a point up on Portland with two games

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Oakland had a chance to upset No. 5 Michigan State on Saturday. It just couldnt keep up with the Spartans on the glass. Duke Mondy scored 24 points, but the Golden Grizzlies were outrebounded by nine during a 67-63 loss to Branden Dawson and Michigan State. "There are no moral victories here at Oakland," coach Greg Kampe said, thanking Tom Izzo for scheduling his team. "We passed that point of being close long ago. We were close again and just couldnt beat them." Mondy, the nations leader in steals, had seven swipes for the Golden Grizzlies (2-9). Travis Bader, who grew up in the shadows of Michigan State, had 18 points and Corey Petros added 11 for Oakland, winless in 12 games in the series. I had seven steals?" Mondy said. "I didnt even know that. I have great anticipation. Im not a gambler, but I like to gamble sometimes." Bader went 4 for 14 from long range to move within 56 3-pointers of J.J. Redicks NCAA record, drawing rave reviews from Izzo. "I love that kid," Izzo said of Bader, the son of his former director of basketball operations. "I grew up with that kid, and he grew up with me. If ever a kid deserves success, its him. I hope he breaks the record." Izzo had no idea how Dawson would play after he challenged the enigmatic forward following a disappointing effort against North Carolina. He got the answer he was looking for in a home game for Oakland at The Palace. Dawson had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the short-handed Spartans (8-1), who were rusty and turnover-prone after a 10-day break. "I thought Dawson really responded today," Izzo said. "I got after him pretty good." Dawson took only two shots and had two turnovers in 17 minutes during Michigan States 79-65 home loss to the Tar Heels on Dec. 4. It was a much different story against the Golden Grizzlies, with Dawson going 7 for 13 from the field and blocking three shots in 36 minutes. "There was a different mindset and definitely a different approach," Dawson said. "Id just had one of the worst games since Ive been here against North Carolina. So the guys all pushed me, and Coach talked to me." Keith Appling scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half for the Spartans, and Adreian Payne had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Michigan State played without leading scorer Gary Harris, who is nursing an ankle injury. The Spartans also were without big men Matt Costello (mononucleosis) and Kenny Kaminski (academic suspension). The Golden Grizzlies jumped to a 20-12 lead, taking advantage of the Spartans sloppiness. Oakland had four assists on its first five baskets, while Michigan State was recording one assist and committing seven turnovers. "The start they had kept them in the game," Izzo said. "If wed gotten them down early, maybe some of those losses theyve had wouldve mounted." Michigan State managed to rally for a 35-31 lead early in the second half on two jumpers by Appling. But Oakland wouldnt go away. Baders third 3 tied it at 50 with 7:44 to play. He was 4 for 14 from long range. An Appling 3 and a Bader turnover helped Michigan State take a five-point advantage, its largest of the day to that point. Another Bader turnover and a layup and free throw by Appling built the cushion to 58-50 and seemed to create some daylight. "They were just so physical," Kampe said. "A couple of our bigger backups are out for the season, and we just dont have the size to match them. We werent physical enough, and Dawson had his way down in there." The Golden Grizzlies closed to 60-56 with 2:42 left. But Travis Trice hit a 3 at the end of the shot clock to give the Spartans a seven-point edge. Shareef Miller Jersey . Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will have surgery on his left shoulder this week and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Tommy McDonald Jersey .com) - The Vancouver Canucks recovered from a fluke goal early last time out to knock off one of the top teams in the league. http://www.cheapeaglesjerseysauthentic.c...-thorson-jersey. Prado stuck his glove down with Colorados Charlie Blackmon sliding into the bag, and quickly jumped back in pain after applying the tag. Prado held his left wrist as trainers came out of the Diamondbacks dugout to check him. Authentic Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys .Y. - The Buffalo Sabres reassigned forward Sam Reinhart to the WHLs Kootenay Ice on Friday. Harold Carmichael Jersey . The former Edmonton Oilers defenceman was with the St. Louis Blues in training camp on a professional tryout. Whitney, 30, had four goals and 13 points in 34 games with the Oilers last season.VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Whitecaps know they have to be more ruthless in front of the goal. They nearly ran the Seattle Sounders out of B.C. Place Stadium in the opening 30 minutes last weekend with their attacking style, but couldnt capitalize on a number of clear-cut chances and settled for a 2-2 draw. Creating those opportunities is one thing, but the Whitecaps understand they must be better finishers in order to climb