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Indiana might have lost the best point guard in the Big 10 Conference to graduation in Yogi Ferrell, but if the seasons first two games are any indication, it has regained perhaps the conferences most explosive scorer.Back from a torn right ACL he suffered last December, 6-foot-4 junior guard James Blackmon Jr. has scored 26 and 23 points in wins over Kansas and UMass Lowell, respectively. Blackmon is canning 55.2 percent of his field goal tries, including an impressive 9-of-17 on 3-pointers.Whats more, Blackmon has enjoyed 20-point halves in both games. He victimized Kansas in the second half and extra period of a 103-99 overtime win at the Armed Forces Classic in Honolulu, then picked up where he left off in the first half of Wednesdays 100-78 pounding of UMass Lowell with another 20 points.So Blackmon, Jr. will be in the spotlight again Saturday night when the sixth-ranked Hoosiers continue the Indiana Classic at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind., against Liberty.I think theres a confidence when they look at him, Hoosiers coach Tom Crean said of Blackmon. James is a lot more explosive than what he was. Hes playing with more force. Hes playing downhill more. Hes covering more ground.I think the fact that hes moving the ball, that hes getting better defensively, thats a really good thing. To come back from an injury like that and to be a better athlete than he even was and be stronger like he is, that takes a little time for him to get used to.Blackmons presence forces opponents to respect him from 25 feet and in, leading to more scoring opportunities for teammates like 6-10 center Thomas Bryant (14 points per game, 7.5 rebounds), 6-8 forward OG Anunoby (14 points, 5.5 rebounds) and 6-3 point guard Robert Johnson (13 points, 3.5 assists).Indianas offense has been clicking on nearly all cylinders so far, canning 50 percent of its field goal attempts and nearly 45 percent on 3-pointers (26-of-58). Its ability to either get to the rim or create open 3s can test any defense.Liberty (1-1) will counter with a defense the Hoosiers have battled before -- the pack line scheme created by Dick Bennett and still run by the likes of Wisconsin and Virginia. Fourth-year coach Ritchie McKays squad held up-tempo VCU to 64 points in a five-point home loss Tuesday night.I thought everyone came in and battled, and you have to play well on the defensive end to have a chance, McKay said to the Lynchburg (Va.) News & Advance. And we had a chance.The Flames are expected to challenge Winthrop for the Big South Conference title with the return of four starters, plus the arrival of 6-7 freshman forward Brock Gardner. McKay, in his second stint as Liberty coach, said Gardner is the best player he has landed there since signing Seth Curry in 2008.Former Marquette guard John Dawson, a 6-2 senior, is the teams leading scorer at 14.5 points per game. Libertys tallest starter is 6-5, 255-pound forward Myo Baxter-Bell, which will put it at a serious disadvantage inside against the likes of Bryant and Anunoby.It is Indianas second game in the Indiana Classic and Libertys first. The Flames will host UMass Lowell, Mississippi Valley State and Central Penn in their other games in the event. The Hoosiers visit Fort Wayne and host Mississippi Valley State next week to finish their games in the event. Tony Fernandez Blue Jays Jersey . But now that hes in the NHL, the Calgary Flames centre showed big improvement in that department by scoring the winner in the eighth round of a 5-4 shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. Ryan Borucki Blue Jays Jersey .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/2126h-sean-reid-foley-jersey-blue-jays.html . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. Alfredo Griffin Blue Jays Jersey .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Roy Halladay Blue Jays Jersey . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. Since turning pro in 2009, Joe Smith Jr. has fought in relative anonymity.A union man and laborer by trade, Smith became a bit of an attraction on small club shows in New York and nearby Long Island, where he is from.Smith could punch a bit; he was fearless, and his local fans turned out to watch him. He had not lost since a fourth-round knockout in his seventh fight in 2010. But other than a 10-round decision victory in December 2015 against Will Rosinsky, who is not that big of a name either, Smiths resume was devoid of a recognizable opponent.But in June, Premier Boxing Champions came calling and made a deal with Star Boxing promoter Joe DeGuardia for Smith to face Polish light heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara on NBC in prime time in Fonfaras