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The Raptors will close the residency Sunday

Danny Manning grew up watching Wake Forest play games at the Greensboro Coliseum, memories that linger in his mind all these years later. [url=http://www.vikingsauthenticshoponline.com/Youth-Jaleel-Johnson-Elite-Jersey/]Jaleel Johnson Vikings Jersey[/url] . He never thought one day hed coach the Demon Deacons. Manning, the former Kansas star who spent the past two seasons coaching Tulsa, was hired Friday as Wake Forests basketball coach. Hell be introduced at a news conference next week on campus in Winston-Salem, N.C., a short drive from where Manning grew up. "I spent a lot of my formative childhood years in North Carolina," Manning told The Associated Press on Friday at AT&T Stadium, the site of this weekends Final Four. "I spent the majority of my life in Kansas," Manning said, "but this was a chance to be a part of a university that I share the same values and history with." His hiring ends Wake Forests two-week search for a replacement for Jeff Bzdelik, who resigned under intense public pressure following four mostly unremarkable seasons. Manning, who was 38-29 with two post-season berths in two seasons at Tulsa, interviewed this week and toured the campus in Winston-Salem on Wednesday before taking the job two days later. His hiring is considered somewhat risky because of his lack of head coaching experience, but theres no question he brings instant name recognition to a program that dropped to near the bottom of the expanded Atlantic Coast Conference. "There have been very few players who have had as much success on the court as Danny," Wake Forest athletic director Ron Wellman said in a statement. "He has played for and worked under a number of legendary coaches and he has been successful in his coaching career. We fully expect that Dannys coaching career will reflect the excellence of his playing career." Manning attended Greensboro Page High School before his family moved to Lawrence, Kan., for his senior year, and when it was time to choose a college, he picked Kansas over North Carolina. After his "Danny and the Miracles" team won the national title in Kansas City, not far from the Jayhawks campus, Manning was drafted first overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in 1988. He made two All-Star teams during a career marred by injuries before joining coach Bill Selfs staff at Kansas in 2003. Responsible primarily for working with post players, Manning was promoted to assistant coach in 2006 and two years ago earned his first head coaching job at Tulsa. Self called Manning "one of the most accomplished, humble people youll ever meet." The 47-year-old Manning took the Golden Hurricane to the CBI in his first year and followed that by guiding them to the Conference USA tournament title and their first NCAA tournament berth since 2003. They earned a No. 13 seed and lost to UCLA in their tournament opener. Tulsa forward Rashad Smith said he found out about Mannings move through teammates and media reports, though he said the coach texted him shortly thereafter. Guard James Woodard said it was "kind of shocking. "You know in the back of your mind, the run we had this year, there would be a lot of opportunities out there," Woodard said. "Im happy for him." Wake Forest never came close to making the NCAA tournament under Bzdelik, who stepped down March 20. Bzdelik went 51-76 with a 17-51 record in ACC play, and won only two league road games. Eight players transferred out during his tenure, and the Demon Deacons have been one of the youngest programs in the country -- with only one fourth-year senior in each of the past two years. Barring any more transfers, Manning will inherit a team with eight players who are either juniors or redshirt juniors -- including promising big man Devin Thomas and tempo-setting guard Codi Miller-McIntyre. As details of Mannings hiring trickled across Twitter, Miller-McIntyre tweeted: "Finally its over! Time to get back to work." Manning called the Demon Deacons a "sleeping giant," one that he believes will be able to contend with Tobacco Road rivals Duke and North Carolina in the near future. "A few years back, they were ranked No. 1 in the country," Manning told AP. "Theyve had great players. Youre about Chris Paul, Tim Duncan, just to name a few, because theyve had quite a few. "Im looking forward to going there and being part of that great tradition." [url=http://www.vikingsauthenticshoponline.com/Youth-Pat-Elflein-Elite-Jersey/]Pat Elflein Womens Jersey[/url] . -- Mississippis Andrew Ritter said his game-winning, 41-yard field goal felt good off his foot. [url=http://www.vikingsauthenticshoponline.com/Youth-Dalvin-Cook-Elite-Jersey/]Dalvin Cook Youth Jersey[/url] . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Darcy Kuemper, Minnesota (5): He was calm, poised, and looked comfortable all game. [url=http://www.vikingsauthenticshoponline.com/Youth-Jaleel-Johnson-Elite-Jersey/]http://www.vikingsauthenticshoponline.com/Youth-Jaleel-Johnson-Elite-Jersey/[/url] . Jurrjens signed a minor league contract with Cincinnati in May, and was 2-3 with a 4.46 ERA at Triple-A Louisville. He has a 53-37 record with a 3.63 ERA in seven major league seasons, including five with Atlanta.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Toronto Raptors look to stay hot as they host the streaking Memphis Grizzlies at Air Canada Centre on Friday. Watch the Grizzlies vs. Raptors live tonight on TSN at 7pm et/4pm pt. The Grizzlies are seventh in the Western Conference and have won four in a row and 11 of their last 14 games, including an exciting 90-88 triumph at New Orleans Wednesday in the opener of a three-game road trip. Grizzlies guard Mike Conley lifted a layup over Hornets big man Anthony Davis with 1.5 seconds remaining for the game-winner. Conleys steal earlier set up a Tony Allen basket to make it 88-88 with 1:16 to go. New Orleans then missed its next three shots and Conley lifted Memphis to victory with a clutch shot. Conley had 16 points, Marc Gasol added 15 and both Zach Randolph and Allen netted 13 points. "It was a pretty win; everybody fought," Randolph said. "We came together, stepped it up, and it was a game. It was a team win." Since the All-Star break, the Grizzlies are averaging 101.1 points. Theyre still one of the best on defense this season, allowing just 94.8 ppg -- third- best in the NBA. Memphis will close the trip Saturday in Philadelphia and has an 18-12 mark away from FedExForum. It is 35-15 against teams outside the Southwest Division and 34-6 when outshootting the opposition. [url=http://www.vikingsauthenticshoponline.com/Youth-Pat-Elflein-Elite-Jersey/]Pat Elflein Youth Jersey[/url]. The Atlantic Division-leading Raptors have been playing just as well as the Grizzlies with wins in 10 of the last 13 games. They opened a three-game homestand with Wednesdays 101-87 besting of the Detroit Pistons, as DeMar DeRozan did his thing with 25 points and Amir Johnson added 20 and nine rebounds. DeRozan is averaging 23.8 points in the last 11 games. Kyle Lowry scored 19 points for Toronto, which prevailed for the third straight time at home and is 19-12 at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors, who are 15-4 in their last 19 home games, were able to snatch a win despite shooting 42 percent from the field. "We didnt shoot the ball that well, but pretty or not pretty, its a win for us, much needed," Raptors point guard Greivis Vasquez said. "Were playing good basketball. I think over the last two or three weeks we have been playing good basketball." Toronto is third in the East standings -- one game ahead of Chicago -- and three games in front of Brooklyn for Atlantic bragging rights. The Raptors will close the residency Sunday versus Phoenix and will try to sweep a season series from Memphis for the first time since 2007-08 (2-0). The Raptors posted a 103-87 win at Memphis on Nov. 13. Memphis has won four in a row north of the border. 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