Bilderecke » Paul again and Griffin missed a layup.A

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Down by a touchdown in the fourth quarter and 69 yards from the Illinois end zone, Purdue decided its best bet was to hand the ball to a freshman backup tailback.And why not?The Illini had shown no sign that they could stop Brian Lankford-Johnson, and they didnt on the game-tying drive. He had three carries for 41 yards before an 8-yard touchdown run by another backup, Richie Worship.Like Illinois three other losses this season, defense was a problem in the 34-31 overtime loss to the Boilermakers. And run defense in particular.Illinois (1-4, 0-2 Big Ten) is giving up 181.6 yards a game on the ground, 85th in the country and 11th in the 14-team Big Ten.Illinois started the season with talk about how its defense, and in particular its line, was its strength. All four of the starting linemen are seniors and at least one, defensive end Dawuane Smoot, is considered a likely NFL prospect.Coach Lovie Smith said this week that he still views the line as the teams strongest piece, but he noted that Purdue hit the interior of the Illini defense hard.They havent played well enough. That was our worst game that weve had, Smith said.Illinois is preparing for Rutgers (2-4, 0-3), which relies on the run to move the ball. The Scarlet Knights are last in the Big Ten in offense at 284 yards a game, but most of that, 166.3 yards, comes on the ground.Struggling against the run has become a habit for the Illini.Lankford-Johnson, who started only because Markell Jones was hurt, carried 18 times for 127 yards, 7.1 yards a carry. Two games earlier, an admittedly potent Western Michigan offense -- which is averaging 246.8 yards a game on the ground, 15th in the country -- rolled up 287 rushing yards on the Illini.Those big numbers might look better if the Illini defense was finding a way to get off the field when it matters most, but opponents are converting on 43.5 percent of their third-down conversions . Thats 12th in the conference.Smith was asked this week if, given his defensive background in the NFL and his teams struggles on that side of the ball, he should be more involved in coaching defense. The first-year Illinois coach said he is already doing enough.I am involved in the defense, all right? Smith said. As far as what I need to do, Im OK with figuring that out by myself, but I am involved in all phases of our team. So the things we dont like, its on me, and well continue to work to fix it.---Follow David Mercer on Twitter: (at)davidmercerAP Evan Engram Jersey . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies. Daniel Jones Jersey . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable. http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Giants-Darius-Slayton-Jersey/ .C. -- Calgarys Kevin Koe did it the hard way again. Phil McConkey Womens Jersey . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. New York Giants Jerseys . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. LOS ANGELES -- In his ninth NBA season, Marc Gasol is becoming a 3-point shooter.The 7-foot center hit a go-ahead 3 from the left corner with 14 seconds left , and the Memphis Grizzlies hung on to beat the Clippers 111-107 on Wednesday night, snapping Los Angeles seven-game winning streak.Mike Conley scored 30 points , Gasol added a season-high 26 and Memphis equaled a season high with 15 3-pointers, including a career high-tying seven by Conley.They are the best team in the league right now, so for us to get a signature win like this is huge, Conley said.Gasol made four 3-pointers, the same number he hit in helping Memphis rally for a win over Washington last month. Hes made 16 3s this season after hitting just 12 in his first eight seasons.We stay in the moment and its been good so far, Gasol said. We made the right plays and we are lucky the ball went in.J.J. Redick scored a season-high 29 points, Blake Griffin added 25, and DeAndre Jordan had 14 rebounds for the Clippers, who still have the NBAs best record at 10-2. Both of their losses have come at home.I dont like that, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said about the home defeats. We had enough points, we didnt have enough defense.Los Angeles came in outscoring opponents by an average of 16.6 points, fourth-highest in NBA history, but the Grizzlies built a 16-point lead in the first half and were ahead by seven going into the fourth.In the end, it was the Grizzlies defense that preserved the victory.With 23 seconds left, Griffin inbounded to Jamal Crawford, who got blocked by Gasol.After Gasols 3-pointer put Memphis ahead 109-107, Redick had the ball stolen by Conley, who got fouled and made both free throws to close out the win.Jordan blamed himself for not being in the right spot when Gasol shot from the left wing.I made a bad read, saw Mike turn the corner and thought I needed to help, Jordan said. I should have stayed on the corner.Redicks seventh 3-pointer gave the Clippers a 101-100 lead in the fourth, their first since early in the second quarter.But Conley answered with his seventh 3 and Zach Randolph hit a turnaround bank hook, putting the Grizzlies back in front 105-101 and forcing the Clippers to call a timeout.ddddddddddddLos Angeles regrouped and scored six unanswered points for a 107-105 lead. Crawford put back his own miss, Jordan tipped in Pauls miss and Paul hit a pullup jumper while the Grizzlies missed on consecutive possessions.Randolph added 18 points off the bench and Vince Carter had 12.TIP-INSGrizzlies: Conley scored 30 against the Clippers in a 99-88 home loss on Nov. 4. ... G-F Tony Allen missed his fourth straight game with a right groin injury.Clippers: F Wesley Johnson sat out his third game in a row with a left heel contusion.HE SAID ITHes too far gone for me to teach him how to dance, but now every time he makes one he has to dance. -- Conley on Gasols shimmy moves after hitting the game-winner.HUSTLE PLAYIn the third, Paul had the games best hustle play even though the Clippers failed to score. He got blocked by Harrison on a running layup and Conley grabbed the rebound. But Paul stole it back and fed Redick, who missed a 3-pointer. Green rebounded, but Conley lost the ball to Paul again and Griffin missed a layup.AGELESS CARTERAt 39, Vince Carter is the leagues oldest active player. He scored 20 points on Nov. 8 against Denver, becoming the oldest in league history to score 20 or more off the bench.He also had 20 against Utah on Nov. 14. He had 12 points in 26 minutes Wednesday.He was a superstar in this league and now he still wants to play, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. Hes a teacher and a leader. Hes still playing because hes smart.Memphis coach David Fizdale called Carter one of the great guys in the NBA.You should see his house in Orlando; its like a workout factory, he said. He takes it serious. He takes pride in his physique and his diet, so Im not surprised how well he is playing.UP NEXTGrizzlies: Visit Dallas on Friday to close out a four-game trip. The Grizzlies have lost three in a row to the Mavericks.Clippers: Visit Sacramento on Friday and return home Saturday to host the Chicago Bulls in the second game of a back-to-back, their fourth of the season. ' ' '