MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota is the NBAs youngest team, averaging 23.6 years of age, yet the youthful Timberwolves entered the season with the hope of finally breaking the franchises long playoff drought.The Wolves, however, arent jelling quickly under new coach Tom Thibodeau, and a Tuesday home loss to the Charlotte Hornets didnt sit well. They will try to turn it around Thursday when they play host to the Philadelphia 76ers.Minnesota (3-7) had won two of three games before Tuesday, and the offenses performance was among the best in the league. Then the Hornets pulled away with a big second half to beat Minnesota, leaving the Timberwolves development as a postgame topic.We could use youth as an excuse forever; your opponent doesnt care that youre young, Thibodeau said. Weve got guys whove been in the league for a while now, were making mistakes that never should be made -- from fouling jump shters, reckless passes, turnovers -- its all decision-making.The 76ers (2-9) know youthful mistakes, t. Philadelphia, the fourth-youngest team in the league, opened the season with seven straight losses. On Wednesday, the 76ers won for the second time in four games as they held onto a big lead at home to beat the Washington Wizards 109-102.Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said there was just a poise level that was fantastic.The 76ers shot 54.5 percent and had 30 assists (on 42 field goals), both season highs.Just resilient, forward Richaun Holmes said. Just determined to do anything we had to do to get a win, and we are able to stick it out to the end against a tough Washington team. Were getting better.Holmes knocked down a 3-pointer in the final minutes to help finish off the Wizards on Wednesday. Jahlil Okafor scored a season-high 19 points before fouling out. Philadelphia rested rkie center Joel Embiid, its leading scorer and rebounder who missed the past two seasons following a pair of ft surgeries.Embiid is expected to play Thursday. Brown will have both of his young centers at his disposal. Okafor is expected to play and be limited to 16 to 20 minutes.It was my teammates talking to me, Coach Brown challenging me before the game to attack, be aggressive, make gd decisions; and it really benefited me, Okafor said.Embiids absence for the home game before leaving for a road trip caught some by surprise.Its just the rhythm that the medical staff has put him on, Brown said. And I think you lk back -- back-to-back-type games and those types of things, with the time in between, they felt like ... if we had a choice, this game was going to be it. So I follow the marching orders of smarter people than myself.Embiid will be needed on the road at Minnesota. The 76ers have lost 20 straight games on the road, equaling the second-longest road slump in team history.Okafor should match up occasionally with Minnesotas Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns was drafted No. 1 overall by Minnesota last year, with Okafor picked third by Philadelphia. Towns has lived up to the top-draft status and is averaging 22 points and eight rebounds per game this season.However, Towns tk Tuesdays loss to Charlotte particularly tough.I just have to play better, Towns said. All these losses, they fall on me. Its something Ive got to control. Its something that Ive got to be able to help us as much as possible. Third quarter, Im just not doing enough for us, and Ive got to do better.Minnesota is the leagues top-scoring team in the first quarter but the worst in the third period. The Timberwolves were outscored 36-17 in the third by the Hornets.Thibodeau was asked if Tuesdays loss was a step back for his young team.Its the commitment to improve and to learn, to not repeat the same mistakes over and over again, Thibodeau said. A big part of learning is trial and error, so when you go through something and it doesnt work, you should learn from it; the second time around, it shouldnt be the same way. That has to change. That has to change, and it has to change fast. Custom Baseball Jerseys China . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Ftball Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Custom Colorado Rockies Jerseys . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. http://www.customjerseysbaseball.com/custom-cleveland-indians-jerseys-274x.html . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. Custom Baseball Jerseys Store . Siddikur, whose previous win on the circuit came in Brunei three years ago, finished his bogey-free round with a birdie on the 18th for a total of 17-under 199. Indias Shiv Chowrasia, who has finished runner-up in this tournament twice, was in second place after a 66. Custom Seattle Mariners Jerseys . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The scoreboard operator at FAU Stadium during Tuesday nights Boca Raton Bowl can expect to be kept busy by the high-powered offenses of Western Kentucky and Memphis.The Hilltoppers (10-3) put together their second consecutive 10-win season and averaged 45 points per game in capturing back-to-back Conference USA titles. Even though they will be taking the field without the head coach who built their offensive juggernaut in Jeff Brohm, who left for the same position at Purdue earlier this month, this group doesnt plan to take its ft off the gas pedal.I think theyre going to be one of the more athletic defenses weve faced so were going to have to be able to use our athletes against their athletes and thats really what its going to come down to, said Western Kentuckys senior quarterback Mike White, who transferred from the University South Florida and sat out all of the 2015 season. It starts up front of our big boys. I know theyre going to go out there and take care of business like theyve done all year.Senior wide receiver Taywan Taylor (6-ft-1, 195 pounds) has been the biggest playmaker for White and the Hilltoppers, piling up 1,586 receiving yards and 16 touchdown receptions to rank No. 2 in the nation.The Tigers (8-4) are led by junior quarterback Riley Ferguson, who guided an offense that averaged 39.5 points per game. Ferguson (6-4, 210) racked up 3,326 yards, 28 touchdowns and just nine interceptions but he will be facing a ball-hawking defense that has Memphis coach Mike Norvell focusing on ball security.We know these are two explosive ftball teams and both defenses love to attack, Norvell said. We want to create takeaways. Thats something that weve been able to do a great job of this year, I think were top five in the nation in forcing turnovers, and thats something thats going to be key in this game. When you do play an explosive offense we cant give them any extra possessions.If we can get them off the field we have to capitalize on every opportunity.---Some things to know about the Boca Raton Bowl:TROPICAL AUDITION? Hilltoppers interim head coach Nick Holt will only be wearing the interim tag for this game, as Western Kentucky hired Notre Dame offeensive crdinator Mike Sanford last week to replace Brohm.dddddddddddd Sanford actually will be in attendance at the game but the players are prepared to play hard for Holt, while he hopes to make a strong case to another college ftball program that he is ready to be a head coach.READY-MADE TOUR GUIDES: White and cornerback DeAndre Simmons are among nine Hilltoppers and three Tigers from South Florida, so their surroundings this week from the team hotel to the practice facilities and the drive to other events were very familiar. White has enjoyed playing tour guide to his teammates and reminding them why they chose to play this bowl -- the weather. Being from Florida I know what its like, but some of these kids from Kentucky walked off the plane and were kind of amazed, White said. Its going to be perfect conditions, best on best, and were excited.DONT FORGET ABOUT DEFENSE: Memphis junior cornerback Arthur Maulet shared the same sentiment as Western Kentucky junior defensive lineman Derik Overstreet when it came to the attention -- or lack thereof -- being paid to the defensive side of the ball. The Tigers ended the season with a +10 turnover ratio and Maulet came up with two interceptions, two forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks to go along with 61 tackles (48 solo).WATCH THESE GUYS: Hilltoppers senior running back Anthony Wales (5-10, 195) and Tigers junior wide receiver Anthony Miller (5-11, 190) are two offensive threats that opposing defensive staffs cannot allow to slip free. Wales racked up 1,376 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns on 202 carries. Miller led Memphis with 84 receptions for 1,283 yards and 11 touchdowns.SECOND HOME FOR WKU: Western Kentucky has come to enjoy coming to South Florida, whether its to play conference rival FAU on the same field as the Boca Raton Bowl or leaving Miami last year victorious in the Miami Beach Bowl over USF, 45-35. The Hilltoppers routed the Owls at the stadium Howard Schnellenberger built, 52-3, on Oct. 29. Meanwhile, this will be Memphis first visit to FAU Stadium.---More AP college ftball: tball.ap.org" target="_blank">www.collegeftball.ap.org ' ' '