HOUSTON -- No. 21 Baylor is looking to improve in its last tuneup game before conference play when the Bears visit Rice on Friday night.The Bears (2-0) beat SMU 40-13 on Saturday, but were disappointed with their start in that game that was tied 6-6 at halftime. They dont want to get off to a slow start against the Owls (0-3) in their first road game of the season. Baylor coach Jim Grobe said playing away from home for the first time makes him anxious, especially as it relates to the teams younger players.Besides playing in a hostile environment its just getting young guys to focus. Youre in an unfamiliar setting, youre in a different hotel, youre liable to find the youngest guys out in the hallway throwing ice at each other and running up and down the hallways and doing crazy stuff, Grobe said. We are not going on vacation, its not spring break, were going to play football.The Owls hope to avoid starting 0-3 for the second time in three seasons before Conference USA play begins on Sept. 24 against North Texas.Baylor aims to start 3-0 for the sixth straight season, which would be the longest such streak in school history. They open Big 12 play hosting Oklahoma State next weekend.Quarterback Seth Russell led Baylors second-half surge last weekend by throwing for one touchdown and running for another to start the third quarter and help the Bears pull away. Those scores were part of a performance where he threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 43 yards and another score.Some other things to know about the Baylor-Rice game:STEWART SHOWS OFFBaylor safety Orion Stewart showed his skills against SMU, finishing with eight tackles and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. It was a performance that earned him Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.He played really, really well and had a good amount of tackles, was a good leader back there and kind of calmed some of the younger guys down, Grobe said. Its always good when the young guys see the old guys step up because it kind of encourages them to play better.MISTAKE-PRONE OWLSThe Owls have been mistake-prone in their first two games and have fumbled four times and quarterback Tyler Stehling has thrown three interceptions.Offensively, were really struggling, Rice coach David Bailiff said. I think its that we have young men trying so hard that were making too many mistakes. We have got to find a way where they get their confidence back, they get their trust back.SUCCESS AGAINST RICEBaylor has won seven in a row against Rice and hasnt lost to the Owls since 1992. The Bears are 48-30-2 overall in the series and have been particularly successful in Houston, where theyve won eight of the past nine. The Owls havent had much success against ranked opponents and their last win over one came on Oct. 11, 1997, in a 27-14 victory over No. 21 BYU.RUSHING RECORDBaylor running back Shock Linwood is closing in on the schools all-time rushing record. Linwood has 156 yards rushing this season, putting him just 48 yards shy of breaking Walter Abercrombies career record of 3,665 yards. The senior needs one rushing touchdown to tie Alfred Anderson for the school-record of 35 career rushing touchdowns.NO FAN OF FRIDAY GAMESBailiff isnt exactly excited about playing on Friday night instead of having the usual Saturday game.This is just me growing up in this state. Friday night should be for high school football, he said. Saturday is college and Sunday and Monday night should be for NFL. The world is now out of whack. Were playing every night of the week. Thats just not how I was raised.----Online: APs college football site at http://collegefootball.ap.orgFake Shoes Ireland . 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The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead.BATTLE CREEK, Mich. -- Belgiums Laura Gonzalez Escallon won the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship on Sunday for her first Symetra Tour title when rain washed out at the final round.Play began on time Sunday at 7:30 a.m., but was halted at 9:25 a.m. Rain and lightning continued through the early afternoon and play didnt resume.The 25-year-old Gonzalez matched the Symetra Tours 36-hole scoring record of 15-under 129 at Battle Creek Country Club, shooting a 65 on Friday and a course-record 64 on Saturday to open a six-stroke lead over Ally McDonald.It feels awesome, but it hasnt sunk in yet because I was just trying to focus on my round, said Gonzalez Escallon, who was at her host familys house off the seventh hole when she got the news. When I got the email, I called my mom and told her the good news because she has been waiting and it is late at home in Belgium. Im really happy about the win.Gonzalez Escallon earned $15,000 and a spot in The Evian Championship in September.Its amazing to get to go to Evian, iit will be my first ever LPGA event and it is a major, the former Purdue player said.dddddddddddd. I also get to go home so that is a good thing. I was trying to find an excuse to go home and now I have one. I will go to Evian and then enjoy a week off at home and then fly back to finish the Symetra Tour season.Gonzalez Escallon jumped from 38th to 16th on the money list with $31,053. The top 10 at the end of the season will earn LPGA Tour cards.My dream is to play on the LPGA so it would be great to get into the top 10 instead of going through Q-School, which is a really tough week, Gonzalez Escallon said. If I can play good golf the rest of year, it would help going to the LPGA knowing I can play consistently.McDonald also earned a spot in The Evian. She birdied her final hole Saturday for a 66.McDonald is second on the money list with $71,728. Madelene Sagstrom leads with $123,678. ' ' '
