BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Shelton Mitchell scored a career-high 18 points and grabbed five rebounds Sunday as Clemson defeated Alabama 67-54.Alabama (5-5) narrowed Clemsons lead to 11 points or less three times over the final 12 minutes. Clemsons Gabe Devoe responded by sinking 3-pointers the first two times to maintain the double-digit advantage for the Tigers (8-2).Fellow Tiger, Avry Holmes only points in the second half came on a 3-pointer that followed Devoes, a sequence that both coaches felt was critical in the game.It was big. Thats what you got to do in road games, Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. Make big shots, you know the home teams going to make a run or two.That big shot didnt fall the third time Devoe took one from behind the arc to secure Clemsons double-digit lead, and Alabama cut the lead down to nine points for the first time during the second half.Clemson held on, responding to the Crimson Tides late 7-0 run with a layup from Mitchell who also sank four free throws over the final minute of the game.Devoe finished with 11 points to join Mitchell in double figures for Clemson.Brownell said his teams defense wasnt up to his expectations in Clemsons game on Tuesday against SC State, but he thought it was a difference maker today, especially in the first half.I just think we kept them to one shot was a big thing, and I thought our guys were locked in, Brownell said. We had some time to get ready from our last game so we prepared very well. I thought our individual defense was pretty good.Avery Johnson Jr. came off the bench for the Crimson Tide to score a career-high 17 points. He was the only Alabama player to finish in double figures.We told our guys hes a great layup maker and thats a skill a lot of guards dont have, being able to make shots over top of shot-blockers and big guys when you make penetration, Brownell said.The Crimson Tide outrebounded the Tigers 37-32 thanks in large part to the efforts of Donta Hall and Dazon Ingram who grabbed seven and six respectively.BIG PICTUREAlabama: The Crimson Tide was unable to overcome a first half that saw the team miss 11 straight shots from the floor and must now win one of the teams next two games to avoid starting Southeastern conference play under .500.Clemson: The Tigers overcame a sluggish start of their own to get revenge for last years 51-50 loss to the Crimson Tide and extended the teams current winning streak to six games with the victory.UP NEXTAlabama: The Crimson Tides tour of its home state continues with a trip to Huntsville, Alabama to face Arkansas State on Wednesday.Clemson: The Tigers can earn their second straight win against SEC competition with a road victory over rival South Carolina on Wednesday.HE SAID IT: Alabama coach Avery Johnson on taking care of the basketball: Like I tell our guys all the time. Think about your closest family member. Youre not going to throw them away because you love them right? Just think about this, so value that ball just like you value your closest family member.QUICK COMPARE:Alabama: The Crimson Tide finished the night 3-of-20 beyond the arc and only made one of seven attempts taken in the final three minutes.Clemson: The Tigers finished the night 9-of-22 shooting 3s and made three of six shots taken behind the arc in the final 11 minutes of the game and attempted none in the final three minutes. Vans Shoes Discount .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. Vans Store Near Me . Tevez, who has had conflicts with coaches in the past, has not been called up since Sabella was named coach in 2011. Argentina boasts Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria. http://www.vanssalestore.com/ . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. Vans Slip On Clearance .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Vans Shoes Sale . From filmmaker Nanette Burstein (On the Ropes), The Price of Gold revisits the saga that rocked the figure skating world ahead of the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games: the assault on Nancy Kerrigan, and the plot that led its way back to her rival Tonya Harding. New Zealand 15 for 2 (Williamson 2*, Taylor 2*, Steyn 2-3) trail South Africa 263 (Amla 53, Wagner 3-47, Boult 3-52) by 248 runsScorecard and ball-by-ball detailsLooks deceived at Kingsmead when despite blue skies and sunshine, no play was possible on day three. A wet outfield, which has not recovered from the recent relaying process, took 65mm of rain overnight and did not dry out over the course of the morning and early afternoon. It has received a full day of sunshine and, barring any further mishaps, should be ready for play on Monday morning.Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and the rest of South Africas attack will find conditions completely different to what they were when they took the field on Saturday afternoon. The overcast skies and persistent drizzle have moved away and after a full day of sun, the pitch would have flattened out.After rain interrupted play on Saturday afternoon, a steady drizzle turned into a downpour and although the showers had abated by 6am, the outfield was covered with water. Conditions improved significantly between then and 9:30, when it was announced that the morning session would be lost and an inspection would take place at noon.The umpires asked for no artificial measures to be used in drying the outfield in that time, preferring to use the natural processes of sunlight and wind. The super-sopper was not brought out because the muddy patches were too soft and using it would only have worsened the damp outfield.By 12pm, there was further improvement but areas outside the square - which were in pristine condition - and along the perimeter of the outfield, where scant grass had left the sandy patches exposed, were still too wet. Underfoot conditions were deemed treacherous, and a second inspection was planned for 2pm.dddddddddddd. Even then, the damp patches had not improved enough for play to resume.Of particular concern were patches where puddles had gathered at the edge of the covers, which will lead to questions over the number of covers at Kingsmead. Currently, Kingsmeads covers keep the pitch and square protected but do not extend to the rest of the outfield. It is estimated that Kwa-Zulu Natal Cricket Union would need around R400,000 (US$30,000) to better protect the ground. Should cricket be played in winter again, that investment may have to be made but this time, few would have expected it was needed.Winter rainfall has been prevalent this year despite it being an unusual occurrence in Durban. In the last three weeks, the same amount of rain has fallen that the city usually gets over the three months from August to October. The excessive rain, along with the delayed start to the relaying of the outfield which took place in June, left the outfield unable to cope with the unexpected moisture. Light was also a concern with early sunsets threatening to eat away at playing time, but play continued until 5:20pm on the first day. Still, 12.2 overs were lost on day one and 68 on day two, bringing the total number of overs lost to 170.2.Still, 180 overs remain and with good weather forecast for the next two days, there may be enough time for a result other than a draw. Sundays tickets will be valid for the remaining two days or for a Dolphins domestic match later this season. ' ' '