adopted hometown of Chicago.Fonfara, obviously, was the huge favorite. He had given light heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson a life-and-death fight in 2014 in a decision loss but was coming off two significant wins in a row. In April 2015, Fonfara beat up Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and made him quit after the ninth round. Then he outpointed former titleholder Nathan Cleverly in a tremendous slugfest six months later.Smith, 27, was supposed to be nothing more than a showcase/pit stop on Fonfaras way to another title shot. But Smith destroyed Fonfara, knocking him out in the first round in a huge upset.Suddenly, Smith had arrived, and a few months later he was the hand-picked opponent to face the great Bernard Hopkins, the 51-year-old legend who needed a dance partner for what he says will be his final fight.Philadelphias Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs) liked Smiths aggressiveness, the fact that he had a good record and that he was a young, hungry fighter -- but one the future Hall of Famer would be favored to defeat.And so they quickly made a deal -- a very easy one to do, both sides said -- and Hopkins will bow out -- win, lose or draw, he claims -- after their scheduled 12-round fight on Saturday (HBO, 10 p.m. ET/PT) at The Forum in Inglewood, California.Joe Smith, Jr., dares to be great. But this is something thats important to me, to end it my way and go up against not a cream puff, Hopkins said. I could have picked anybody to have went in there, and it would have been a joke, but Im not going to do that to my legacy. I have too much pride as a man, and thats why I chose the most dangerous opponent out there that really nobody wants to jump over and fight. I love the challenge, and Im taking the challenge head-on.The co-feature will pit 24-year-old featherweight up-and-comer Joseph JoJo Diaz (22-0, 13 KOs), a 2012 U.S. Olympian from South El Monte, California, against Horacio Violento Garcia (30-1-1, 22 KOs), 26, of Mexico, in a scheduled 10-rounder.In the opening bout, cruiserweight worrld titleholder Oleksandr Usyk (10-0, 9 KOs), 29, the 2012 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist for Ukraine, will make his first defense and his American debut against Thabiso The Rock Mchunu (17-2, 11 KOs), 28, of South Africa.ddddddddddddhe low-key Smith (22-1, 18 KOs), who born in 1989 -- the year after Hopkins turned professional -- is well aware that this fight represents the opportunity of a lifetime.If he wins, its even more career-making than the victory over Fonfara. If he loses, well, he lost to one of the best fighters of all time and will have raised his profile and have made a nice payday in the process. It really is a no-lose situation.Its a privilege to be on this card, Smith said. To take on a legend like Bernard is an opportunity I would have never expected. That said, come fight night, that wont matter because itll just be me and him in the ring. My team and I have been training to take on any of the styles Bernard may bring. Im excited for the night to come, and Im ready to put on a great show.DeGuardia, Smiths longtime promoter, has been nothing but respectful to Hopkins, but said he believes Smith can pull off another upset. He praised Smiths determination and his working-class spirit.I am proud to be associated with this fight. DeGuardia said. Joe Smith Jr. is symbolic of the American spirit. He gets up every morning working that sledgehammer, working with the union. Hes a proud member of the laborers union, Local 66, and hes going to bring over that hard work and dedication into the ring, and I think everybody is going to see a great night of boxing. After Joe Smith Jr. wins this fight, many doors will open, but he has to get through Bernard Hopkins first. Once he does that, every door in the world is his.I know were going to be seeing the final night for Bernard, and its going to be something really fitting, that a legend like Bernard is going to be taking on a young, hungry lion like Joe Smith, Jr. I think Bernard certainly deserves a lot of credit for taking on Joe Smith, and hes really going to be in for I think maybe a little bit of a surprise, the same way Fonfara was when Joe upset him and knocked him out this past June in the first round.Smith said that while he is grateful for the opportunity, he will not be in awe of Hopkins come fight night, nor will he get caught up in the hoopla surrounding his farewell.I just look at the person in front of me and just know that I need to do everything I can to beat that person, whether its a legend or a nobody, Smith said. Theyre there to hurt me and take everything I worked for. Thats how I look at every fight. It doesnt matter who he is. ' ' '