Termine » and is 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in three career games

Some nonconference games make teams feel good -- but give them an inflated sense of where they are on the food chain. Then there are those that deflate them -- but provide a needed reality check.Its OK to have a mixture of both, but best not to scrimp on the latter, tempting as that might be at times.Texas lost three senior starters from last seasons 31-5 Elite Eight team: center Imani Boyette, who had a solid rookie year with the WNBAs Chicago Sky, and experienced guards Celina Rodrigo and Empress Davenport.Especially without the 6-foot-7 Boyette anchoring things inside, Texas has a different look this year and will need some youthful contributions right away. But coach Karen Aston didnt want to sugarcoat reality for the Longhorns. So along with two blowout victories, theyve already had two this is what its really about games -- and are about to have three more of those in succession.That starts with a visit from third-ranked South Carolina on Thursday (ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET). Then Sunday, the Longhorns face No. 2 UConn in the Jimmy V Classic in Uncasville, Connecticut, (ESPN, 4 p.m. ET). On Dec. 11, Texas will host No. 22 Tennessee (4:30 p.m. ET).No. 14 Texas (2-2) opened the season with a 71-59 loss at Stanford on Nov. 14. The Longhorns made another tough road trip on Nov. 20, losing 79-68 at Mississippi State. The Cardinal are currently ranked No. 11, and the Bulldogs are No. 6.We could not be playing these guys, and [then] my young kids probably would have a bit of a grand illusion of what Division I basketball is all about, Aston said. And what playing in the Big 12 and going to the postseason are all about.We have a lot of young players who need to grow up fast for our team to be successful. And I think its the best way for them to grow up, even though it is painful and not fun. For them to realize: This is what competition on every possession looks like.The Longhorns finished last season on an 86-65 loss to UConn in the regional final. Nine players are back, including starters Brooke McCarty and Ariel Atkins, both junior guards. Theyre joined by four newcomers who are eligible this season; a fifth new player, transfer Jatarie White from South Carolina, will be sitting out.Realistically, one of the returners -- forward Khaleann Caron-Goudreau -- is more on the newcomer side; she sat out last season at Texas as a transfer. She is joined in Austin this year by twin Audrey-Ann Caron-Goudreau, who led Gulf Coast State (Florida) to the Division I junior college national championship last season.The sisters are both 6-4 and eventually should be able to help fill in the gap left by Boyette, joining 6-5 senior Kelsey Lang. Khaleann recently returned to play after being sidelined by injury, while Audrey-Ann has made two starts. And dynamic freshman Joyner Holmes, a 6-3 guard/forward, is averaging 11.5 points and a team-high 6.0 rebounds.But theres no question that the Longhorns will rely a lot on their greater experience at guard while their post game grows. And thats where McCarty is ready to step forward.She was the Longhorns leading scorer at 11.8 points per game last year -- shooting 41.4 percent from 3-point range -- and has upped her average to 16.3 PPG so far this season.Brooke is a gym rat, Aston said of how obsessively diligent McCarty is about getting her work in. What is difficult for her is to try to get somebody else to do their work. But I think for them to hear her voice is important. The challenge for her is, When do I get on them, and when do I give them a pat on the back?Its an extension of the coach, and sometimes those things are a challenge for a coach, too. How hard do I push them, and when do I ease up? Thats the same way a point guard feels, and now shes getting that feeling that I have to manage our team.McCarty has played point guard before, but Rodrigo really carried the emotional weight as team leader last year. McCarty uses her height as a bit of fuel. At 5-4, she heard the too small comments at times before she got to college, but didnt let them discourage her. Just the opposite, in fact.You find out your strengths, and use them against people, said McCarty, who is from League City, Texas, in the greater Houston area. I know that maybe I can out-quick them, and I can shoot the ball from deep. I can extend the floor, not just to get opportunities for me, but for my teammates.The 5-11 Atkins is the Longhorns second-leading scorer at 13.5 PPG, and 5-9 guards Brianna Taylor (7.5 PPG) and