half on several occasions giving the Thunder the lu

Clemson, SC (SportsNetwork.com) - The Clemson Tigers will play the first of three straight SEC opponents, as they welcome the 18th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks to Littlejohn Coliseum for non-conference action on Sunday. The Tigers have already secured a win over an SEC foe, beating LSU (64-61) in the final round of the Paradise Jam. However, the team has split its two games since that in-season tournament, edging out High Point (62-59) before losing to Rutgers (69-64) as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge last week. The Razorbacks are off to a strong 6-1 start to the year that has put them firmly in the Top-25. However, the team is in unfamiliar territory after winning the first six games of the season, as Arkansas dropped a humbling 95-77 decision at nationally-ranked Iowa State on Thursday as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Arkansas has won both previous meetings with Clemson, including a 74-68 win at Bud Walton Arena last season. The Cyclones unloaded on the Razorbacks, shooting a scorching 64.3 percent from the floor in the first half to stroll into intermission with a gaudy 52-32 lead. Arkansas was unable to really get back into the contest, as ISU continued its torrid pace, shooting 63.6 percent over the final 20 minutes of play to earn the lopsided win. The loss spoiled a strong performance by Bobby Portis, who finished the game with 19 points and eight rebounds. Alandise Harris netted 15 points, while Rashad Madden and Michael Qualls chipped in with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Scoring points hasnt been a problem at all for Arkansas this year, as the team shoots a healthy .472 from the floor, a number bolstered by an impressive .443 from behind the arc (62-of-140). The result is a scoring average of 88.1 ppg that ranks in the top-10 in the nation. Scoring depth is apparent with four of the teams five starters averaging double figures. Portis is the best of the bunch, shooting .558 from the floor and pacing the team in both scoring (15.1 ppg) and rebounding (6.4 rpg). Qualls (14.6 ppg) is a close second in the scoring column, followed by Anthlon Bell (11.9 ppg) and Madden (11.4 ppg). Clemson lacks the firepower to win a shootout with Arkansas and would be best served to slow things down. The Tigers are averaging a modest 68.4 ppg, but have played tight defense, limiting foes to just 61.3 ppg. Like the Razorbacks, four of Clemsons starters average double digits in points. Guard Damarcus Harrison leads the charge with 11.9 ppg. Center Landry Nnoko (11.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg) and forward Jaron Blossomgame (11.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg) are an effective duo up front. Freshman forward Dante Grantham (10.4 ppg) adds depth. Tied at the half with Rutgers, Clemson just failed to get over the hump against the Scarlet Knights and dropped the five-point affair at home. Harrison led the team in defeat with 15 points. Blossomgame recorded a double- double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Rod Hall and Grantham added 10 points each in the loss. Satchel Paige Jersey . -- For one night, Nick Calathes provided a big reason to believe the Memphis Grizzlies might be able to withstand the loss of Mike Conley on a short-term basis. Kenny Lofton Jersey . The United States clinched the final berth into the Ford Worlds, March 28-April 6 at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, on Saturday in Blaine, Minn. http://www.indiansteamproshop.com/ .S. womens soccer team to a 2-0 win over China in Colorado in the afternoon. Jason Kipnis Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Josh Tomlin Jersey . Grilli hasnt pitched since straining his left oblique in late April. Manager Clint Hurdle says the right-hander will make a couple of appearances in middle relief before the team determines whether to return Grilli to the back end of the bullpen. MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Russell Westbrook is putting to rest any doubts he has recovered from the knee injury that forced him to miss the first two games of the season. Westbrook scored 27 points and added nine assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 116-100 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. Westbrooks performance against the Grizzlies followed double-doubles Tuesday night in a win over Atlanta (14 points, 11 assists) and Sunday in a victory over Indiana (26 points, 13 assists). "Im great, I feel good," said Westbrook, who was sidelined by a lateral meniscus tear to start the year. "Im taking it one day at a time and Im taking care of my body, which is most important. Im trying to get us wins." Kevin Durant, the NBAs leading scorer, added 18 points and six rebounds. Reserve guard Jeremy Lamb scored a career-high 18 points to help the Thunder to their fourth straight win and 12th in 13 games. Neither Westbrook nor Durant played in the fourth quarter, when the Thunder maintained a double-digit lead. "Russell is calming down, relaxing and just playing his game," Durant said. "He is getting confidence. We tell him when he does no one can stop him." Westbrook scored 12 points in the first seven minutes of the third quarter, including a three-point play after the Grizzlies had trimmed the Thunder lead to 13 points. The Grizzlies never got closer than 13 the rest of the way. "Russells a no-excuse player," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "We could play back-to-back, we could play four in five nights, we can play every night for a month and hes going to come in and play the game that he loves to play every night. He sets the tone for us and our guys do a great job following his lead." Mike Conley had 20 points for the Grizzlies and Zach Randolph and reserve Jon Leuer scored 17 apiecee.dddddddddddd Memphis ended a season-long six-game homestand with the loss. A depleted Grizzlies squad -- missing starters Marc Gasol and Tony Allen with injuries -- stayed close to the Thunder through most of the first half and trailed 40-37 after Conleys floater in the lane with 4:19 to go in the second quarter. Then the Thunder put together a 17-5 run to end the half for a 57-42 advantage at the break. During the run, Durant had two driving dunks and Westbrook added a 3-pointer and four assists. Oklahoma City opened the third quarter by extending its lead to 20 points as Westbrook scored nine points during a 13-8 start. The Thunder boosted their advantage to as many as 24 points in the second half on several occasions giving the Thunder the luxury of resting Durant and Westbrook. "The first five minutes of the third quarter were probably the most important of the game," Westbrook said. "We wanted to come out and set the tone early defensively and we did a good job of that." The Thunder were playing back-to-back games after defeating the Hawks Tuesday night in Atlanta. The Thunder, who shot 61 per cent in a win over Indiana on Sunday, shot 56 per cent against the Grizzlies. Memphis shot 42 per cent and was outrebounded, 42-33. "The Thunder is a good team," Leuer said. "This is what they do. They go on runs. We tried to limit their easy stuff, but they got a few open looks and got into a rhythm after that." NOTES: Thunder reserve centre Steven Adams sprained his right ankle in the second half and didnt return. ... Grizzlies guard Tony Allen missed his fourth straight game with a right hip contusion and reserve forward Ed Davis missed his third straight with a left ankle sprain. ... The Thunder won for the first time this season on the second night of a back-to-back. They had been 0-2 in such games. ' ' '