to step in for injured linebackers. Ryan Connelly was named Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week last week for his 11-tackle performance against Nebraska. He helped fill in for leading tackler Jack

AUSTIN, Texas -- Shaka Smart got a shaky start to his second season at Texas.The good thing for the Longhorns is they still got a win and theres plenty of time for a new lineup to grow into the season.Kendal Yancy made two late free throws, then followed with a tough layup in the final minute to send No. 21 Texas to a 78-73 season-opening win over Incarnate Word on Friday night, a surprisingly close finish to a game that most figured would be a blowout.Regardless of who we play, youve got to bring it, Yancy said.Texas led by 16 early in the second half before Incarnate Word rallied to lead 67-66 on Sam Burmeisters 3-pointer with 2:30 to play.Yancy got to the line for the lead, then made it 70-67 with a twisting layup around two defenders with 49 seconds left. He finished with 19 points.Freshman Jarrett Allen added 16 points and 12 rebounds for Texas, which has an entirely new starting lineup after making the NCAA Tournament last season.Texas was down two key players as guard Kerwin Roach Jr., and small forward Tevin Mack were suspended for the first game for a rules violation during the offseason. Roach is expected to start at point guard when he returns.The bottom line is our guys came back after giving up the double-digit lead and being down by one, Smart said. You want games like this you can learn from. At the same time, theres a humbling side.Shawn Johnson scored 24 points for Incarnate Word. He said the Cardinals pressed for the win at the end and made mistakes that opened the door for the Longhorns.Some players I think were shocked we took the lead. We started over-thinking. We wanted to take a one-point lead to five, Johnson said.BIG PICTUREIncarnate Word: The Cardinals were undersized but werent intimidated on the road in the Big 12. They built a lead early and fought back in the second half when Texas was on the verge of a blowout. Even though it was a loss, it should be a confidence builder.Texas: Smart has work to do in his second season at Texas. The Longhorns shot 57 percent in the first half to overcome 11 early turnovers, then struggled once they had a big lead in the second half. Theres time to work out the kinks ahead of what will be a typically rugged Big 12 season, but there could also be some early growing pains.The key is do we get better. Do the guys walk into practice with a sense of urgency? Smart said.POLL IMPLICATIONSTexas preseason ranking means voters respect their potential, but the Longhorns could slide backward if they notice how they struggled.BLOCK PARTYNearly overlooked in the close finish were the five blocks by Texas freshman forward James Banks. Pairing him with Allen can give the Longhorns a stout front line.Thats my role. Defend the rim, Banks said.TIRED LEGSTexas limited roster forced the Longhorns out on the court for long stretches. Four players logged at least 32 minutes. Allen played 36 minutes of his first college game and even walk-on Ryan McClurg got six minutes and played in the first half.Some of us got a little fatigued, Yancy said. Weve got to clean up up some of the mess that was going on tonight.UP NEXTIncarnate Word: After a big step up into the Big 12 for the season opener, Incarnate Word hosts Division II St. Edwards on Tuesday.Texas: Texas gets to ease its young lineup into the season as the Longhorns next host Louisiana Monroe on Monday night. Custom Rockets Jersey China . LOUIS -- Valtteri Filppula assisted on three of Tampa Bays four goals, and the Lightning beat the St. Tracy McGrady Jersey Large . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. http://www.customrocketsjersey.com/ .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Wholesale Custom Rockets Shirts .com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they host the struggling New York Islanders in tonights clash at the Bell Centre. Custom Rockets Jerseys . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. EVANSTON, Ill. -- Coming off a tight victory and a return to the Top 10, No. 8 Wisconsin has every right to feel good about itself.The Badgers can also be excused if theyre a little nervous given who they play on Saturday.Wisconsin visits Northwestern, a team that has given the Badgers all sorts of trouble in recent years.Its going to be a tough, tough challenge, Wisconsin running back Corey Clement said. Were ready to embrace the opportunity to go into their stadium and come out with a victory.The Badgers (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten, No. 8 CFP) beat then-No. 7 Nebraska 23-17 in overtime last week after letting a lead slip away in regulation, and came away with a program-record third win against a Top 10 team this season.It vaulted them back into the Top 10 and put them a game behind the Cornhuskers in the Big Ten West race along with Northwestern (4-4, 3-2) and two other teams.Theyre facing a different challenge this week, against a team that has given them fits in recent years.The Wildcats have won four of six after a 0-2 start and nearly pulled off an upset at Ohio State last week, settling for a late field goal after driving to the 3 and losing 24-20.Were an average football team, Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said. Thats what we look like on tape. Saturdays another example of that. We had ample opportunities in all three phases, and we were really inconsistent fundamentally. I thought we were really inconsistent as a team in our effort, in our strain to not only finish, but to win in some one-on-one battles. I think that cost us in the long run.Here are some things to know as Wisconsin meets Northwestern:WISCONSIN BADGERED: Wisconsin has had its difficulties with Northwestern in recent years, dropping six of their past 10 meetings.The Badgers have dropped four in a row at Ryan Field since a win in 1999 and had no luck either at Camp Randall Stadium last year.Wisconsin lost that game after three touchdowns were negated by calls from the officials, who had snowballs thrown at them as they left the field.ONE OR THE OTHER: WWisconsin coach Paul Chryst says freshman Alex Hornibrook will start against Northwestern, though he still apparently intends to play backup quarterback Bart Houston, too.dddddddddddd Hornibrook took over from Houston as the starter in Week 4. Houston has been playing more the last couple weeks in a designed move that is supposed to give the offense a change of pace. Houston, a senior, is more mobile. But the results of the two-quarterback system have been mixed. Houston was the quarterback for the overtime drive last week against Nebraska that led to the Badgers go-ahead touchdown run.THORSONS RISE: Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson is settling in after a shaky start.He has 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in the past four games after throwing for five TDs and getting picked off four times in the first four. He has also thrown for more than 250 yards the past three games and ranks third in the Big Ten in passing.ON THE LINEBACKERS: The Badgers keep finding productive backups to step in for injured linebackers. Ryan Connelly was named Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week last week for his 11-tackle performance against Nebraska. He helped fill in for leading tackler Jack Cichy, who is out for the year with a torn pectoral muscle. Leon Jacobs also had 11 tackles in his most extensive action inside to help replace Cichy. The Badgers long-term plan to rotate players in spring ball and training camp has been paying off with productivity. They might have to dip into their depth again since outside linebacker T.J. Watt was questionable at midweek with a right shoulder injury. Garrett Dooley and Zack Baun would fill in for Watt if he cant go.RUSH FOR MILESTONE: Justin Jackson needs 132 yards to become the first Northwestern player to rush for 1,000 in three straight seasons. The junior is the Big Tens second-leading rusher this year.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '