Jones, who was looking to atone for the four interception

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies are showing a knack for pulling out close games.The Philadelphia 76ers were just too young and too short-handed to stop that trend.Marc Gasol had 26 points and 12 rebounds, and Memphis finally put away the 76ers 96-91 on Tuesday night.The victory was the Grizzlies 11th straight that either went to OT or was decided by five points or fewer. Grizzlies coach David Fizdale said he hasnt determined the formula that allows the Grizzlies to escape in close encounters.All I know is that group in (the locker room) really believes in each other, and when it gets tough, they dig in, Fizdale said. They know how to rise to the occasion when it calls for it.To keep the streak going, Memphis scored the games final seven points, erasing Philadelphias lead with less than 2 minutes remaining, sending the Sixers to their eighth straight loss.We are all professionals, and we cant make excuses, said Philly forward Ersan Ilyasova, who led the Sixers with season bests of 23 points and 17 rebounds. We have no margin for error.Injuries and rest left the 76ers with only nine players dressed. But Philadelphia was scrappy enough to stay close until the closing minutes.When Dario Saric, who had 17 points, scored inside, the Sixers led 91-89 with 1:57 remaining. But Zach Randolph, who had 12 points and 14 rebounds, scored inside and Memphis made enough free throws in the closing minutes.JaMychal Green finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, including a pair of free throws with 4 seconds left to seal the Grizzlies fourth straight win and 10th in the last 13.Philadelphia committed 16 turnovers and was 13 of 26 from the foul line, contributing to the downfall.We came down with nine guys, and you are playing against a veteran, tough, playoff, hard Memphis team, Sixers coach Brett Brown said. We had a chance to win the game, and I was proud of their effort.TIP-INSSixers: Earlier Tuesday, Philadelphia announced the hiring of recently retired forward Elton Brand as player development consultant. ... Philadelphia has dropped nine straight in the series, including a 104-99 double-overtime loss on Nov. 23. ... The Sixers, who lead the league in turnovers at 17.4 a game, committed 11 in the first half.Grizzlies: Randolph played in his 1,000th career game -- 494 with the Grizzlies. ... Rookie Wade Baldwin recorded his first double-digit scoring game with 11 points. ... Memphis is 6-0 on the second night of back-to-backs.RANDOLPH RETURNSRandolph returned to the team after missing seven games following the death of his mother, Mae, on Thanksgiving Day. He received a standing ovation from the crowd when he entered the game in the first quarter. It felt great to be back, the veteran forward said. With my brothers out here and to compete. . Getting back into the mix and doing what I love.SHORT-HANDED SQUADSSixers: Were without Jerryd Bayless (left wrist soreness); Robert Covington (left knee sprain); Joel Embiid (Rest), Nerlens Noel (inflamed left knee); Jahlil Okafor (gastroenteritis), Ben Simmons (acute fracture, right foot). For the Grizzlies: G Mike Conley (back injury), G Vince Carter (right hip injury), F Chandler Parsons (left knee soreness), F Brandan Wright (left ankle) and F James Ennis (right calf injury) all were out.FUMBLED AWAYTurnover problems plagued the Sixers down the stretch, allowing Memphis to pull away. After Memphis tied the game at 91, Philadelphia committed turnovers on consecutive possessions. On the next possession, the Sixers had four misses, including three tip attempts, and didnt score the rest of the way.UP NEXTSixers: Continue their road trip, heading down the Mississippi River to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday.Grizzlies: Will play the second of three home games this week on Thursday, facing the Portland Trail Blazers. Cheap Nike Air Max 97 For Sale .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Cheap Air Max 97 China . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. http://www.airmax97cheap.com/ . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. Air Max 97 Sale Cheap . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p. Air Max 97 Clearance .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. DURHAM, N.C. -- Virginia has much less in the playbook -- and is doing so much more.With a defensive game plan that first-year coach Bronco Mendenhall called the simplest plan we had yet, the Cavaliers intercepted five passes and forced six turnovers in a 34-20 victory over Duke on Saturday.The five interceptions tied the program record, last accomplished against Miami in 2010.The execution, it matches the current level of our players understanding of the playbook, Mendenhall said. Im still getting to learn them. Theyre still getting to know me.Kurt Benkert threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns, finishing 23 of 41 with touchdowns covering 28 yards to David Eldridge, 12 yards to Olamide Zaccheaus and 3 yards to Richard Burney.Albert Reid also had a short TD run to help the Cavaliers (2-3, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) snap their 17-game road losing streak.The execution appears, I think, to all of us to be improving, and the culture as we all know, was the emphasis to begin, Mendenhall said. Its starting. ... But its fun to see the players happy. Its fun to see the players see that its coming.Joseph Ajeigbes 4-yard touchdown run with 11:34 left pulled Duke to 27-20, and the Blue Devils had the ball inside Virginia territory twice after that but were stopped on downs both times.Daniel Jones threw five interceptions for Duke (2-3, 0-2), and fumbled in his own end zone with 4:24 left after a hard hit from Jordan Mack. Eli Hamback recovered for the touchdown that put the Cavaliers back up by two touchdowns.THE TAKEAWAYVirginia: These Cavaliers looked nothing like the crew that was routed by Richmond in the opener, made Mendenhall a winner in his first ACC game and earned their first road win since a 2012 rout at North Carolina State.Richmond doesnt even feel like this year, Mendenhall said.This time, they did it with defense. After failing to force a turnover in its first two games, Virginia now has nine takeaways in the last three weeks. Juan Thornhill and Bryce Hall had two interceptions apiece.Duke: The Blue Devils pretty much squandered whatever goodwill thhey generated by beating Notre Dame last week, largely because they couldnt take care of the ball.dddddddddddd Jones, who threw three interceptions in his first four games, surpassed that total by throwing four of them in 20 minutes of the first half.Coach David Cutcliffe bristled at a reporter who asked if hed considered replacing Jones with backup Parker Boehme, saying that if I would have considered it, I would have done it, OK?With this loss, its fair to wonder if Duke -- which still faces road games at No. 3 Louisville, No. 14 Miami and Pittsburgh -- will find the four more wins it needs to qualify for its fifth straight bowl game.PLAY OF THE DAYDuke trailed by a touchdown with 98 yards to go and less than 5 minutes to play. It set up a possible Joe Montana-type moment for Jones, who was looking to atone for the four interceptions hed thrown at that point. Scanning to his left for a receiver, he never saw Mack flying in from the right side. Mack leveled him and knocked the ball free, and Hamback pounced on it for the touchdown that sealed it, and Jones threw his fifth interception on the Duke possession that followed.STAT LINEBenkert has thrown for 757 yards and eight touchdowns in his last two games. The East Carolina transfer set the program record with 421 yards against Central Michigan , and was on pace to break that mark before the Cavaliers slowed things down in the fourth quarter. Hes a throw-first guy, Mendenhall said, and I think hes good at it.UP NEXTVirginia: Its all ACC opponents remaining for the Cavaliers, who have an idle weekend before playing host to Pittsburgh on Oct. 15.Duke: The Blue Devils step back out of league play to host Army, but then they have only six days to get ready for a Friday night visit to Louisville on Oct. 14.---Follow Joedy McCreary at http://twitter.com/joedyap. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/joedy-mccreary---AP college football site: http://collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '