Spencer and Celeste Boureille but still has her eye

Saint Marys coach Randy Bennett has a primary objective as he prepares his No. 15 Gaels for Sundays neutral-site game against UAB at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.Defense, defense, defense, Bennett said. Were not super quick, so we need to be super sound.San Jose State beat St. Marys defenders off the dribble consistently in their game Tuesday, and the Gaels had trouble breaking away from the Spartans as result. The Gaels led 43-40 at halftime and were unable to take control until midway through the second half of their 81-64 victory at home.I dont think the starters played as well as they could defensively, Bennett said. We dont give up 40 points in a half very often. We need some good practice time.The Gaels (4-0) will get that practice time because they have five days between their last game against San Jose State and Sundays contest against UAB.UAB has the same chance to prepare, as it has not played since Tuesday either.UAB returns 11 of 12 players, including four of five starters, from last seasons 26-7 squad, which won the Conference USA regular-season title. The one departed player, Robert Brown, is significant, because he was the Blazers only first-team all-conference selection, but they still have plenty of talent.The one new element is Robert Ehsan, a UAB assistant last year who was elevated to head coach when Jerod Haase left to take the Stanford job.The Blazers (3-2) suffered a surprising home loss to Furman back on Nov. 14, and also lost to Kansas by 20 points in Kansas City, Mo., in their fourth game. The Blazers got behind 17-0 and 25-3 against the Jayhawks and were never in the game.I think the first six or seven minutes the environment overwhelmed us, Ehsan said on his postgame radio show.UAB bounced back from that loss to defeat George Washington the next day. The Blazers started fast in that game, grabbing a 16-point lead in the first half before winning 81-74 on Tuesday.Coming out the way we did, I was very happy, Ehsan said. I wish we had come out like that yesterday.Much like Saint Marys, UAB has a low-post player whose work in the paint opens this up for perimeter shooters. The Blazers 6-foot-8 Chris Cokley is averaging 13.2 points on 58.7 percent shooting from the field, providing room to shoot for Dirk Williams (13.4 points per game, 48.8 percent 3-point shooting) and William Lee (10.2, 41.2 percent).He opens up the floor for our guards, UAB guard Deion Lavender said of Cokley We get him the ball early (and) they have to double him and start making adjustments. Its hard for big guys to contain him -- one-on-one -- on the blocks.For Saint Marys, 6-11 junior Jock Landale provides a similar inside threat, allowing Emmett Naar (4 of 8 from 3-point range), Calvin Hermanson (12 of 25), Kyle Clark (6 of 16) and Stefan Gonzalez (6 of 12) to have room for their long-range shooting.Landale is averaging 21.3 points on 75 percent shooting from the field and is a surprise to everyone except Bennett, who notes that Landale led the team in points per minute last season. But his minutes were limited last season when he played behind Dane Pineau, one of five starters who return from last seasons 29-6 Saint Marys squad.Pineau, a preseason all-conference selection, missed the San Jose State game with a recurrence of back spasms that have plagued him for the past several weeks. He will make the trip to Las Vegas and there is a pretty good chance hell play. Dislodging Landale from the starting lineup will be difficult, though. Custom Stars Jersey China . Its sharpness matched my mind. This was no night to go to sleep. Custom Stars T-shirts . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. http://www.customstarsjersey.com/ . With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. Custom Stars T-shirts . Its 1987 and a Brazilian playmaker, known as Mirandinha, is being paraded around St James Park to the passionate Newcastle fans. Custom Stars Jerseys . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Stalwarts Kyah Simon and Michelle Heyman say the W-League will hit peak standard this season as clubs invest in both local and foreign talent to challenge the domination of reigning champions Melbourne City.Imports from 20 different countries have signed up for the ninth instalment of the womens domestic competition, complimenting a bevy of Matildas stars including Sydney FCs Simon and Canberra Uniteds Heyman.Among the new signings is Brazil international defender Monica Hickmann Alves, who joins Adelaide as the first from her country to play in Australia, while Japanese World Cup-winner Yukari Kinga is on board with Canberra United and Sydney are set to unveil their own South American signing this week.Though some contracts are still being finalised, clubs will collectively spend more than $1 million for the first time this season, a rise on the $920,000 outlay of the last when cashed-up City set a new benchmark in their inaugural campaign.Premiers and champions City scored 38 goals in 12 regular-season games, in a brutal lesson on what money can do.The club has lost its most potent strikeforces in Scottish star Kim Little and Matildas co-captain Lisa De Vanna, who is yet to sign anywhere.But in the duos place theyve signed American Erika Tymrak and veteran Australia goalkeeper Lydia Williams, while also retaining gun Welsh midfielder Jessica Fishlock and Matildas Steph Catley, Larissa Crummer, Laura Alleway and Teigen Allen.The general consensus is that City are still the team to beat, the gap just no longer looks as daunting to thosee chasing.ddddddddddddSimon, whose largely unchanged Sky Blues team are after revenge for last seasons 4-1 grand final loss, believed the trophy was up for grabs.Its going to be the most incredible W-League season, just the international response and interest has been through the roof this year, Simon told AAP.Seeing so many international players coming to Australia to play the W-League not only boosts the brand of the game but also the quality of the competition.City pipped us at the post last year so well definitely be out to get one back on them.Heyman will be part of one of the fields most potent attacks alongside American duo Jasmyne Spencer and Celeste Boureille but still has her eye on City after they poached Williams from between Uniteds posts.City won it last year without Lydia, now theyve put one of the worlds best goalkeepers in the back its going to be a challenge, Heyman said.But Sydney FC have a very strong squad with all the girls going back there and theres so many internationals - I think this is the most weve ever had in the W-League.The standard is going to be another step above what it was last year - its hit its peak.The word is getting around how good the league is.W-LEAGUE IMPORTS - WHERE THEYRE FROMBrazil, Canada, Chile, Taiwan, Denmark, England, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Wales. 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