DURHAM, N.C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. And sixth-ranked Duke needed every bit of that production to hold off East Carolina. Hood scored a career-high 30 points Tuesday night to help the Blue Devils beat the Pirates 83-74 in the NIT Season Tipoff. Parker had 21 points, nine rebounds and six blocks for the Blue Devils (4-1), who survived a tougher-than-expected fight from the underdog Pirates to improve to 24-2 all-time in the early season tournament. It was also the second game in as many nights for both teams, who were playing in a four-team pod at Dukes Cameron Indoor Stadium. "The last two nights, weve played our butts off," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "This is not about Duke not playing (well). ... Dont undersell what they did. We were ready and we played hard. I thought we brought great energy but so did they. This was a really good basketball game." Duke led by a point with about 7 minutes left but stayed in front and did enough in the final 2 1/2 minutes to turn away East Carolina (4-1), earning a trip to next weeks NIT semifinals for a matchup with Alabama in New Yorks Madison Square Garden. Hood, a 6-foot-8 sophomore transfer from Mississippi State, finished 8 for 10 from the field and hit all 12 of his free throws while playing nearly the entire 40 minutes. Parker made his biggest impact with a couple of key second-half plays, from taking a rebound all the way for a team-rousing dunk to blocking consecutive shots with his team protecting a 75-70 lead. "We couldnt scout them like we normally do and we tried not to stay in the gym last night and watch them play because we had a quick turnaround," Hood said. "But theyre a great team. Theyve got a lot of talent, especially for a mid-major. They played hard. They wasnt scared of us." The Blue Devils, who beat UNC Asheville 91-55 on Monday night, cooled off significantly after a hot start and shot 47 per cent, failing to reach at least 50 per cent for the first time this year. The Pirates had a much tougher time in their Tipoff opener, needing to rally from 17 down after halftime to beat Norfolk State 76-74. That game at Cameron marked a return to unfriendly surroundings for Pirates coach Jeff Lebo, who played for Dean Smith at hated rival North Carolina in the 1980s. Lebos team turned in a strong fight less than 24 hours later, but couldnt pull off a huge upset. "We can draw a lot from this -- our kids playing in this stage, this environment," Lebo said. "We dont get a chance to do that too often. We draw a lot of positives, and when we watch the tape, I think well get some confidence from that. "And then weve got to be able to build up on it. We cant say, Hey, we played well and were done for the year." Prince Williams scored 15 for the Pirates, who shot 40 per cent and helped themselves by hitting the offensive glass for a 16-3 edge in second-chance points. East Carolina fell to 0-21 all-time against Duke, though the Pirates flirted with earning their first win against a ranked opponent in nearly 11 years. Duke led by 18 points late in the first half after an 11-for-11 shooting start, but the Pirates didnt let the Blue Devils put together a knockout run. Instead, the Pirates closed the gap to 11 by halftime, and then kept inching closer and closer from there. East Carolina twice got within a point, the last coming on Williams free throws with 6:58 left, but never could push in front. Duke helped itself by playing with composure down the stretch, hitting all eight of its free throws in the final 2:34 to stay in control. Parker also came through with a big defensive sequence after his coast-to-coast dunk, swatting a leaner from Williams out of bounds and then stuffing a driving shot from Antonio Robinson with about 2 minutes left. Hood hit two free throws to make it 77-70, and East Carolina didnt get closer than five again. Duke finished 24 for 31 from the foul line, including 19 for 24 after halftime. The Blue Devils, who beat Florida Atlantic on Friday night, are off until Sunday, when they host Vermont. "Now weve got to rest," Krzyzewski said. "I mean, our guys are dead." Brett Kern Titans Jersey . Terms of the deal were not immediately available. The 26-year-old finished last season with Clevelands Triple-A affiliate in Columbus after signing with the Indians in August. Dexter McCluster Titans Jersey . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. http://www.titansfanspro.com/Black-Warren-Moon-Titans-Jersey.html?cat=898 . Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Curley Culp Titans Jersey . According to a report from the Vancouver Province, the Lions are expected to replace former DC Rich Stubler with defensive backs coach Mark Washington. Earl Campbell Titans Jersey . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human.EDMONTON -- The San Jose Sharks have learned the value of jumping on a team early, especially when it is a squad that is floundering as badly as the Edmonton Oilers. Patrick Marleau had a goal and an assist and Joe Thornton had three helpers as the Sharks won their third straight on a five-game road trip, defeating the last-place Oilers 3-1 on Friday. "Coming off back-to-back nights, you want to get off to a good lead and we were able to do that with two early first ones," Thornton said. "We just kind of rolled on after that. It is always nice to get a 2-0 lead like that when you are playing back-to-back." Its been a positive trip for the Sharks who were 0-1-4 in their previous five games before winning three straight. "We feel good," Thornton said. "We werent playing bad, even if we had a few extra-time