Lashann Higgs (6.0 PPG) are also important parts of Texas perimeter game.I feel like were kind of a confidence-booster for our posts, McCarty said of the guard corps. They can learn off of us, and we can help build them up.Texas lost just once at home last season: to Big 12 champ and all-around nemesis Baylor. Then the Longhorns fell to the Lady Bears again at Baylor, and a third time in the Big 12 tournament title game in Oklahoma City.Aston doesnt avoid what she calls the elephant in the room: Baylors dominance in the Big 12 the past several years. Texas last win against the Lady Bears was in 2010. Texas has lost 14 in a row to Baylor; Aston is 0-10 against the Lady Bears since taking over in the 2012-13 season.But the rest of the Big 12 has faced that same reality against Baylor. Texas knows the only thing to do is keep improving, and that means taking on big challenges. Which is exactly what Texas is doing now.You look at, What can this do for us and be a positive? Aston said. Were young, and you have to try to get them to understand the process of all of this. 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ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves, last in the majors with 65 homers, will finally have a right-handed power bat in the lineup when they open a three-game series Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Turner Field.Matt Kemp, acquired late Saturday, had 23 homers with San Diego and the Braves are counting on him to be a part of their reboot going into a new ballpark in 2017 and a return to contention by 2018.We look at this as probably the first piece of starting to look at what were going to do this winter, as far as adding other pieces into this mix, Braves president of baseball operations John Hart said.Meanwhile, the Pirates are still hoping to make it to the postseason for a fourth straight year despite trading closer Mark Melancon on Saturday and possessing a 52-51 record after being swept in a weekend series at Milwaukee.Were not giving up on anything, Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. Were not lowering the bar. Were not settling.Left-hander Tony Watson will take over as the closer and the Pirates were busy Monday ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline making other pitching changes.Right-handed starter Ivan Nova was acquired from the New York Yankees for two players to be named later and veteran left-hander Jon Niese was sent back to the New York Mets in exchange for former Pirates lefty Anthony Bastardo.Then right at the deadline, left-hander Francisco Liriano was sent to the Toronto Blue Jays along with two prospects for right-hander Drew Hutchinson, who has spent most of the season in Triple-A.Liriano is owed $13 million next season and had struggled mightily in 2016, going 6-11 with a 5.46 ERA.The Braves started their massive teardown and rebuild two years ago,, dealing away veteran players rather than acquiring them.dddddddddddd The 31-year-old Kemp, though, fills a need; the remaining three years on his contract are partially covered by the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, and the deal subtracted unwanted Hector Olivera.The Braves, quiet at the Monday afternoon deadline, held on to veteran reliever Jim Johnson, who saved four games while winning National League Player of the Week on Monday.Gerrit Cole, coming off a career first, will start the series opener for the Pirates against the Braves Mike Foltynewicz.Cole (6-6, 2.78 ERA) threw the first complete game of his career on Wednesday against Seattle and is 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in three career games against the Braves.He allowed three hits and one run to the Mariners, striking out six without allowing a walk. Of his 94 pitches, 70 were strikes.The right-hander was on the disabled list for a month with a strained right triceps before returning to the Pirates rotation on July 17.Foltynewicz (4-4, 4.30 ERA) gave up five runs in three innings on May 19 in a loss at Pittsburgh, but has pitched much better at home than on the road this season. The right-hander has a 2.83 ERA in Atlanta compared to 5.40 on the road.The series is Pittsburghs last visit to Turner Field. They have good memories at the 20-year-old downtown ballpark that was once the main facility of the 1996 Olympics.The Pirates clinched a spot in the 2014 postseason at Turner Field and celebrated in the visitors clubhouse.Pittsburgh took three of four games against the Braves in Pittsburgh this year. China Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Jerseys Online ' ' '