up the Major League Soccer standings. "We have to continue to try to take our chances," said Vancouver captain Jay DeMerit. "Over the past couple weeks weve really created a lot of them, now the final step in that is to put a few more in the net." The Whitecaps (4-2-5) will be looking to do just that on Sunday when they travel south to Oregon to take on the rival Portland Timbers (3-3-7). You can see all the action on TSN beginning at 9pm et/6pm pt. "Its part and parcel of our DNA as a team now to start on the front foot, be a forward-thinking team and try and go for the throat," said Whitecaps assistant coach Martyn Pert. "Weve got the surprise element at the moment because people are looking at us and probably werent tipping us to play that offensively. "(Head coach Carl Robinsons) philosophy is to be on the front foot and play attacking football. Youre going to create chances." But burying those chances has been a problem. Vancouver could have had at least four goals in a 1-0 road victory over the Columbus Crew on May 10, and also wasted a number of opportunities in the second leg of the Amway Canadian Championship semifinal four days later against Toronto FC. Then last week, the Whitecaps could have easily been up 3-0 on the Sounders after half an hour, but they were betrayed by their final touch on numerous occasions. "Weve just got to focus on doing what weve been doing," said Whitecaps striker Erik Hurtado, who has three goals in three games in all competitions. "Were attacking ... we just have to finish our chances more often." Vancouver currently occupies the fifth and final playoff spot in the West, a point up on Portland with two games in hand. The L.A. Galaxy, meanwhile, are two points back, but have a game in hand themselves and are also in action Sunday. Looking up in the standings, the Whitecaps are also just a single point behind both the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas, with games in hand on both clubs. "Theres a good team spirit, and I dont use the term loosely because there is a general feel-good factor about the place," said Whitecaps defender Andy OBrien. "The chances that weve created, and with a little bit of luck the results could have been a little bit different. But taking everything into consideration were pleased with how weve done so far." Sunday will also mark the second game for both Vancouver and Portland in the Cascadia Cup, a mini-touurnament played between the Whitecaps, Timbers and Sounders for bragging rights in the Pacific Northwest.ddddddddddddThe team with the most points in games between the three clubs is crowned champion, something that Vancouver has accomplished four times, including last season. "Weve got to start well. We know to expect a battle against Portland, especially at their ground," said DeMerit. "Theyre a big, physical team. They like to get the ball down and play as well so were going to have to stay up and not give their good players time and space because they can hurt you." While the Whitecaps have not lost in MLS competition in their last five (2-0-3), the Timbers enter the derby clash unbeaten in six (3-0-3), including back-to-back road victories. "Were looking forward to Vancouver, we know with a win there we can jump them in the table," Timbers head coach Caleb Porter told the clubs official website. "And with our fans behind us, the boys will be flying." Portland, which will be playing its third game in eight days, got two goals from six-foot-four striker Fanendo Adi in a 2-0 midweek victory over Chivas USA, his first two with the club. "Hes a big, athletic guy. He gives a different element for them," said DeMerit. "Most of the guys that play up front for them are tricky guys or guys that have a bit of flair. "Were going to have to battle him, stick with his pace and make him play." The atmosphere inside B.C. Place last week against Seattle was electric and OBrien said the Whitecaps expect the same in Portland. "Its one of the beauties of where we located that we get that because coming from Europe thats part and parcel of the game," said OBrien, a veteran of the English Premier League. "I must admit the abuse that you get from away supporters is not as bad as in Europe, but its certainly one of the fixtures that you look for when theyre released because you know theyre going to be great games." DeMerit said it will be crucial for the Whitecaps to continue to play the attacking, aggressive style that made them successful through 11 games this season if theyre going to pick up their second road win of the campaign. "(The Timbers) will make it hard for us, especially in the beginning with the crowd on their side," he said. "Its up to us to make sure we battle that back but still try to stay expressive on our end and not sit back and give them the ball. "Weve got to make sure we continue to stay at a high tempo both offensively and defensively to give ourselves the best chance." Notes: The Whitecaps have never beaten the Timbers in MLS play, including three draws last season. ... Vancouver plays at the Philadelphia Union on June 7 before MLS goes on its World Cup break. 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