el, last seasons winner, has returned to Houston to have his left shoulder examined. He wont face right-hander Corey

Indiana might have lost the best point guard in the Big 10 Conference to graduation in Yogi Ferrell, but if the seasons first two games are any indication, it has regained perhaps the conferences most explosive scorer.Back from a torn right ACL he suffered last December, 6-foot-4 junior guard James Blackmon Jr. has scored 26 and 23 points in wins over Kansas and UMass Lowell, respectively. Blackmon is canning 55.2 percent of his field goal tries, including an impressive 9-of-17 on 3-pointers.Whats more, Blackmon has enjoyed 20-point halves in both games. He victimized Kansas in the second half and extra period of a 103-99 overtime win at the Armed Forces Classic in Honolulu, then picked up where he left off in the first half of Wednesdays 100-78 pounding of UMass Lowell with another 20 points.So Blackmon, Jr. will be in the spotlight again Saturday night when the sixth-ranked Hoosiers continue the Indiana Classic at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind., against Liberty.I think theres a confidence when they look at him, Hoosiers coach Tom Crean said of Blackmon. James is a lot more explosive than what he was. Hes playing with more force. Hes playing downhill more. Hes covering more ground.I think the fact that hes moving the ball, that hes getting better defensively, thats a really good thing. To come back from an injury like that and to be a better athlete than he even was and be stronger like he is, that takes a little time for him to get used to.Blackmons presence forces opponents to respect him from 25 feet and in, leading to more scoring opportunities for teammates like 6-10 center Thomas Bryant (14 points per game, 7.5 rebounds), 6-8 forward OG Anunoby (14 points, 5.5 rebounds) and 6-3 point guard Robert Johnson (13 points, 3.5 assists).Indianas offense has been clicking on nearly all cylinders so far, canning 50 percent of its field goal attempts and nearly 45 percent on 3-pointers (26-of-58). Its ability to either get to the rim or create open 3s can test any defense.Liberty (1-1) will counter with a defense the Hoosiers have battled before -- the pack line scheme created by Dick Bennett and still run by the likes of Wisconsin and Virginia. Fourth-year coach Ritchie McKays squad held up-tempo VCU to 64 points in a five-point home loss Tuesday night.I thought everyone came in and battled, and you have to play well on the defensive end to have a chance, McKay said to the Lynchburg (Va.) News & Advance. And we had a chance.The Flames are expected to challenge Winthrop for the Big South Conference title with the return of four starters, plus the arrival of 6-7 freshman forward Brock Gardner. McKay, in his second stint as Liberty coach, said Gardner is the best player he has landed there since signing Seth Curry in 2008.Former Marquette guard John Dawson, a 6-2 senior, is the teams leading scorer at 14.5 points per game. Libertys tallest starter is 6-5, 255-pound forward Myo Baxter-Bell, which will put it at a serious disadvantage inside against the likes of Bryant and Anunoby.It is Indianas second game in the Indiana Classic and Libertys first. The Flames will host UMass Lowell, Mississippi Valley State and Central Penn in their other games in the event. The Hoosiers visit Fort Wayne and host Mississippi Valley State next week to finish their games in the event.Irving Fryar Jersey . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. Stephon Gilmore Youth Jersey . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. http://www.patriotsjerseysauthentic.com/Rob-Gronkowski-Super-Bowl-Jersey/ . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. John Hannah Patriots Jersey . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Rob Gronkowski Patriots Jersey . -- Jimmy Walkers first PGA Tour trophy came with a special gift tucked inside.CLEVELAND -- Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch knows appearances dont count for much at this point of the season.Monday nights 6-2 victory over Cleveland kept the Astros two games out of the second wild-card spot in the AL. It was a game in which the Indians used eight pitchers.Its a big win for us to come here and beat a first-place team, so regardless of how they line their pitching up you have to win as many games as you can, Hinch said.Rookie Alex Bregman continued his hot hitting with a two-run homer in the third inning and the Astros ended Clevelands six-game winning streak.The teams combined to use 13 pitchers in a game that lasted 3 hours, 44 minutes.That was the lovable September marathon we all enjoy, Hinch said. Better to be on the winning side than the losing side, but that one seemed like it was never going to end.The Indians took struggling right-hander Josh Tomlin out of the rotation last week, resulting into what amounted to a bullpen game for the AL Central leaders.If you ask about every pitcher, well be here all night, Indians manager Terry Francona said.Bregman has hit all seven of his homers and driven in 22 runs over his last 19 games for the AstrosMike Fiers (10-6) allowed two runs in five innings and defeated the Indians for the second time this season.Mike Clevinger (2-2) allowed a run in the first and was pulled after 1 2/3 innings.Mike Napoli hit a solo homer -- his 30th -- in the fifth for the Indians, whose lead over Detroit in the division was cut to 4 1/2 games.Jose Altuve, the ALs leading hitter, was 2 for 5 with an RBI double and is batting .346 for Houston.Bregman drew a one-out walk in the first and scored when Altuve doubled. Bregmans home run came off Jeff Manship, who relieved Clevinger in the second.TThe Astros called up Bregman, who has reached base in 19 consecutive games, from Triple-A Fresno on July 25.ddddddddddddIts been fun because weve been winning, he said. Thats all Im focused on. I couldnt care less what my numbers are at the end of the year.Houston added three runs in the seventh on Yuli Gurriels sacrifice fly, a throwing error by Cleveland second baseman Jason Kipnis and an infield single by Colby Rasmus.Clevinger made his sixth start of the season, but first since Aug. 13 after five relief appearances.Tomlin, who was 0-5 in six August starts, allowed an infield single in the ninth. Perci Garner, Joe Colon, Dan Otero, Bryan Shaw and Cody Anderson also pitched for Cleveland.CY MATCHUP ON SHELFTuesdays scheduled matchup between the last two AL Cy Young Award winners wont happen. Dallas Keuchel, last seasons winner, has returned to Houston to have his left shoulder examined. He wont face right-hander Corey Kluber, who won the award in 2014. The Astros have no timetable for how long Keuchel will be sidelined.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: C Jason Castro (bruised knee) was unavailable for the second straight game after being struck by a foul tip Saturday at Texas. Evan Gattis started behind the plate.UP NEXTAstros: RHP Brad Peacock will be recalled from Triple-A Fresno to start Tuesday. He has made five relief appearances for Houston this year, posting a 3.86 ERA over seven innings.Indians: Kluber (15-8) is 7-0 with a 1.94 ERA in his last 10 starts. The right-hander hasnt lost since July 3 against Toronto. Kluber allowed five runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Astros on May 9, his shortest start of the season. ' ' '