Oregon earned its highest ranking ever in the Associated Press poll on Monday but then started to drop on Tuesday when the fourth-ranked Ducks fell to 1-1 with a 66-49 loss at Baylor.The Ducks are back on the court at home Thursday night against Valparaiso, which went 30-7 last year, including a 73-67 loss at Oregon.Valpo won 30 games last year and I said they would do that before the season, Oregon coach Dana Altman said. I said they were going to win 30 and I hoped we were not one of them. And they are going to win 30 games again, and I hope we are not one of them.Valparaiso is 3-0 after wins over Southern Utah, Trinity Christian and Coppin State, but Oregon will present a bigger challenge.The Ducks are expected to once again be without all-conference forward Dillon Brooks, who had foot surgery in July. The Ducks are hopeful he can return next week when Oregon plays in the Maui Invitational.We did not have him in the summer or for preseason practices, so it is no excuse at all, Oregon junior forward Jordan Bell said. When he comes back, he will help us.Oregon had a lackluster start to the season. After a 91-77 win over Army, the Ducks lost by 17 at Baylor. Point guard Dylan Ennis scored 16 points as the Ducks shot just 32.8 percent against the Bears.We have a lot of work to do, and Ive been really telling the guys that for the last two or three weeks, Altman said. I liked our first couple weeks of practice and then we got stuck in gear. We had a hard time getting out of that, but I hope we can figure out a way to get it in another gear.Oregon has a veteran team, with four returning starters, and Altman said he hopes they hear his message soon.That comes from leadership within the team, he said. They have not been doing a good job listening to my warnings. I hope the guys talk about it, because it is their team. They are going to make a decision on the identity for their team. We give them some suggestions, but they are going to have to change the way they approach it.Oregon has a difficult schedule. After Valparaiso, the Ducks head next week to the Maui Invitational, where they will open against Georgetown. The Ducks are one of three teams currently ranked in the eight-team field.This is as tough of a start to the schedule as we have had here, said Altman, who is beginning his seventh season at the school.Senior forward Alec Peters is averaging 26.3 points per game for Valparaiso while senior guard Shane Hammink is scoring 18.7 per game for the Crusaders, who are averaging 82 points per game. Cody Bellinger Jersey . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. Jackie Robinson Jersey .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. http://www.authenticdodgersgear.com/dodgers-yasmani-grandal-jersey/ .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner. Justin Turner Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Julio Urias Jersey .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park.CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians seemed as if they were in for an easy night after scoring six runs in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins. Not so fast. The Indians needed every bit of their early advantage and survived a harrowing ninth inning for an 8-7 win and their fourth straight victory. "We kind of had to hang on for dear life, but we did," manager Terry Francona said. "We go home happy." Cleveland led 8-3 after five, but Minnesota scored four times in the final three innings. Vinnie Pestano, subbing as closer for the injured Chris Perez, allowed two runs in the ninth, including Chris Parmelees second homer of the game that cut the lead to one. Pestano struck out pinch-hitter Josh Willingham on a 3-2 pitch with the tying run on first for his third save. "We won the game," Pestano said. "Thats the bottom line. If I go out there and give up five runs and we win by one, we win by on