nning a championship is our No. 1 goal in our program year in and year out, but later in his press conference he referred to championships that didnt necessarily involve the division title.First he mentioned that the Vols still could win a bowl championship this season. Later he praised his seniors b

PHILADELPHIA -- If Joel Embiid and Hassan Whiteside have their way, centers are going to be big in the NBA again.Embiid had 22 points, including four late free throws, to lead the Philadelphia 76ers over Whiteside and the Miami Heat 101-94 on Monday night in a matchup between two of the top big men in the Eastern Conference.Neither disappointed.Whiteside set a career high with 32 points while reaching double digits in rebounds for the 13th consecutive game to start the season. Whiteside, who entered leading the NBA with 16.2 boards per game, finished with 13.Around the league theres a lot of young big men, and I think were starting to come back, said Embiid, who played 23 minutes. So one thing I told him is keep killing it. As big men, we all want each other to do good. Ive always studied him in the past. Its always been a big man league, so I want it to stay like that.Gerald Henderson added 19 points and Jahlil Okafor had 15 for the 76ers, who won their fourth straight home game. Philadelphia (4-10) has lost 21 in a row on the road.I feel were moving in the right direction, coach Brett Brown said.Embiid has made an early case for Rookie of the Year despite missing two seasons with a foot injury. He set a career high with 26 points in Philadelphias 120-105 win over Phoenix on Saturday night and followed that up with yet another strong game.He was serenaded with chants of MVP! MVP! late in the game from the home crowd, which hasnt had much to cheer about in the last few seasons during Philadelphias rebuilding process. But Embiid has given Sixers fans reason to hope.Philly loves that guy, Whiteside said. Ive never seen excitement like that. They love that dude. I was amazed.Embiid came up big again Monday, especially down the stretch.The teams were close throughout the second half. Hendersons corner 3-pointer gave Philadelphia an 85-80 cushion with 8:16 remaining. Whiteside re-entered shortly after that shot and helped Miami tie it at 89 with 4:43 left on a tip-in.Philadelphia responded with nine of the next 11 points, capped by Embiids two free throws with 2:27 left that gave the 76ers their biggest lead to that point, 98-91.Theres a spirit he has at the end of games and on the bench that reflects toughness and a growing desire, Brown said of Embiid.PITCHING INRobert Covington also came up big during the late Sixers run, scoring on a reverse layup and a 3-pointer.Covington was booed upon entering the game in the fourth quarter due to his recent shooting struggles. He entered having missed 27 of his last 31 shots and finished 4 for 13 against Miami.It goes in one ear, out the other, Covington said. Ive been here two years. I see the ups and downs of how Philly fans are, and it doesnt affect me. Just keep playing.The 3-pointer eased Covingtons mind.It was a big relief, he said. My teammates just kept telling me to keep shooting. I was like, Im going to have one good shot.KEEP ME IN, COACHWhiteside, plagued by foul trouble, played 32 minutes. He ended the night with five fouls, but would have liked to have seen more time on the court.One day he is going to trust me with the five fouls, Whiteside said of coach Erik Spoelstra.BIG SHOTEmbiid is the rare big man who has a feathery touch from outside. He shot 7 of 13 from the field and hit one of his two 3-point attempts. For the season, Embiid is shooting 49.2 percent from the floor and has drained 11 of 21 3-pointers.TIP-INSHeat: Shaquille ONeals No. 32 jersey will be retired by Miami on Dec. 22 during a ceremony at halftime against the Los Angeles Lakers. ... F Willie Reed (knee) didnt play after leaving Saturdays game at Washington.76ers: Offseason acquisition Jerryd Bayless made his season debut for Philadelphia and scored four points in 16 minutes. Bayless missed the first 13 games with a left wrist injury. . Embiids minutes are restricted in the wake of his foot injury.UP NEXTHeat: At the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.76ers: Host the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.Custom Pete Rose Jersey .Gather a group of friends, or find a league to join online, draft your team, set your lineup and compete in a number of different formats. Reds Jerseys China . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. http://www.customredsjersey.com/custom-chris-sabo-jersey-large-252w.html .