Dein erstes Forum » Brook stood with his back to Robin befo

CLEMSON, S.C. -- It has been a long time since any Clemson basketball team made the NCAA Tournament.Head coaches Brad Brownell and Audra Smith are looking to change that as quickly as possible -- and hope a $63.5 million renovation at Littlejohn Coliseum can help.The mens team has not made NCAAs since 2011, Brownells first season and the end of a run of four straight trips to the Big Dance. Its been even longer for Smiths womens team, which had not gotten a bid since 2002 -- three coaches ago.Brownell spent much of his previous six years meeting donors about the basketball project and building a base of support to fill up Liittlejohns increased premium seating areas when it officially opens Nov. 11 as the Tigers face Georgia.Brownell said hes built a respectable, competitive program and wont worry about those on the outside who think a shiny new building brings instant success.A better office, nicer TVs and couches, doesnt win you any games, said Brownell, starting his seventh Clemson season. Now, hopefully, it brings guys together in an environment where you can spent more time together, bond better and become closer, that togetherness helps you win games.Brownell and Smith each acknowledge what the facility can mean to their future programs in attracting top talent.Smith said last week she had several prospects on campus whose eyes widened at the modern, expanded weight rooms and additional practice courts. Brownell is glad for the chance to show off a finished product to high school coaches, players and their families instead of planning sketches.Its the owner of the Taj Mahal, one supporter said to Brownell as they shook hands Wednesday.Athletic director Dan Radakovich made the aging Littlejohn one of his first priorities when he took the job four years ago. He thought a modern facility would boost Clemsons basketball programs the way updating and expanding football facilities -- an initiative begun more than a decade ago -- has Clemson fighting for a second-straight trip to the College Football Playoff.Brownell knows it will take time to see benefits, especially with the Tigers having to recruit against ACC powers like Duke, North Carolina and Louisville.You go to ACC media days there are probably 14 out of 15 teams saying theyre going to the NCAAs, the coach said.Clemson has gone 10-8 in the Atlantic Coast Conference in two of the past three years and last season had a three-game run like few others in program history, defeating ranked league opponents Louisville, Duke and Miami over a weeks span.Just because we havent made the NCAA Tournament, and were all disappointed with that, look at ACC play over the last three years especially, weve been a pretty good team. I think we have a lot more respect in our league than sometimes were given credit for.Smith has struggled in rebuilding Clemsons once powerful womens basketball team, going from 13 wins her first season to nine in 2014-15 and four last winter. Its a frustrating process she hopes is about to trend upward in a fresh building.All the amenities in place for our kids to be successful is something that will definitely help us as the season goes on, she said.---Online: www.collegebasketball.ap.org Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys . Philadelphia is 2-0 against the Senators this season and scored five goals in each victory. The Flyers recorded a 5-0 win in Ottawa on Nov. 12 and then earned a 5-2 home decision on Nov. 19. The Flyers have claimed three straight and four of the last five encounters with the Sens overall and Philly has won two in a row and three of its past four tests in Canadas capital city. William Karlsson Jersey . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. http://www.goldenknightssale.com/authentic-paul-stastny-golden-knights-jersey/ . Louis Blues absence from top spot in the TSN. Cody Eakin Jersey .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. Nate Schmidt Jersey .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. NEW YORK -- Dwyane Wade left his defender in the dust with a vintage crossover that brought players on the Chicago bench and fans behind them to their feet.Hes still got some `ahh in his bag, teammate Jimmy Butler said. Very impressive.So are the new-look Bulls.Butler scored 22 points, Wade had 12 in the first road game of his career not played for Miami, and the Bulls improved to 3-0 by beating the Brooklyn Nets 118-88 on Monday night.With Wade and Rajon Rondo in a revamped backcourt, the Bulls opened with home victories against Eastern Conference playoff teams Boston and Indiana before easily handling their road opener, leading by as many as 33 points.We only played a little bit together in the preseason, so were still learning each other right now. Were only three games in, but we see it looking good at times, Wade said.The Bulls had seven players in double figures, with Wade becoming the last of them when he blew by Bojan Bogdanovic with that crossover and was fouled on a drive to the basket in the fourth quarter.Nikola Mirotic had 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Taj Gibson added 14 points and 11 boards for the Bulls.Bogdanovic scored 15 points and Jeremy Lin had 14 for the Nets, who fell to 1-3.Butler made all five shots as the Bulls built an 18-point lead after one quarter that grew to 25 in the second. Chicago led 93-66 after three, leaving the crowd with little to cheer in the fourth beyond Wades smooth moves.The Nets first three games had all been decided by single digits -- they had actually outscored opponents 328-326 despite starting 1-2 -- but they were never in this one after the opening minutes.It was just poor energy right from the start, center Brook Lopez said. Obviously there is no excuse for the way we played.Butler and Gibson were a combined 9 for 9 in the first quarter as the Bulls got a number of easy baskets while playing at the quicker pace they are using since adding Wade and Rondo.It didnt show in the preseason, but I dont know whats gotten into us, Rondo said. We turned things around.The Netts, who entered averaging an NBA-high 37.dddddddddddd3 3-point attempts per game, were 5 for 31 (16 percent) behind the arc.TIP-INSBulls: G Michael Carter-Williams left with what coach Fred Hoiberg said was a sprained left knee in the first half and did not return. Hoiberg said the reserve guard will have an MRI on Tuesday. ... The Bulls have won four straight in Brooklyn, tied with Miami for the longest current winning streak.Nets: Coach Kenny Atkinson said guard Randy Foye, who hasnt played yet because of a strained right hamstring, was progressing well. Also sidelined was backup guard Greivis Vasquez, who felt soreness in his right ankle Saturday at Milwaukee. Atkinson said Vasquez was day to day. ... The Nets fell to 6-7 on Halloween. They havent won on the holiday since beating the Bulls in 2007.LOPEZ LEDGERRobin Lopez improved to 8-6 against twin brother Brook. The two, who rarely speak when playing each other, didnt even acknowledge each other in the moments before the opening tip. Brook stood with his back to Robin before beating him to win the jump.VALENTINES DAYRookie Denzel Valentine, the college player of the year last season at Michigan State, scored his first NBA points with a 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter after replacing Wade.BROOKS BACK TO BACKSBrook Lopez, who has battled foot problems during his career, sat out Saturday in Milwaukee on the second night of a back-to-back but Atkinson was vague when asked about the plan. Theres an overall plan and then on a game-to-game basis you might have to adjust that depending on a lot of things, he said. To get into specifics like that is a little difficult, but we like the plan we put in place. Again, Brooks on board, were on board.UP NEXTBulls: Visit Boston on Wednesday. The Bulls beat the Celtics 105-99 on Thursday at home in their season opener.Nets: Host Detroit on Wednesday in the second game of a four-game homestand. ' ' '