Talk » included three freshmen: Bowden, Jo

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Joey Logano still has a youthful exuberance -- the kind of guy who would watch Boy Meets World to relax the night before a championship race. He is still as goofy as he was when he broke into NASCAR as its next big phenom the day he turned 18.His carefree demeanor off the track belies the fact that, eight seasons later, he has developed into a cutthroat driver with a win-at-all-costs approach.Logano is so different now from the wide-eyed kid who was unexpectedly promoted into Tony Stewarts ride with Joe Gibbs Racing for his first full season. Hes raced for and lost a championship, hes feuded with top drivers, hes worked hard to shake the label as a spoiled daddys boy who coasted to the top.It took a second chance at only 22 given by Roger Penske for Logano to flourish, in and out of the race car. He doesnt care who is mad at him, hes not here to make friends. Logano is here to win races, and he lets very little get in his way.I wouldnt say I wasnt mature for my age, but Ive got more experience now doing what Im doing and racing up front and racing the best, he told The Associated Press. As you get older, you go through stages, right? You get married, and then you are married for a while and are getting your life going, then you take the next steps after that.Not only from a racing side of things, but from a business side of the sport, Ive become way more involved in that and understanding what it takes. I think thats kind of changed my attitude at the race track. Im still Joey, though. I still like watching funny TV shows, I still want to get my mind off of things. But I am more aware of whats going on in my mind, what Im conscious about, what am I thinking about and how to become the best.Logano made it to the 2014 championship race and withstood a barrage of needling from Kevin Harvick to have a shot at the title. But a slow pit stop ended his championship chances. He would have made it back to the finale last year, but he was adamantly unapologetic about his role in an accident with Matt Kenseth that virtually ended Kenseths Chase.Viewed by Kenseth and many of his peers as arrogant over the incident, Kenseth intentionally wrecked Logano weeks later and that stopped Logano from advancing to the finale.The experience eventually became a lesson for Logano (who indeed did watch Boy Meets World the night before the 2014 championship).He knows now that he should have called Kenseth to triage any bad blood. In fact, Logano uses everything as a learning experience, part of the playbook that has shaped him into the husband and racer he is today.Penske marvels at the leader Logano has become.We moved on, and quite honestly, I think Joey and Matt have worked it out on the racetrack, and hopefully personally and professionally they know how to do their jobs, Penske said.Far from the most dominant driver in this Chase, Logano twice won elimination races in these playoffs to advance to the next round. Rescued last week by a late caution in a race that could have eliminated him,, he went on to win and earn the spot Sunday against defending series champion Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson. He is trying to become the first Ford driver to win the title since Kurt Busch in 2004, the first year of the Chase.Joey is phenomenal about elevating, Penske said. Theres very few professional athletes that can elevate to that level when the pressure comes on, and Joey has done it time and time again.Hes the example for his No. 22 team and sets the tone for crew chief Todd Gordon.Like Logano, Gordon has lost a championship and that 2014 experience has allowed for a far more relaxed approach to this weekend. But its Logano who has told the team this race is no different than the other 37 on the schedule.Its a normal race weekend, Logano said. We go to win every weekend, and Im not going to change what we do just because whats on the line.He credits heavily his experience in the 2014 finale for his current mindset, and flatly dismisses the idea that someone has to lose a championship race to win one.Im very different, in a good way, though, he says.His experience, the infectious work ethic and leadership of Penske and that confidence -- he believes hes the best driver on the track.Its no secret in NASCAR racing that experience means a lot. Being able to go through Homestead once, being able to race for a championship, I think is key, he said. Ive talked a lot about that race, and said, `I hope Im in that position again someday, because I know how to handle the race, I know how to prepare for the race, I know how to race in the race.Weve done one before. Any time youve been somewhere before, you feel more confident, you feel like you are ready for the situation ahead of you, you know whats coming at you and you are ready to deal with it. Edgar Santana Jersey . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Joe Musgrove Jersey . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. https://www.cheappiratesjerseys.us/822e-bob-miller-jersey-pirates.html . 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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessees long-range shooting is helping the Volunteers compensate for their lack of experience.Whether their 3-point proficiency could make them more than long shots to challenge for a postseason bid will become clearer over the next two weekends.Tennessee (4-3) has won three straight and matched a single-game school record for 3-pointers Tuesday by going 16 of 33 from beyond the arc in a 90-50 blowout of Presbyterian. Tennessee faces a much tougher challenge Sunday when it visits No. 7 North Carolina (9-1) to begin an eight-day stretch in which it plays four games and faces two top-10 opponents.After returning from Chapel Hill, the Vols host Tennessee Tech on Tuesday and Lipscomb on Thursday before facing No. 8 Gonzaga on Dec. 18 in Nashville, Tennessee.You go in there, play them hard and you see where youre at, sophomore guard Shembari Phillips said. When its time for SEC play... going in there, well have a lot more confidence and things of that nature. These tests are definitely necessary.Tennessee has shot 47.5 percent (29 of 61) from 3-point range during its winning streak. Vols coach Rick Barnes downplays the impact of his teams recent 3-point accuracy because he knows how quickly that can change.I know basketballs a game of makes and misses, Barnes said. Weve had games I think where weve made one or two (3-pointers). Shooting is something that you work on and you hope youre making your shots, but good teams are going to win whether theyre making their shots or not. Theyre going to guard. Theyre going to do certain things.The one thing that you can control as a player is you dont want to base how well youre playing on if youre making shots because some nights you make them, some nights you dont.But consistent production from 3-point range could enable Tennessee to withstand its lack of height and outperform expectations. Tennessee was picked before the season to finish 13th out of 14 SEC teams.Were a team that is undersized compared to a lot of teams, even in the SEC, ssenior forward Lew Evans said.dddddddddddd Making shots outside is going to help us in the long run.Tennessees long-range shooting has come from multiple players. Redshirt freshman Lamonte Turner and true freshman Jordan Bowden went a combined 12 of 21 from 3-point range against Presbyterian. Phillips is 9 of 12 on 3-pointers this season.Six different players already have either led or have tied for the team lead in scoring in at least one game. Last year, Kevin Punter. Jr. was Tennessees top scorer in 19 of the Vols first 26 games before a fractured right foot knocked him out for the remainder of his senior season.That improved balance makes up for Tennessees inexperience.The Vols lost three of their top four scorers from a team that went 15-19 last season. Tennessees roster includes only three upperclassmen, its lowest total since 1996-97. One of those upperclassmen is actually a newcomer, with Evans arriving as a graduate transfer from Utah State.Tennessees starting lineup throughout this winning streak has included three freshmen: Bowden, John Fulkerson and Grant Williams. Jordan Bone, another freshman, started Tennessees first two games before developing a stress fracture in his left foot.Those freshmen play the first true road game of their college careers Sunday at North Carolina.While his players lack experience, Barnes at least has a history of success against the Tar Heels. During his Texas coaching tenure, Barnes won five of his last six games against Roy Williams North Carolina squads.I dont think my personal record against anybody (matters) because its not me, its the players, Barnes said. I think if Roy and I played one-one-one, I think I would win, but Im sure he thinks he would win. Believe me, weve both had a chance to coach good teams.---More AP College Basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org---Follow Steve Megargee at www.twitter.com/stevemegargee ' ' '