beyond the arc. Texas Tech is even in terms of turnover

TORONTO -- Toronto FC will be without the heart of its defence as well as star striker Jermain Defoe and possibly midfielder Jonathan Osorio for Saturdays game in Columbus against the unbeaten Crew. Captain Steven Caldwell is suspended while fellow centre back Doneil Henry has been sidelined by a twisted knee suffered in last weekends 3-0 loss at Real Salt Lake City. Defoe, who has all three of Torontos goals this season, strained his left hamstring last week and was substituted in the 61st minute. "Not a major thing but definitely unavailable this weekend," Toronto manager Ryan Nelsen said earlier in the week. Osorio, who missed last weeks game with a hamstring injury, "probably wont make it as well," Nelsen said after practice Friday. It looks like rookie Nick Hagglund, a 21-year-old Cincinnati native, will start at centre back Saturday. He impressed during the pre-season when he was pressed into emergency action at right fullback due to injuries elsewhere on the roster. Gale Agbossoumonde, Bradley Orr and Ryan Richter can also play in the centre of defence. Left fulback Justin Morrow has also played at centre back but a hip injury to backup fullback Ashtone Morgan has taken away some of Nelsens flexibility at the back. Canadian Kyle Bekker may step in for Osorio in central midfield alongside American international Michael Bradley. Nelsen did not say who would wear the captains armband in Caldwells absence but it will likely be Bradley, coming off an impressive showing in Wednesdays 2-2 tie in Glendale, Ariz., between the U.S. and Mexico. Bradley scored one goal and set up another. Toronto and the Columbus Crew are both off to their best starts in MLS history. But Columbus (3-0-0) is unbeaten while Toronto (2-1-0) is coming off a loss and is hurting. Caldwell was suspended for one game and fined an undisclosed amount by the leagues disciplinary committee for a studs-up tackle on Real Salt Lake midfielder Ned Grabavoy last week. The Toronto skipper was yellow-carded on the play. "Very disappointed with my 1 match ban," Caldwell said via Twitter. "Never tackled to hurt someone in my life. Sorry I wont be out there Saturday to help the lads." Toronto will get Brazilian midfielder Jackson back from a one-game suspension for an elbow thrown off the ball in the win over D.C. United. And Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar has recovered from a knock to the knee from a goalmouth collision in Salt Lake. Toronto will have to watch Argentine attacker Federico Higuain, who has three goals (two from the penalty spot) and has been involved in five of the Crews seven goals this season. Columbus showed its resilience last week in Seattle when it won 2-1 on a 94th-minute goal by Justin Meram -- with an assist from Higuain -- that snapped the Sounders 51-match unbeaten run when they score the first goal. Toronto, meanwhile, got a reality check in a 3-0 loss at Real Salt Lake City after opening the season with victories over Seattle and D.C. United. Nelsen says he is not surprised by Columbus fast start out of the gate. "Not at all. A lot of their players are good MLS players that have been around. Gregg (Berhalter) is a really good coach and hes got them going really good ... There hasnt been a hell of a lot of turnover there, especially in the main positions. Hes done really well." Berhalter took over as the Crews seventh head coach -- and first sporting director -- last November after two seasons at the helm of Swedish club Hammarby IF. As a player, the defender spent 18 seasons in the Netherlands, England, Germany and the U.S., winning 44 caps for the American national team. Toronto has New Zealand midfielder Tim Payne, currently on Blackburns books, in camp on trial. NOTES -- The Crew have lost to Toronto FC just twice in 19 meetings all-time and lead the Trillium Cup rivalry (10-2-7). Columbus is 7-1-2 against Toronto at home. Torontos 2-1 home win over the Crew last July was the first since a 4-2 victory in September 2011 in Columbus, which ended a 12-game TFC winless run against Columbus ... Crew defensive midfielder Tony Tchani played 12 games for Toronto in 2011 before being traded to Columbus for Andy Iro and Leandre Griffit. Vans Old Skool Australia Sale . - San Diego Padres centre fielder Cameron Maybin is going to be out two to three months after rupturing his left