RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina States Matt Dayes is back from injury and determined to be the programs first 1,000-yard rusher in more than a decade. And hes got plenty of help, too, in a backfield that will carry a big load this season for the Wolfpack.N.C. State opens the season Thursday against William & Mary of the Championship Subdivision with a pair of inexperienced quarterbacks. And that could cause first-year coordinator Eli Drinkwitz to lean heavily on that backfield, which has plenty of options from Dayes to do-everything threat Jaylen Samuels.I think its going to be a huge weapon, Samuels said. With all the running backs weve got . weve just got a lot of guys who can do a lot of different things. Its going to put a lot on defenses with all our motions and shifts, just getting their eyes in the right place.Dayes had run for 865 yards and 12 touchdowns with five 100-yard games before suffering a foot injury that sidelined him for the final five games. The senior was limited in the spring while rehabbing the injury after surgery. He said he had some soreness early on in preseason camp but is 100 percent.Hes trying to become the first N.C. State rusher to crack 1,000 yards since T.A. McLendon in 2002.I want to pass 1,000 because I know I can get 1,000, Dayes said. I know I have a great group of O-linemen that are going to help me do that. Im not even worried about that right now because I know its going to come. Im just trying to do what I can do for the team at this moment.Behind Dayes on the depth chart is redshirt junior Dakwa Nichols and sophomore Reggie Gallaspy II, who played well against Syracuse and North Carolina after Dayes injury. Theres also redshirt freshman Johnny Frasier, a former four-star instate recruit who first committed to Florida State before flipping to N.C. State.Throw in Samuels -- who had a combined 16 rushing and receiving scores, and the Wolfpack will have no shortage of options.As for Drinkwitz, hes proven hes willing to run the ball.He was co-coordinator at Arkansas State in 2013, helping direct a Red Wolves offense that averaged nearly 45 rushing attempts and 206 yards per game.Drinkwitz served as Boise States offensive coordinator last year. The Broncos averaged about 191 yards rushing last year, ending the year with 277 yards and four scores on 56 attempts in a blowout win against Northern Illinois in the Poinsettia Bowl.Elis got a challenge in front of him like all offensive coordinators do in the first year of putting the pieces together, fourth-year head coach Dave Doeren said. The nice thing for him is hes got some weapons around him to use and I look forward to seeing how he does that.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap and the APs college football site at http://collegefootball.ap.org Cheap Stan Smith White . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. Buy Adidas Ultra Boost . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. http://www.stansmithdiscount.com/discount-stan-smith-shoes.html . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. Cheap Stan Smith Pink .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. Cheap Adidas Ultra Boost White . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. "Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a good thing. HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets were determined to make up for losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in their season opener. It was clear from the beginning Wednesday night that things would be different this time around.Eric Gordon made a career-high eight 3-pointers and scored 26 points to help the Rockets cruise to a 134-95 victory.James Harden added 25 points in three quarters. The Rockets scored a season high and extended their winning streak to a season-best four games.They have a lot of good road wins and for us that first game we played this season we lost so we wanted a get-back game, Harden said.The Rockets were up by 12 in the third quarter, then had a 22-6 run to make it 96-68 and put the game out of reach with about 3 minutes left in the quarter. Houston made four 3-pointers and got a nifty one-handed dunk from Clint Capela in that run to pad the lead.Gordon already had four 3-pointers 7 minutes into the first quarter after making each of his first four attempts. It was his seventh straight game with at least four 3-pointers, which is a franchise record.Im just settling in on my role and my role is definitely to bring a different energy and scoring, playmaking with the second unit, he said. Im settling in and its getting better and better. Teammates look for me and its just up to me to knock down shots.Houston has its longest winning streak since taking five straight in January.Lou Williams led the Lakers with 24 points. They have lost four in a row, their longest skid of the season.We just didnt play well, he said. It was just one of those nights where we didnt respond to anything that was going on.The Rockets led by 18 after a layup by Gordon to start the second quarter. It was the only shot he made that wasnt a 3-pointer. The Lakers got going after that, using a 17-6 run to cut the lead to 51-44 about five minutes before halftime. Brandon Ingram made two 3-pointers in that stretch and Jordan Clarkson capped the run withh a 3.ddddddddddddHouston got back on track after that and had pushed the lead to 67-52 with 1.4 second left in the half. Lou Williams cut the deficit after that when he hit a 3-pointer from beyond half court at the buzzer.TIP-INSLakers: Coach Luke Walton said DAngelo Russell (sore left knee) is getting better but he isnt sure when hell return. ... Williams scored more than 20 points for the ninth time this season. ... Julius Randle added 21 points and 10 rebounds.Rockets: Scored a season-high 43 points in the first quarter. ... Made 15 3-pointers to extend their NBA record of games with at least 10 3s to 21. ... Gordon has scored at least 20 points in four of the last six games. ... The Rockets had 67 points at halftime and have scored at least 60 points in the first half in five of their last seven games. ... Harden had eight assists, six rebounds and four steals.SO CLOSEHoustons Patrick Beverley came three rebounds shy of his first career triple-double, finishing with 10 points, seven rebounds and tying a career high with 12 assists. Coach Mike DAntoni said he kept him in a little longer than the other starters to give him a shot to get it.Harden joked about the 6-foot-1 Beverleys inability to get those last rebounds.I wanted him to get a triple-double so bad, Harden said. Every rebound he tried to get he couldnt get it because hes so small.NO EXCUSESWalton wouldnt make excuses for this lopsided loss despite the Lakers playing without Russell and Nick Young, who is also out with an injury.Obviously, we are missing key players and we are going to lose games, but if were just sitting around as a team saying were waiting for this guy or that, thats not the mindset you want ... thats not an acceptable excuse, he said.UP NEXTLakers: Host Phoenix on Friday nightRockets: Visit Oklahoma City on Friday night. ' ' '
