ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Although Rutgers is 3-0 for the first time in eight years, Steve Pikiell isnt ready to make any declarations about his team just yet.Weve got a long ways to go, the first-year coach said. Im happy weve got to a good start, but it doesnt mean a whole heck of a lot to me, honestly.Were just trying to get these guys in the mode of defending and rebounding. It helps you win basketball games.Corey Sanders had 15 points, Mike Williams added 14 and nine rebounds and the Scarlet Knights used the defense-and-rebounding formula for a 66-59 victory over DePaul in the Gavitt Tip-Off Games on Thursday night.Deshawn Freeman added nine points and nine rebounds as the Scarlet Knight built a 46-27 rebounding edge.Eli Cain had 24 points on 8-for-13 shooting to lead DePaul.Billy Garrett had just five points for the Blue Demons (1-1) on 1-for-11 shooting before fouling out with more than eight minutes remaining.I can get a little bit concerned because its the second game in a row where hes got in foul trouble and hasnt shot the ball well, DePaul coach Dave Leitao said.You cant be talked about as one of the top seven, eight or nine best players in the (Big East) and not play well. Thats something we have to figure out.DePaul freshman Devin Gage suffered a right shoulder injury when he fell hard to the court with just under 12 minutes left. He did not return.Rutgers took control with a 12-2 run for a 31-22 lead. The Scarlet Knights had a 33-26 halftime advantage.Both teams shot poorly in the first half, but the difference for Rutgers was an 11-0 edge in second-chance points and a 29-8 first-half rebounding advantage.The Scarlet Knights continued to expand the lead at the beginning of the second half and took a 54-32 advantage (their biggest of the game) on a basket by Shaquille Doorson with 10:39 to play.I thought our guys were kind of locked in and did a really good job defensively, Pikiell said. Weve become a much improved defensive team and were a good rebounding team.DePaul made a furious late rally using pressure to pull within six points in the final minute, but dug too deep a hole.I think the beginning of the second half killed us, Cain said. We really couldnt get anything good on the offensive end.BIG PICTURERutgers: Although the Scarlet Knights are unbeaten, its way too early to tell whether the program is on the rebound. So far, the competition has been underwhelming (Molloy, Drexel and DePaul) and there was plenty not to like about this performance. Still, the defense and rebounding provide a good foundation to build upon.DePaul: The Blue Demons dont have a lot of offensive firepower to begin with, so scoring is especially difficult when Garrett has a poor shooting night. The lack of a post presence put all the pressure to provide offense on Cain, who had 21 points in the opener against Robert Morris.OLD FRIENDSPikiell and Leitao both were assistants under former Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun. Pikiell also played for Calhoun at UConn.Dave Leitao is like my hero, Pikiell said. He was my coach at UConn, I worked with him, he was mentor and I know what a great coach he is.UP NEXTRutgers looks to stay unbeaten when it hosts Niagara on Sunday.DePaul plays the second of three straight home games Sunday against Milwaukee. Jannik Hansen Jersey .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open. Martin Jones Jersey .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. http://www.cheapsharksjerseyschina.com/tim-heed-jersey/ . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. Melker Karlsson Jersey . The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling "puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," the 27-year-old Troicki said in a statement. "I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didnt know," said Troicki, whose ranking peaked at No. Joe Thornton Jersey . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. MINNEAPOLIS -- Heres a look at Sundays preseason games around the NFL. (All times EDT):THE SHIP COMES INSan Diego at Minnesota, 1 p.m.The Vikings will take the field in their gleaming new stadium for the first time, showing off the $1.1 billion venue to their fans -- and the Chargers, whose 15-year quest to replace aged Qualcomm Stadium has yielded only uncertainty about the franchises future in San Diego. An attempt to move to Los Angeles last winter was blocked by the Rams and the NFL.The Vikings were once a candidate to move, but theyre not going anywhere now with light-filled, ship-shaped U.S. Bank Stadium now towering over the east edge of downtown Minneapolis where the Metrodome once stood. After a public open house, an international soccer exhibition and a couple of concerts, from country singer Luke Bryan to hard-rocking Metallica, its finally time for football under the translucent roof.Hopefully we can make this a home, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said.Running back Adrian Peterson will just be a spectator against the Chargers.The 10th-year veteran, who has not taken a preseason snap since 2011, was given the choice of whether or not to play a few downs but opted not to.I just really thought about it and didnt feel like it was the best thing, Peterson said.An awkward season for the Chargers has started as poorly as possible with the holdout of defensive end Joey Bosa, the third pick in the draft whose representatives have clashed with the front office over seemingly minor structures to his contract.HONEY BADGER IS BACKArizona at Houston, 4:25 p.m.Cardinals all-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu, who came off the physically unable to perform list last week after finishing his recovery from a torn ACL in his right knee that kept him out of the playoffs last winter, will make his preseason debut with 10 to 12 plays against the Texans. So will cornerback Justin Bethel, who had foot surgery in the spring and is competing with Mike Jenkins and rookie Brandon Williams for the starting cornerback spot opposite Patrick Peterson.The Cardinals, after advancing further into the NFLs elite with a 13-3 regular-season finish in 2015, will undoubtedly be looking around at Houstons NRG Stadium and pondering the possibility of a February return for the Super Bowl.The Texans will have a valuable opportunity to test their passing game against one of the leagues best defenses, with new quarterbaack Brock Osweiler aiming to build off a solid performance last week against New Orleans when he led the first team to 13 points in the first half.ddddddddddddRookie wide receiver Will Fuller, a key addition to the offense, was the target on the touchdown pass against the Saints and finished with 73 yards on four catches.LOOKING AT LAFELLCincinnati at Jacksonville, 8 p.m.One of the biggest issues for the Bengals this season will be the replacement of wide receivers Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu, their top two targets behind star A.J. Green who left as free agents. Second-round draft pick Tyler Boyd has impressed the team in limited action in the first two exhibition games, including a 40-yard catch in the opener and a diving 26-yard grab to go with a 12-yard touchdown reception last week.Brandon LaFell is the other newcomer, having left New England to join the Bengals, but an injured right hand that kept him out of the first two games has kept his impact on the offense more of a mystery. The seventh-year veteran is expected to play for the first time at Jacksonville, an important step toward building chemistry with quarterback Andy Dalton.Theyve practiced together for three and a half weeks, but the game is a little different because you can get tackled, coach Marvin Lewis said. Thats the biggest difference. Its a positive for him to get an opportunity to play.The Jaguars will be closely watching left tackle Kelvin Beachum, playing his first game since tearing the ACL in his left knee last October.After signing a five-year, $45 million contract with Jacksonville, the former Pittsburgh Steelers starter sat out the teams entire offseason program and the first two exhibition games while completing his recovery from reconstructive surgery. The Jaguars have slid over Luke Joeckel, the second overall pick in the 2013 draft, to left guard in attempt to solidify an offensive line that allowed an NFL-high 122 sacks the last two years.Jacksonvilles first-team offense will be out to replicate sharp performances in the first two preseason games. In five possessions, the Jaguars starters have produced three touchdowns and a field goal for 24 points.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL coverage on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Discount NFL Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys 2019 NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '