a double-double in the first half with 10 points and nine rebounds

TORONTO - The Raptors and Nets dont like each other, even after one playoff game that has been made abundantly clear. If youre looking to trace back that animosity, start with Torontos one-point victory at Barclays Center in late January. There was a playoff-type buzz in the building that night. DeMar DeRozan sat out with an ankle injury, Kyle Lowry and Paul Pierce both turned in playoff-type performances. There were 18 lead changes, nine ties and three technical fouls - on Lowry, Piece and Kevin Garnett - later, the Raptors stole the game, literally, as Patrick Patterson picked off a Deron Williams pass and hit the winner. "This is a team we could see in the playoffs," uttered multiple voices in both locker rooms and at that point we knew, somehow, some way it was bound to become a reality. Terrence Ross continued to foreshadow a couple days later, listing the Nets as a preferred playoff opponent. Andray Blatche was not amused. Meanwhile, the Nets also had Toronto on their wish list as they rested players and lost games to maximize the odds of this matchup coming to fruition. The Raptors were not amused, at least they shouldnt have been. Then the war of words started. "[Expletive] Brooklyn," yelled Raptors president, general manager and hype man Masai Ujiri as he addressed thousands of fans outside the Air Canada Centre prior to Saturdays Game 1. Reluctantly, he delivered a halftime apology, more for the choice of phrasing than the message itself. Hes not alone in that sentiment. "That should represent how we all feel," Dwane Casey said after his team fell victim to the veteran savvy of Brooklyn in the series opener. "I feel the same way and Ive got his back," added Greivis Vasquez. "We dont like any of them either. Thats how we all feel. All of us." Nets coach Jason Kidd said he didnt know who the Raptors GM was and on Sunday the barbs continued to fly. "Im shocked that Bryan Colangelo would say that," Pierce said to the New York Post, informed of what the opposing GM had to say the day before. Reminded that Ujiri replaced Colangelo in the Raptors front office last summer, as if he were somehow unaware, Pierce responded, "I dont know what youre talking about." Theres genuine hostility here. Its not manufactured, though the media has helped fan the flames. "Raptors vs. Dinosaurs," read the Toronto Sun cover on game day, poking fun at the age of Pierce and Garnett. "Dont F*** With Bklyn," the New York Daily News shot back 24 hours later. This has the makings of a competitive, heated series, but rivalry? "I dont think its a rivalry at all," Kyle Lowry said following a Sunday afternoon practice session outside of the Raptors gym on the third level of the ACC. Hes right. Neither team will call this a rivalry and neither should. Territorially, the Nets and the Knicks are natural adversaries, while the Nets - especially with former Celtics Pierce and Garnett on board - have their sites set on throwing down with the Heat, who they defeated four times this season. The Raptors? They dont have a rival. Thats the unfortunate reality of qualifying for the playoffs six times in 19 seasons. For the bulk of their existence, and especially during a recent five-year postseason layoff, theyve been their own worst enemy. "I dont know," said Casey, "rivalry?" "I think the whole Atlantic Divisions a rivalry, the Eastern Conference. We havent got to the spot yet where we can say, Hey, theyre a rival. New Jerseys been to the Finals before, we havent. A lot of teams in our division have been there, where were trying to get to. Weve got to earn that." Thats their focus right now, as it should be. Earning it. The Raptors lost Game 1, not because of Ujiri, not because of anything that was said or done off the floor. They lost because they were outplayed by a team that was not fazed by the moment, by their surroundings. The ACC was electric on Saturday and the sellout crowd did their part, and then some. The building looked and sounded like the "living hell" that Ujiri has called for over and over again. Chants of "Nets suck" and "KG sucks" rang down from the stands throughout the afternoon. Is Toronto a basketball town? It sure seemed like it for three hours but one thing is for certain, its a sports city and as such, it craves that rivalry. It still boos Vince Carter, it still shows up to jeer the Knicks, a former playoff foe from the Raptors "glory days". It would like nothing more than to believe that Brooklyn is the enemy, and for at least three more games they will be. Then what? It depends on what happens here. Rivalries are made in the playoffs and a long, emotional, drawn-out series, almost regardless of the result, would go a long way in prolonging the underlying hatred between these two clubs. For now its being put to the side, at least in the Raptors locker room, where bouncing back and evening the series is now a top priority. Aside from a brief quip to lead off his media scrum - "I promise you I wont have any profanity" - Casey wanted no part in discussing Ujiris controversial speech from the day before. Neither did his players. A war of words may not lose them this series, but it wont win it either. On Sunday the message was clear; a little less conversation, a little more action, please. "This is about basketball," said the Raptors coach. "All that stuff has happened." "All the other stuff, what was said, its about basketball. Its about screening. Its about finishing plays. Its about executing defensively. I dont want to get off on another tangent." Darius Slayton Womens Jersey . 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Seven NHL referees and six linesmen will be assigned upcoming games in Sochi by the IIHF as part of their 28-man officiating roster comprised of 14 refs and 14 linesmen.PEORIA, Ill. -- Wichita State is all alone in the record book. Again using a balanced offence and tenacious defence, the second-ranked Shockers became the first Division I team to reach 30-0 in the regular season with a 69-49 victory over Bradley on Tuesday night. "To be the first and only team in college basketball to win 30 without a loss in the regular season," Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said when asked about his theme for the game. "I realize were playing more games ... but it has never happened in the regular season. "So its a first. And these guys like to be the first, and the best." Ron Baker had 15 points to lead four Wichita State players in double figures as the Shockers became the 11th team to reach 30-0, the previous 10 all hitting the 30-win mark during post-season play. The last team to reach 30-0 was UNLV in 1990-91. The Runnin Rebels went 34-0 that season before losing to Duke in the national semifinals. The Shockers (30-0, 17-0 Missouri Valley Conference) have one more regular-season game, at home Saturday against Missouri State. The last team to finish a regular season unbeaten was Saint Josephs in 2003-04 at 27-0. The next season, Illinois got to 29-0 before losing its regular-season finale at Ohio State. A barrage of 3-pointers early in the second half broke it open for Wichita State, which beat Bradley (12-18, 7-10) for the 10th straight time and second this season. After Bradley trimmed a 10-point halftime deficit to eight, Shockers point guard Fred VanVleet made consecutive 3s for a 14-point lead, the visitors largest to that point. By the 12:50 mark, Cleanthony Early had added a 3-pointer and Baker made two 3s off screens for a 50-32 lead. Wichita State finished the game 11 of 21 from beyond the arc, with four players making two or more. Bradley was 4 of 14. "End-of-shot-clock 3s. That was it," Bradley coach Geno Ford said. "Im not saying we were going to win, but you hold them to seven offensive rebounds and have just six turnovers? Ill take it.dddddddddddd "The difference was late-shot-clock 3s and their length at the basket." Ford went on to laud the Shockers defence. "At the rim, they have unbelievable length," Ford said. "Its length and it comes from anywhere. Even (6-foot-3) Baker. "Theyre absolutely terrific at help and recover, and they deny (wing passes). You cant find five teams in the country with that (combination)." Tyshon Pickett finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds for Bradley after nearly reaching a double-double in the first half with 10 points and nine rebounds. Pickett was just 5-of-20 from the field and leading scorer Walt Lemon Jr. was 6 for 20 and had 18 points. "I hate to get beat on the glass," Marshall said of his teams 37-36 rebound disadvantage. "But (Pickett) was a monster. He beasted us a little." Tekele Cotton scored 13 points, Early 12 and VanVleet had 11 for Wichita State, a Final Four participant a year ago. Reserve Darius Carter added nine points and seven rebounds and had one of the Shockers six blocked shots. Miserable shooting prevented Bradley from mounting much of a threat. The Braves were at 25 per cent (11 for 44) through 30 minutes and finished 16 for 59 (27.1 per cent). Bradley was playing host to its highest-ranked opponent since 1982, when then-No. 2 Wichita State lost 55-47 to the Braves who went on to win the NIT. The Shockers led 35-25 at halftime after holding the Braves to 8-of-34 shooting (23.5 per cent). The game was a matchup of the top two defensive teams in the conference, though Wichita State (60.8 points per game) leads Bradley (65.5) comfortably. Offensively, Wichita State is also the MVCs best (75.8) while Bradley (63.8) is last. The No. 2 ranking equals the highest ranking in Wichita State history, matching the 1981-82 team. ' ' '