in the state of South Carolina when it heads to Furman

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When Nicolas Batum was asked for his input on the Charlotte Hornets potentially trading for guard Marco Belinelli, his response was swift and definitive.Do it right now, Batum excitedly told his head coach Steve Clifford.Batum believes that with the addition of Belinelli, center Roy Hibbert and guard Ramon Sessions -- along with the return of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who was limited to seven games last season due to a shoulder problems -- the Hornets will be better than the team tied for the third-most wins in the Eastern Conference a year ago. Yes, even after losing Jeremy Lin, Al Jefferson and Courtney Lee to free agency.We replaced all of the things we lost with other people who bring something different, Batum said Monday at media day. I hear people are saying we got worse. I dont think so. I think we got better.Clifford and his staff have a knack for bringing in players who are coming off disappointing seasons and resurrecting their careers.Marvin Williams has flourished in his two seasons in Charlotte.Batum, Lin and Lee all had breakout seasons in their first year with the Hornets and parlayed that success into huge free agent contracts this past offseason.Batum signed a five-year, $120 million deal to stay with the Hornets. Lee got a four-year, $48 million contract from the New York Knicks, while Lin played so well in a reserve role he got a three-year, $38 million deal -- and an opportunity to start -- with the Brooklyn Nets.While Clifford downplayed the impact of the coaching staff, Hornets point guard Kemba Walker said thats only because his coach is humble.Cliff has that effect on guys, Walker said. He knows how to talk to guys and he knows how to get guys to take their games to another level. Hes done it with me and a lot of other guys.Williams said Clifford and his staff excel at taking players strengths and using them on the court.They never ask you to do anything you are not comfortable doing or not used to do doing, Williams said. They want you to do what you do best and I think that is why guys are so successful here, and that guys want to play for him.The question this year is can they do the same for Belinelli and Hibbert, who are coming off disappointing seasons.Since shooting a career-best 43 percent from 3-point range in 2013-14 with the San Antonio Spurs, Belinelli hasnt seen as much action the past two seasons starting only 16 games. Hell still be a reserve in Charlotte, but it is clear Clifford is ecstatic the Hornets were able to get Belinelli from the Kings in exchange for their 22nd pick in the draft.Im a huge fan of Marco, Clifford said. The thing I like about him is he has played his best in the biggest games and he can do a lot of the things we lost offensively with Jeremy and Courtney.Hibbert was an All-Star in 2012 and 2014 with the Indiana Pacers, but averaged just 5.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game -- well below his career averages -- in 81 starts last season with the Los Angeles Lakers.Hibbert said as free agency was approaching he had hoped to land with the Hornets, but figured the team would re-sign Jefferson. When Jefferson signed with the Indiana Pacers, Hibbert told his agent to get him to Charlotte, where he could work with assistant coach Patrick Ewing, whom he considers an uncle because hes known him since he was a teenager.Hibbert refused to put the blame on anyone other than himself for his sagging numbers, but feels like hes about to turn things around.The onus rests on me to go out there and play with effort and energy, Hibbert said. And I feel like this is the best situation to me to do that. Im ready to go out and help this team win and as a byproduct of that hopefully I can back to play at the level I was before.Clifford said he doesnt feel like the 7-foot-2 Hibbert has lost anything physically, and expects that hell compete with Cody Zeller for a starting spot at center playing alongside Walker, Batum, Kidd-Gilchrist and Williams.I think he is hungry and the way we play will benefit him, Clifford said. Air Max 97 Scontate . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season. Air Max Italia . The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in the CFL. http://www.airmaxoutletscontate.it/max-90-scarpe-scontate.html . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Nike Air Max Plus Scontate . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. Air Max 270 Nere Scontate . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. CLEMSON, S.C. -- Jaron Blossomgame scored a season-high 29 points to Clemson to a 93-65 victory over S.C. State on Tuesday to increase the Tigers win streak to five games.The Tigers (7-2) shook off a sluggish first half and a defensive effort that wasnt up to coach Brad Brownells standard to outscore the Bulldogs by 29 points in the second half.Really good offensive performance. Certainly the 17 assists and only two turnovers were big stats as well, Brownell said. We probably took too many 3s but other than that, I thought we played well (offensively) and that was the difference in the game.Shelton Mitchell scored 14 points and Donte Grantham added 13 for Clemson, which shot 52 percent in the first half.The Bulldogs (2-8) shot 52 percent and got 20 points from Eric Eaves, but they lost for the seventh time in the last eight games. S.C. State stayed in the game in the first 20 minutes and trailed by nine at halftime.I was pleased at the half with what we were doing offensively and defensively, S.C. State coach Murray Garvin said. At halftime, I was positive in the locker room and looking forward to seeing what we would do in the second half.The Tigers held a 10-point lead four minutes into the second half before they went on 12-4 run to go up 18 after a Gabe DeVoe 3-pointer with 13:05 to play.The Bulldogs would crawl back within 12, but another Clemson run pushed the lead to 20 after a Grantham dunk with 9:47 left in the game, and CClemson kept pouring it on offensively.ddddddddddddI dont think we defended well, Brownell said. Some of that is the mentality of our players.BIG PICTURES.C. State: Playing its eight game of the season away from home, S.C. State lost by at least 20 points for the fifth time already.Clemson: The Tigers will get Elijah Thomas, a transfer from Texas A&M, eligible for the first time this season in their next game. The 6-foot-9, 230-pound sophomore should make an immediate impact offensively and on the boards, but Brownell is concerned about his defense.STAT OF THE NIGHTClemson improved to 13-1 all-time against South Carolina State. The Bulldogs only win over the Tigers was a 71-68 victory in 1999.TIP-INSGarvin said he was told this week that the Bulldogs, who had a hard time finding teams to come to their building, have the second hardest schedule in the country. Clemson center Sidy Djitte grabbed 13 rebounds, his fourth game this season in double digits. Clemson scored in the 90s for the second consecutive game and third time this season.UP NEXTS.C. State will play just its fourth gameon Friday at 7 p.m.Clemson takes on Alabama in a neutral site game in Birmingham, Ala., on Sunday at 4