losses. Weve got points in nine of our 10 last games. We have a good team in here." Sharks head coach Todd McLellan said that Thornton continues to play a major role in determining the teams direction. "We know he can make plays and run the offence and all of that type of stuff, but it is the back check, the tracking, the defensive play, the face-offs and shot blocking that really fulfills his game," he said. "It is not always about the score sheet, it is about all the little things he does. "When he is doing them properly everybody seems to fall in line and follow." Joe Pavelski and Tomas Hertl also scored for the Sharks (13-2-5) who moved one point back of the Anaheim Ducks for the Pacific Division lead. Nail Yakupov responded for the Oilers (4-15-2), who have lost six games in a row at home and have gone 1-9-1 in their last 11 games. Edmonton has been outscored 23-3 in their last six contests at home. The Oilers are a distressing 1-7-0 on home ice this season and have fallen into dead last place in the NHL, with the Buffalo Sabres defeating Toronto 3-1 on the night. "Im so tired of coming in here after games and giving a reason why we lost," said Oilers forward Taylor Hall. "You have to win. It doesnt matter how you win, if youre goalie stands on his head or you get lucky, you just have to win games. "Its been tough to do that this year. Were all trying really hard but were not winning games. Something is not clicking for us and we have to figure out what that is." Oilers forward David Perron added his frustration. "No one is going to feel sorry for us, its the NHL and were lucky to be in this position," he said. "If we cant get up to battle, we dont belong in this league. We have to find a way to come out flying like we did in the second and third, that was a lot better." Edmonton had a bit of foreshadowing of what was to come to start the game when Logan Couture rang a shot off the post just 10 seconds in. The Sharks got on the scoreboard with four minutes to play in the first period on a power-play goal. Edmonton goalie Devan Dubnyk got knocked out of position by Oilers defenceman Andrew Ference, allowing Pavelski to shoot his seventh of the season into the vacant cage. San Jose struck again just over a minute later as Thornton won a battle for the puck behind the net and fed it through the creasee to Hertl, who was able to redirect it into the Edmonton net for his team-leading 12th goal of the season.dddddddddddd The Sharks had 14 first period shots, while Edmonton only put six on San Jose backup goalie Alex Stalock. San Jose took a 3-0 lead four minutes into the second frame as a poor pass back to the point by Oiler Luke Gazdic led to a three-on-two opportunity that Marleau converted with a shot to beat Dubnyk glove side for his 10th of the season. Edmonton had a glorious chance to end its lengthy home-scoring drought seven minutes into the second period as Ryan Smyth had Stalock cleanly beat on a wraparound attempt, but sent the puck through the crease and off the post. Oilers defenceman Philip Larsen hit a post on the next shift. The Oilers finally got a goal after being shutout in three consecutive home games -- and going 214 minutes and 52 seconds without a goal at Rexall Place -- with a power-play marker at the 12:48 of the second period. A big rebound came out to Yakupov, who wasted no time drilling a one-timer into the net for his third of the season. With the goal, the Oilers were able to avoid becoming the first team in 84 years to get shut out in four straight home games, a feat dubiously accomplished by the Chicago Blackhawks, who went an NHL record six straight from Feb. 10-28, 1929. The 1927 Montreal Maroons were the only other team to be blanked in four consecutive games at home. "Its always good when you score and you get points, but we only have four wins and weve played 21 games," Yakupov said. "I dont know whats going on, were a little frustrated about it. Were trying to get the two points, but we cant." San Jose almost scored another early in the third period when Couture was snake-bitten again, this time having a shot ring off the crossbar and then the post. "I think I had three posts tonight," Couture said. "I just couldnt buy a goal. It was a little frustrating, but it is nice to be getting the chances like that." The Sharks hit two more posts in the third. The Oilers make a quick one-game trip to play the Flames in Calgary on Saturday. The Sharks wrap up a five-game trip on Sunday in Chicago. Notes: It was the first of five games this season between the Pacific Division foes. The Sharks swept their three-game series with the Oilers in the strike-shortened 2012-13 campaign and came into the game having won five of six and nine of their last 11 in Rexall Place in Edmontona The Oilers made a couple of roster moves before the game, calling up young defender Oscar Klefbom and sending rookie forward Mark Arcobello to their AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City. Arcobello is tied for second in NHL rookie scoring with 12 points this seasona The rookie overall points leader is Sharks forward Tomas Hertl, who now has 12 goals and 18 points in 20 gamesa San Jose winger Brent Burns missed the game with an undisclosed injury and is listed as day-to-day. Out long term for San Jose are Adam Burish (back surgery) and Raffi Torres (knee)a The Oilers are inching their way back from a long list of early season injuries, now only without defenceman Justin Schultz (groin), forward Tyler Pitlick (knee) and goaltender Richard Bachman (groin). Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Auston Matthews Maple leafs Jersey ' ' '