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ekansekans's blog: "df"

created on 10/29/2012  |  http://fubar.com/df/b351055

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Michigan State laboured on offence throughout the first half, unable to get anything going on the ground, in the air, anywhere. For a team that had lost five games by a combined 13 points during the regular season, it was starting to feel familiar. The Spartans changed their luck by turning to brutally effective running back LeVeon Bell in the second half, setting up Dan Conroy for another game-winning kick in a bowl game. Bell ran for 145 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown, Conroy kicked a 47-yard field goal with 1:01 left and Michigan State rallied to beat Texas Christian 17-16 in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl on Saturday night. "With so many close games and losing like we did during the season, to have one go our way was definitely sweet," Conroy said. It wasnt always pretty for the Spartans. Michigan State (7-6) managed 76 yards of offence during the first two quarters as TCU bottled up Bell. The 237-pound junior started to wear down the Horned Frogs in the second half, grinding out 107 of his yards on a 32-carry night. Behind Bell, the Spartans went on the longest drive in their bowl history in the third quarter, marching 90 yards to set up freshman Connor Cooks 15-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Burbridge. Michigan State then recovered a muffed punt by TCUs Skye Dawson at the 4-yard line midway through the fourth and Bell scored two plays later by racing around left end for a 14-13 lead. TCU (7-6) still had a little life after blowing a 13-point halftime lead, moving just far enough to set up Jaden Oberkrom for the longest field goal in the bowls history, a 53-yarder that put the Horned Frogs up 16-14 with 2:42 left. They just left Michigan State too much time. Starting at their own 25-yard line, the Spartans moved 45 yards in eight plays, setting up Conroy for his second game-winner in a bowl after beating Georgia with a 28-yarder in the third overtime of the 2012 Outback Bowl. Michigan States defence held after that, sending the Spartans to their second straight bowl win after three consecutive losses. "There was no doubt in my mind that after so many losses in similar fashion that we were going to come out on top in this one," Spartans linebacker Max Bullough said. The Horned Frogs shut down Michigan States offence in the first half and did just enough when they had the ball to put together three scoring drives. In the second half, TCU couldnt get anything going against the Spartans defence -- 84 total yards -- and its defence gave up the long scoring drive in the third quarter, along with the game-winner in the fourth. Trevone Boykin threw for 201 yards and an interception on 13-of-29 passing for the Horned Frogs. "A little bit empty feeling inside because we felt like we left a lot on the field," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. TCU and Michigan State came to the desert with an awful lot of similarities. The Horned Frogs opened their first season in the Big 12 with four straight wins before losing four of their final six games. Michigan State started 4-2, then lost four of six down the stretch. Michigan State had the nations fourth-best defence and was 10th in scoring defence during the regular season. TCU was 18th in total defence and 10th against the run. Michigan State quarterback Andrew Maxwell was up-and-down in his first season as Kirk Cousins replacement, throwing 13 touchdown passes and nine interceptions. Boykin took over after four games for Casey Pachall, who was suspended and later left the team, and threw for 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The biggest difference between the teams was Bell. He ranked third nationally with 137.3 yards rushing per game and had 1,648 on the season, second-most in Michigan State history and 242 fewer than TCU had as a team. Early on, the Horned Frogs gave him nowhere to go. Filling holes inside and stringing plays out toward the sidelines, TCU stuffed the bruising Bell on nearly every touch, holding him to 38 yards on 11 carries in the first half. Of course, it didnt seem to matter what Michigan State did. The Spartans had 29 yards on 12 plays in the first quarter and werent a whole lot better in the second, with Maxwell throwing two near-interceptions on consecutive passes and an ill-advised trick play that probably should have resulted in a turnover, too. The Spartans still seemed to be stuck in the ruts in the third quarter before grinding out a 14-play scoring drive led by Cook, who replaced Maxwell for the second time in the game. They had their biggest play on a floating pass from Bell to fullback TyQuan Hammock (29 yards), then Cook threw his first career touchdown pass, a 15-yarder to Burbridge on a crossing route that cut TCUs lead to 13-7. "I thought Connor did a good job on the 90-yard drive, gave us a little momentum," Spartans coach Mark Dantonio said. TCU didnt exactly have its way with Michigan States defence in the first half and missed some chances to build a bigger lead. The Frogs started gashing the Spartans for decent-sized chunks with their option midway through the first quarter, setting up Matthew Tuckers 4-yard touchdown on an end-around. Boykin had an impressive off-the-back-foot throw to freshman Kolby Listenbee for 59 yards