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. Ken Griffey Jersey Large . -- Patrick Reed got an early start in golf. Custom Reds Jerseys . Their 38th instalment is arguably their biggest fight card to date, including three-title fights and a main event which was selected by the fans. The promotion boasts 14-straight years of business and is operated by MFC president Mark Pavelich, who is often overlooked in this country for the foundation hes established for MMA in Canada.KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee believes it has plenty of incentive for the rest of the season even though a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game has slipped from its grasp.The 24th-ranked Volunteers were picked before the season to capture their first SEC Eastern Division title since 2007, but their hopes of making it to Atlanta vanished Saturday when Florida beat LSU 16-10 with a last-second goal-line stand. That victory allowed the 13th-ranked Gators to clinch the East and earn a spot in the Dec. 8 SEC championship game against No. 1 Alabama.The Vols (8-3, 4-3 SEC) say they still have more at stake than mere state bragging rights Saturday when they visit Vanderbilt (5-6, 2-5) in their regular-season finale.This football team has a lot to play for -- a lot, Tennessee coach Butch Jones said.That includes the chase for a 10-win season, a goal that multiple players mentioned Saturday after the Vols 63-37 victory over Missouri. Tennessee hasnt earned double-digit wins in a season since the 2007 team finished 10-4.Tennessee also still has at least a possibility of making its first Sugar Bowl appearance since beating Virginia 23-22 on Jan. 1, 1991.A Sugar Bowl bid goes to the highest-ranked SEC team in the final College Football Playoff rankings that isnt in the playoff. SEC teams in last weeks CFP rankings included No. 1 Alabama, No. 15 Auburn, No. 16 LSU, No. 19 Tennessee, No. 23 Florida and No. 25 Texas A&M.Tennessee has the most favorable remaining schedule of all those teams.LSU probably will fall behind Tennessee this week after its loss to Florida. Auburn is a 17 +-point underdog Saturday at Alabama. Florida must visit Florida State this week before facing Alabama in the SEC championship game. Texas A&M is a 5 +-point underdog Thursday at LSU.Were playing for a good bowl game right now and a 10-win season, offensive tackle Brett Kendrick said after the Missouri game. So, theres still a lot left out there for us.Jones said hes convinced his players will remain motivated the rest of the way because he liked how they performed in thee second half of the Missouri game.dddddddddddd Jones assumed most players knew they were knocked out of the SEC East race by then, even though the staff hadnt informed them of the Florida-LSU result.I knew on the sideline that when they stopped showing the score up there (ono the scoreboard), something had gone wrong, Kendrick said. Were not going to hang our heads about it.Jones emphasized Monday that I want to make it clear that winning a championship is our No. 1 goal in our program year in and year out, but later in his press conference he referred to championships that didnt necessarily involve the division title.First he mentioned that the Vols still could win a bowl championship this season. Later he praised his seniors by saying that theyve won the biggest championship -- and thats the championship of life.Jones noted the way Tennessee has withstood adversity all season. Injuries have forced Tennessee to use seven different starting combinations on the offensive line and nine different combinations in the starting secondary this season. The Vols lost their leading rusher nine games into the season when Jalen Hurd left the team . Linebackers Jalen Reeves-Maybin and Quarte Sapp and defensive tackles Shy Tuttle and Kahlil McKenzie suffered season-ending injuries.The injuries have extended to the coach himself. Jones told the Knoxville Quarterback Club on Monday afternoon that I blew out my knee before a Nov. 12 victory over Kentucky , though the injury hasnt necessitated that he wear a brace or crutches.I have never been through a season like this in 30-plus years of coaching in terms of the adversities, the injuries, the setbacks, the big wins. .... Our players have done a great job, Jones said. They have handled it exceptionally well. They have been individual champions.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25---Follow Steve Megargee at www.twitter.com/stevemegargee ' ' '