The No. 3-ranked and defending national champion Villanova Wildcats look to stay undefeated when they open play in the Gildan Charleston Classic beginning Thursday.Villanova -- which opened the season with a 40-point home win against Lafayette and a clutch three-point road win at No. 15 Purdue on Monday -- will face Western Michigan at 11:30 a.m. ET (ESPN2). The winner of that game will advance to Fridays semifinal round against either UTEP or Wake Forest.Preseason All-America candidate Josh Hart paced the Wildcats with 24 points in the win against the Boilermakers. Hart has scored 37 points in the two victories.Like last season, the Wildcats are receiving contributions up and down the roster anchored by Hart. In addition, guard Jalen Brunson (13.5 points per game), Kris Jenkins (12 ppg), and Mikal Bridges (11.5 ppg) have all been solid. Bridges and Darryl Reynolds have combined to pull down 27 rebounds.Its November -- weve got to get a lot better, Villanova head coach Jay Wright said after the win at Purdue. We really had trouble stopping them on the interior. You just cant simulate that kind of size and skill in practice.Bridges has really stepped forward as a key sixth man thus far.Kris and Josh did it. Kyle Lowry did it, Wright said. We have had a lot of guys in that position. They have had a lot of success. Mikal has watched it all even before he came here and hes really smart. As soon as I told him that hes playing starter minutes, he gets it. Hes really humble. I need to look at minutes, but hes going to be in the game a lot. When the game is on the line, as well.Western Michigan will enter this tournament with a 1-1 record. It recorded a 90-74 win over Marygrove College and then most recently fell 77-60 at Oakland Monday night.Guard-forward Tucker Haymond scored 20 points against Marygrove and added 12 more against Oakland.They were getting rebounds and getting out on fast breaks off of our missed shots and they got some really good looks on those fast breaks, Western Michigan head coach Steve Hawkins said after the loss at Oakland. We are going to have some bumps and bruises along with the way with the team that we have this season, but its the response those that I am really looking at.Next up is a matchup against the No. 3 team in the country.Were going to look towards the next possession and get ready to take on Villanova, the national champions, on Thursday, Hawkins said.Western Michigan 7-foot sophomore center Seth Dugan swept a career-best 15 rebounds against Oakland. Junior Thomas Wilder led the way with 13 points while freshman Brandon Johnson contributed 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting.The Broncos were picked to finish fifth in the West Division in the preseason voting. The poll was put together by the leagues 12 head coaches and a 24-member Mid-American Conference panel.Western Michigan finished 13-19 last season. Tom Rathman Jersey . According to a report from the Vancouver Province, the Lions are expected to replace former DC Rich Stubler with defensive backs coach Mark Washington. Nick Bosa Jersey . 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. http://www.custom49ersjersey.com/custom-steve-young-jersey-large-1788d.html . 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Thirteen years after winning the NRL premiership as a spiky-haired winger with Penrith, Luke Lewis is primed for a second crack at glory with Cronulla against Melbourne this Sunday.The 33-year-old former NSW and Test utility is the only one of the 34 players who featured in the 2003 decider between the Panthers and Sydney Roosters still plying his trade in the NRL.And although hes unsurprised by the Sharks superb campaign, he admits being resigned to the opportunity of a second grand final passing him by.Thirteen years... its a long sip between drinks but it was a great time back then, in totally different shoes, Lewis told AAP.I was a young pup coming through and had some blokes I played with as juniors in the same side.You think Ill get there again but it was getting a little bit frustrating because we would get to the semis and bow out early.So when we got to the preliminary final this year I didnt want to leave any stone unturned.Times have changed since that glorious night at the foot of the Blue Mountains when John Langs exciting team stunned Ricky Stuarts star-studded reigning premiers 18-6 in an era when ice baths were for stubbies and GPS packs for astronauts.It was still a little bit old school, he said.We didnt have aany GPS stuff or anything like that we used to train really hard and do the old long road runs which was pretty cool and we dont do anything like that now.ddddddddddddI dont remember doing any media stuff when I was younger either.I really only remember the grand final breakfast, going back, having a training session with the fans around, then getting on the bus to the game.Having just signed a one-year extension with the Sharks, he isnt going anywhere and wants to savour the experience.I think I just take this one in a bit more and understand what its all about - just go with the flow.BIGGEST GAPS BETWEEN DECIDERS IN THE NRL ERA (Post Super League)14 yearsLote Tuqiri 2000 (Brisbane) - 2014 (South Sydney)13 yearsLuke Lewis 2003 (Penrith) - 2016 (Cronulla)11 yearsChris Heighington 2005 (Wests Tigers) - 2016 (Cronulla)10 yearsJohnathan Thurston 2005 - 2015 (Cowboys)9 yearsSonny Bill Williams 2004 (Bulldogs) - 2013 (Roosters)Corey Parker 2006 (Brisbane) - 2015 (Brisbane)Ben Hannant 2006 (Brisbane) - 2015 (Cowboys)Sam Thaiday 2006 (Brisbane) - 2015 (Brisbane)Lance Hohaia 2002 (Warriors) - 2011 (Warriors) ' ' '