Foto-Album » lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana is one win away from becoming bowl eligible and its defense has played a big part in getting the Hoosiers to this point.Once known for scoring in bunches and giving up points just as quickly, these Hoosiers are establishing themselves as more unyielding. Defense saved Saturdays 33-27 win at Rutgers with 11 three-and-out stops, including on seven consecutive possessions. Indiana also allowed only one third-down conversion in 16 attempts.I just knew they werent doing much, they werent getting many yards, junior safety Chase Dutra said Monday.The Scarlet Knights werent as productive as the point total suggests. Rutgers scored one touchdown on a long pass, another on defense and the final TD off a short field after one of four Indiana turnovers. Take away five plays that gained 188 yards and the Hoosiers allowed just 163 total yards on 65 plays (2.6 yards per play).Players say the difference is new defensive coordinator Tom Allen, who demanded change from the first day he arrived in the offseason. Players are expected to attack each day, let alone each play.I dont believe weve ever held anybody to zero on third downs, and the one they converted was for the touchdown on the goal line, Allen said. To be able to be that dominant in that situation, Im really, really proud of our players.Indiana (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) is in position to clinch a bowl bid for the second consecutive year for the first time since 1990-91 if it can upset No. 12 Penn State (7-2, 5-1), which visits Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The Nittany Lions are 18-1 against Indiana, the lone exception a Hoosiers home victory in 2013.Its going to take our best efforts, its going to take our best week, its a strong challenge and a great team were playing, Indiana coach Kevin Wilson said. Were going to need to have a great week to have a chance.Indiana has amassed 1,217 total yards in two weeks, so Wilsons reputation for fielding productive offenses is still intact. But turnovers have been an issue. Junior quarterback Richard Lagow has 15 touchdown passes with 13 interceptions, and the team has lost four of 10 fumbles, including one returned for a touchdown Saturday.Thats why defense has been key. Allens unit is allowing 119.4 fewer yards per game, down to 390.1, the second-largest improvement in the nation. Junior linebacker Tegray Scales has 85 tackles, including 64 solo stops, which ranks second in the country. Junior cornerback Rashard Fant is first in the country with 16 passes defended and 15 pass breakups.Indiana has 10 sacks and 28 tackles for loss in the last three games.Its nice to finally get a little recognition, Dutra said.Freshman cornerback Ashon Riggins said Allen has flipped the defensive mindset.He gets mad when the other team scores at the end of the game even when the game is out of reach, Riggins said. He has that mentality that, `We dont want them to get into the end zone no matter what the situation is.Game notes The struggles for junior kicker Griffin Oakes continue in what has been a nightmarish season for the 2015 Big Ten Kicker of the Year. Oakes had two field goals blocked at Rutgers, which makes nine misses in 20 attempts this season. He was also wide right on an extra point and had another PAT botched by the holder. Wilson isnt replacing him, adding: I think our kickers are getting a little psychotic. Weve got to work through the mental demon, but I dont think I need to pound the kids legs because theres only so many swings in that leg.---More AP College Football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 Jusuf Nurkic Blazers Jersey . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. Nik Stauskas Jersey .Y. - New York City has been selected to host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2015, with the game played at Madison Square Garden and the slam dunk contest and other skills events held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. https://www.blazerslockerroom.com/Nassir-Little-City-Edition-Jersey/ . The (11-11-4) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 26 points. Fifth place Dallas and sixth-seeded Nashville also have 26 points, but the Stars have three games in hand on Winnipeg while Nashville has two. Terry Porter Blazers Jersey . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Nassir Little Jersey VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Coyotes forward Brad Richardson was carted off the ice on a stretcher in the second period of Arizonas 3-2 loss to Vancouver on Thursday night.Richardson, 31, was taken to the hospital for further evaluation, and the Coyotes said they expect to update his condition Friday.Its a big hole we have to fill in the middle, goalie Louis Domingue said. He plays crucial minutes in crucial areas of the game, but just the fact he goes down like that, it is a big bummer for our team.Richardson injured his right leg on an innocent-looking hit from Canucks defenseman Nikita Tryamkin with 8:37 left in the second period. Richardson crrumpled to the ice and threw his gloves off in agony under the 6-foot-7, 265-pound Tryamkin.ddddddddddddMedical staffs from both teams attended to Richardson by the boards in the Canucks zone for several minutes before loading him onto a stretcher. His right leg was elevated as fans at Rogers Arena gave the former Vancouver player a nice ovation before he was placed in a waiting ambulance.Richardson opened the scoring earlier in the period with his fifth goal of the season.The Associated Press contributed to this report. ' ' '