on the last play of the first quarter and nearly had a 19-yard touchdown pass to open the second, but LaDarius Brown was bumped and dropped the ball in the end zone. Oberkrom followed with a 47-yard field goal and added another from 31 yards after Boykin hit Josh Boyce on a 61-yard pass to put TCU up 13-0 at halftime. The Frogs couldnt keep it up in the second half. With Michigan State clogging the running lanes and chasing Boykin around, TCU had 30 yards of offence in the third quarter and continued to struggle in the fourth. The Horned Frogs did manage the short scoring drive to set up Oberkroms late field goal, but ended up going backward on their final drive after Conroys kick. "What I thought happened in the third quarter was Michigan State dialed up the heat and we didnt have an answer," Patterson said. Michigan State did -- for one of the few times this season. NFL Jerseys From China ." Henderson earned a controversial split decision win over the man he had beaten for the belt in February, Frankie Edgar, in the five-round main event of Saturday nights UFC 150 at Denvers Pepsi Center. Cheap Jerseys China . -- Much has changed since the All-Stars last pulled into town in 1973. http://studyworx.org/china.html . Gov. Bobby Jindal, NBA Commissioner David Stern and top Hornets officials jointly announced the agreement on Friday afternoon, calling it an important step toward securing a new permanent owner for the club, which is currently owned by the league. SAN DIEGO -- The Texas Rangers beat Jason Marquis and then praised him. Left-hander Matt Harrison won his fifth straight decision and David Murphys two-run single in the first inning held up as the Rangers beat the San Diego Padres 2-1 on Monday night for their fourth straight victory. Marquis (1-2) took the loss despite a terrific outing. He allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings, struck out 10 and walked three. It was the first 10-strikeout game by a Padres pitcher this year. He got his 1,000th career strikeout when he fanned Ian Kinsler in the second inning. "If you keep the ball down on this team, you can have success. I gave up two early runs and it cost me the game," Marquis said. "After the first inning I thought wed have a chance to do something with him," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "But he settled down and made his pitches. He really settled in. I didnt think hed be around for the seventh inning, but he was. I tip my hat to him. Good pitching duel out there tonight." Harrison agreed. "After the first inning Marquis was outstanding," Harrison said. "Striking out 10 guys, he made his pitches. It was definitely a battle to keep the game where it was because he was on top of his game after the first." Harrison (9-3) tied CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova of the New York Yankees for the AL lead in victories. Harrison allowed one run and six hits in six innings, struck out four and walked two. The Rangers won with just five hits. Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton didnt start but played left field as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning. Hamilton was released from a hospital Saturday after becoming dehydrated because of an intestinal virus. Washington said he expects Hamilton to start Tuesday night. Harrison escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. He allowed consecutive singles opening the inning and a two-out walk before retiring pinch-hitter Yonder Alonso on a groounder.ddddddddddddHarrison barehanded the throw from first baseman Michael Young. Joe Nathan pitched the ninth for his 14th save in 15 chances. He allowed consecutive two-out singles before getting Chase Headley to ground out. Headley had three hits. Murphy hit a bases-loaded single to centre to bring in two runs in the first. Elvis Andrus singled with one out and Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz drew consecutive two-out walks. "I didnt execute early like I wanted to and put a couple of guys on and Murphy found a hole," Marquis said. "I settled down after that." San Diego had three straight hits to open the bottom of the first, including Headleys RBI double off the fence in centre field. It might have brought in two runs but Chris Denorfia held up between second and third to see if the ball would be caught. The ball sailed over Leonys Martins head. By then Cameron Maybin had come all the way around second and had to slow down. Denorfia scored and Maybin stopped at third. Carlos Quentin hit a fly to centre that was too shallow to bring in Maybin, who was stranded after Jesus Guzman struck out and Everth Cabrera grounded out. "Pitching took over from there, defence took over from there," Washington said. "Every play that had to be made when a ball was put in play was made. I was so glad we were able to hang on." NOTES: Washington said Hamilton took early batting practice and got in a full workout. ... Seven of Harrisons wins have come on the road. ... It was Marquis second double-digit strikeout game. He fanned 13 at Milwaukee on Aug. 3, 2001. ... The Padres are 4-19 against lefties. ... The Padres agreed to terms with RHP Zach Eflin of Hagerty (Fla.) H.S., the clubs first selection in the compensation round, and 33rd overall. ... The series continues Tuesday night when Texas Scott Feldman (0-6, 6.50) is scheduled to oppose San Diegos Edinson Volquez (3-6, 3.70). ' ' '  

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