embarrassing as Ive ever been in four years coaching a team.We were crying and moaning. ... We were just awful.The Rams shot a season-low 16 for 53, including 2 for 18 (11 percent) from 3-point range. Things got worse at the end, when Illinois outscored VCU 14-3 in the final 4:20.We finished so well because we defended so well, Black said. As our defense goes, so does our offense. We wanted to keep them uncomfortable.JeQuan Lewis, averaging a team-high 15.7 points, was held to three points and shot 1 for 7 from 3-point range. He limped out of the game with a right ankle injury, and although he returned, he played only 21 minutes.I dont think it certainly helped when he hurt his ankle, Wade said.Mo Alie-Cox led the Rams with 10 points. They came in shooting 50 percent this season and had scored at least 63 points in every game.RUNSThe Illini missed 10 of their first 11 shots while falling behind 11-4.We werent making shots at the beginning, but we were aggressive, Black said. We kept competing. We knew we couldnt put our heads down. We kept fighting.A 9-0 run put them ahead 22-14, and they led the rest of the way, although VCU scored 11 consecutive points to cut the margin to 35-34 early in the second half.I like the response we had to the second-half run by VCU, Groce said. They really popped us in the mouth. We just had a great response by the team. Our guys exhibited some of the toughness that we want.SHARPSHOOTERHill, who came into the game shooting 43 percent from 3-point range, improved that by going 2 for 3.BIG PICTUREIllinois: The Illini won with defense for a change. They scored at least 79 points in their five previous wins, and had allowed at least 62 points in every game.This win shows what kind of team we are, Hill said.VCU: Lewis wasnt the only VCU player to struggle with his shot. Samir Doughty went 3 for 11, and starter Doug Brooks was 0 for 5.UP NEXTIllinois: The Illini return home to play IUPUI on Tuesday.VCU: The Rams play host to Virginia Tech on Wednesday.Kellen Winslow Youth Jersey . How great will be revealed in the next couple of days at the board of governors meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif. Drue Tranquill Chargers Jersey . They hope to persuade the other team owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to put pressure on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to drop the nickname they find offensive. "Given the way the meeting transpired," Ray Halbritter, an Oneida representative and leader of the "Change the Mascot Campaign," said Wednesday, "it became somewhat evident they were defending the continued use of the name. http://www.chargersauthenticofficialonline.com/authentic-ladainian-tomlinson-jersey.html . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. Doug Flutie Jersey .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Derwin James Chargers Jersey . 10 VCU 85-67 on Thursday night at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Seminoles (4-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their games.MANCHESTER, England -- Hull started the season as the English Premier Leagues crisis club, regarded by some as the worst-prepared team ever to begin a top-flight campaign.No manager. Owners that want out. Only 13 fit senior players. Not a penny spent in the offseason. One of their best players sold to a lower-league club on the eve of the season.With two wins from two games, including one over reigning champion Leicester, the side from the northeast of England is confounding the grim preseason predictions and is mixing with Premier League royalty atop the fledgling standings.Hull sits alongside Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea on a maximum six points so far. One of them -- United -- visits the KCOM Stadium on Saturday.Im not sure we could have imagined or hoped for the start weve had, Hull midfielder Shaun Maloney said. But when the games come along, all the stuff off the field gets pushed to the back of your mind.The build-up to the season couldnt have been more different for United and Hull.At United, Jose Mourinho arrived as coach, around $200 million was spent on a quartet of signings that includes world-record transfer Paul Pogba and star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, while the teams best players were retained despite its failure to qualify for the Champions League.Over at Hull, Steve Bruce resigned as manager three weeks before the season started, reportedly unhappy at not being able to sign players while the clubs owners -- the Allam family -- look to sell up. Long-term injuries have robbed them of Michael Dawson, Moses Odubajo and Allan McGregor, while Mohamed Diame -- the player whose winning goal in the League Championship playoff secured Hulls return to the Premier League -- was sold to Newcastle in early August.Meanwhile, Hull fans disillusioned with the owners continue to protest against the way the club is being run, and will likely do so again on Saturday.No communication, no manager, no engagement, no signings, no identity, no concessions, no honesty, the Hull City Supporters Trust said in a statement.Its against this backdrop that caretaker manager Mike Phelan is working, but the former Manchester United assistant coach has come up with a winning formula.Hard work, good preparation and making the most of limited goalscoring chances are reasons behind Hulls flying start -- a 2-1 win over Leicesteer followed by a 2-0 victory at Swansea.dddddddddddd Midfielder David Meyler gave an insight into Phelans methods after the Swansea game on Saturday.We could tell you everything about them -- how long they sleep, how many times they go to the toilet every day, Meyler said. Thats just the type of person he is. Hes a winner and hes trying to embed that into us.Meyler wants Phelan to be hired as full-time manager and that possibility could materialize now that Hulls No. 1 target, Wales coach Chris Coleman, has pledged his future to the national team. Phelan has spent almost all his coaching career as a No. 2, most significantly to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.When youre Sir Alexs assistant for long enough, I presume you go through everything, Meyler said, and hes not taking any short-cuts now.Phelan said he is enjoying the moment and that the next step in his career is to become a manager. Beat United this weekend, and the job is surely his.Here are some things to watch out for in the third round of games:---IBRAS TARGETZlatan Ibrahimovic is already setting about making history at Manchester United.The Swedish striker scored the winner in the Community Shield and has also found the net in Uniteds opening league wins, against Bournemouth and Southampton. Against Hull, he is looking to become only the second player to score in each of his first four games for United, after Jimmy Hanson in 1924-25.Ibrahimovic is one of nine players to score in their first three United games.---STAYING PERFECTLooking for a third straight league win under new coach Pep Guardiola, Manchester City hosts West Ham on Sunday and could have a new goalkeeper between the posts.Chile international Claudio Bravo arrived in Manchester on Tuesday to conclude his move from Barcelona, and could get his debut if the transfer is tied up in time.Chelsea hosts Burnley on Saturday, while the standout fixture this weekend is Tottenham vs. Liverpool at White Hart Lane on Saturday.---NO POINTSThree teams are yet to get off the mark in the Premier League this season, and two of them play each other on Saturday when Bournemouth travels to Crystal Palace.Sunderland is the other side to open with back-to-back losses and visits Southampton. ' ' '