biceps tendon during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. Vans Old Skool Australia . "I was so nervous," Hadley said Sunday after winning the Puerto Rico Open for his first PGA Tour victory. "I did not eat well last night. http://www.wholesaleoldskoolaustralia.com/ . The Reds will host the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight in the opener of a four-game series at Great American Ball Park, and the debut matchup will feature a pair of pitchers whose recent resumes have included a fair number of bases-clearing hits. Vans Old Skool Australia Online . -- Victor Bernardez tied the game with his second goal in the 95th minute and the San Jose Earthquakes drew 3-3 with Real Salt Lake on Saturday night. Vans Old Skool Shoes Australia .A. Dickey earned an American League Gold Glove on Tuesday to become the first Toronto Blue Jays pitcher to win the award.Lawrence, KS (SportsNetwork.com) - The 12th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks take aim at their second straight win to open Big 12 Conference play, as they entertain the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon. Texas Tech has won twice as many games as it has lost this season (10-5), but the team has stumbled out of the gate against Big 12 foes, losing its first two conference games, at home, to Texas (70-61) and West Virginia (78-67). The Red Raiders now head out on the road for the only the second official time this season, and they are seeking their first win in four total bouts outside of Lubbock (0-1 away, 0-2 neutral site). Texas Tech has lost four of its last five games overall. Kansas slipped past No. 21 Baylor in the Big 12 opener on Wednesday night, 56-55, to notch its third straight win and 12th in 14 total outings this season. The Jayhawks lone setbacks have come in blowout fashion -- first against top-ranked Kentucky (72-40, Nov. 18), and then in surprising fashion at Temple (77-52, Dec. 22). The Jayhawks are 7-0 at home this season, Kansas has a firm grip on the all-time series with Texas Tech, leading 27-4. The Jayhawks have won the last 10 meetings, and are a perfect 14-0 versus the Red Raiders at Allen Fieldhouse. Devaugntah Williams scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds, and Toddrick Gotcher came off the bench to tally 14 points and five boards, but those efforts went for naught as Texas Tech failed in its bid to upset No. 14 West Virginia last Monday in Lubbock. The Red Raiders shot 7-of-12 from 3-point range and outscored the Mountaineers at the foul line, 22-14, but they allowed the visitors to connect on 47.6 percent of their total shots, giving up 30 field goals to their mere 19..dddddddddddd An unsightly 22 turnovers hampered Techs ability to stay in contention, as did the fact that WVU doubled up the home team in points in the paint (36-18). Williams (11.7 ppg) is the only player averaging double figures this season for the Red Raiders, who are scoring just 68.3 ppg, due in large part to their lackluster 31.2 percent showing from 3-point range. Fortunately, the teams defensive performance is permitting foes a mere 60.0 ppg, which comes on just 38.5 percent field goal efficiency and 31.3 percent from beyond the arc. Texas Tech is even in terms of turnover margin, but typically wins the rebounding battle by more than five caroms per contest. Solid defense was the key to victory for Kansas in its recent clash with Baylor, as the Bears shot just 34 percent from the floor, despite making good on 8-of-15 tries from distance. The Jayhawks hit just 27.6 percent of their total shots in the first half, but caught fire after the break, dropping 72.7 percent over the final 20 minutes. Jamari Traylor paced the team with 13 points, while Brannen Greene and Frank Mason III tallied 12 and 11 points, respectively. KU went just 5-of-17 from 3-point land, while converting only half of their measly six free throws. For a team that generates 70.1 ppg, the Jayhawks are shooting almost as well from long distance (.385) as they are the field overall (.429), and they have just two players averaging double figures in Perry Ellis (12.4 ppg) and Mason (12.3 ppg). Balance has been the key, as six others net between 5.5 and 9.3 ppg. Kansas is outworking the opposition with regard to corralling loose balls (+6.3 rebounding margin), but the squad is in the red when it comes to turnover differential (-1.3). ' ' '