off turnovers.The Spartans just werent able to mount much of a pushback. They went 7 minutes between baskets spanning

CARMEL, Ind. -- This is what those who have played with and against him feared. Not that they were rooting against Dustin Johnson, but certainly there was a sense that when he matched up his physical gifts with all the other elements that go into playing golf ... well, look out.What Johnson has done now, in winning the U.S. Open, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and on Sunday the BMW Championship, is figure it out.He has gone from the guy who couldnt close out the big tournaments to the one who has won a major championship, a World Golf Championship event and a FedEx Cup playoff event in the same season, setting up a shot at the overall FedEx Cup title and PGA Tour Player of the Year honors.Never one to be too reflective or dig deep into what it all means, Johnson, 32, shrugged after Sundays victory like a guy who had just won a club championship.I think every year could be the best year of my career, Johnson said.A 5-under-par 67 at Crooked Stick Golf Club sealed Johnsons third victory of the year and 12th of his PGA Tour career, as he finished 3 strokes ahead of Paul Casey, who also shot 67.I ran into a buzz saw with Dustin Johnson the last two days, Casey said. I did everything I could. I hold my head up high that it was a great fight. It was fun to be making eagles against each other coming down the stretch, and the kind of consolation prize -- although its a pretty good one -- is Im controlling my own destiny when I get to Atlanta.So though Ive got no victories, its nice to be in that top five.Casey was referring to the season-ending Tour Championship in two weeks, where the top five entering the 30-man tournament are assured of the overall FedEx Cup title with a victory.Thats good news and bad news for Johnson, who heads to Atlanta in the No. 1 position, with Patrick Reed, Adam Scott, Jason Day (who withdrew from the BMW on Sunday with a back issue) and Casey in the next positions.As great as Johnsons season has been, even if he finishes second at East Lake, he wont win the overall title if Reed, Scott, Day or Casey shoots the lowest score over 72 holes.The idea is to give everyone in the field a chance heading to East Lake Golf Club.The best thing for Johnson to do is just win the tournament, but even if he doesnt, he is almost assuredly the PGA Tour Player of the Year. Day would make an argument with a win in Atlanta, which would be his fourth of the year to three for Johnson -- who also has that major championship.I think that winning the U.S. Open was definitely a kick start, Johnson said. It gave me a lot of confidence, especially with all the things that happened to me in the majors, where Ive been close and had a couple of mishaps or a couple of bad penalties, whatever happened. Ive been very close. So winning that, finally getting that first major, I think that was a big deal and that kind of kick-started my year.Johnson said improved wedge play this year and putting a new putter in the bag this week were big factors in his overall play and the win at Crooked Stick.Of course, leading the field in driving distance (319 yards) and strokes gained off the tee and also being third in strokes gained tee to green were big factors, as well. In addition, he was second in strokes gained putting.I think that Dustin Johnson is arguably the most talented player on the PGA Tour, said Jordan Spieth, who was the beneficiary of one of those Johnson miscues at the 2015 U.S. Open. I think [it was] a matter of time. I think hes a freak athlete. I think hes not only a freak athlete, but a freak golf athlete -- like he has great hands, great club face control.He hits some shots where you wont see anybody else trying to. Hell hit driver ... and hell split a 15-yard fairway when everyone else is laying back, and its an advantage for him, and he takes advantage of it most of the time. I just think, yeah, its something thats really incredible to watch.In Johnsons sights now is the possibility of a $10 million bonus for winning the FedEx Cup -- or certainly a big payout regardless -- as well as creeping closer to Days No. 1 world ranking.None of that is a surprise to those who have long known just how good Johnson is and can be going forward.Asked if this summer is the best he has ever played, once again Johnson did not overthink it.Yeah, for sure, he said. Howie Long Raiders Jersey .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Clelin Ferrell Jersey . Now that hes hitting streaking teammates with pin-point passes for easy layups, Love is asserting himself as one of the true superstars in the league. https://www.raiderssportsgoods.com/Womens-Willie-Brown-Inverted-Jersey/ . After Mondays hard-fought loss, the wait seemed longer than usual. 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PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas -- Baylor dominated Michigan State inside with its size advantage, got out in transition and kept knocking down shots.The result was a second lopsided win against a ranked team in 10 days, along with the No. 20 Bears earning a trip to the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game.Johnathan Motley scored 20 of his 26 points in the first half and the Bears shot 55 percent after halftime to beat the 24th-ranked Spartans 73-58 on Thursday.Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. added 14 points and eight rebounds -- nearly all in the second half -- for the Bears (5-0), who sprinted out of the break with a 12-2 run on the way to shooting 55 percent in the second half. That quickly turned a 33-30 halftime deficit into a double-digit lead against the cold-shooting Spartans (3-3).We were able to get stops and we were able to get some transition buckets, Baylor coach Scott Drew said. And when were able get in transition with some easy ones, that loosens things up.The Bears did a lot of things well. They controlled the boards. They had 24 assists on 30 baskets. They scored 19 points off turnovers.The Spartans just werent able to mount much of a pushback. They went 7 minutes between baskets spanning halftime as Baylor made its push, while the Spartans thin front line was no match for the 7-foot Lual-Acuil and 6-10 Motley.We were bigger than them in the paint and we think were tougher, Motley said, so we just used that to our advantage.Freshman Miles Bridges scored 15 points for the Spartans, who shot 39 percent after halftime -- including 1 for 10 on 3-pointers -- in a demanding opening month of the schedule that has them crisscrossing the country.We were moving the ball and really playing well I thought through the first half, and we quit doing that, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. I just think we looked awfully tired. I can accept that thats my fault, not theirs.BIG PICTUREBaylor: In their first two games in the Bahamas, the Bears have notched a tough win against VCU and now a rout against the Spartans in the span of 24 hours -- about as good of a starrt as Drew couldve hoped to see.ddddddddddddMichigan State: The concerns about the Spartans injury-depleted front line showed up in a big way in this one. Motley went just about anywhere he wanted in the first half, while Lual-Acuil led Baylors effort on the boards. Izzo said Wednesday there would be some growing pains while this group sorted things out -- and this performance illustrated it perfectly.POLL IMPLICATIONSThe Bears vaulted into this weeks AP Top 25 after beating then-No. 4 Oregon last week and could be ready to climb after beating VCU and Michigan State, depending on their finish Friday. As for the Spartans, theyve slid from their No. 12 preseason perch and could be set to fall all the way out despite -- or maybe because of -- that schedule.IZZOS APOLOGYMichigan State has already lost to Arizona in Hawaii and Kentucky in New York. The Spartans travel to Duke next week in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.Izzo said he did a terrible job putting together a schedule that has left little time to practice and try to develop his team.I actually apologized to my team, he said. And yet, Ive always played a tough schedule. ... You know what? You can take it as an excuse, you can take it as the truth, I dont give a damn. Im telling you what I did. This aint on them. Its on me.UPFRONT SIZEWith Michigan State down two big men because of injuries, Lual-Acuil, Ishmail Wainright (eight rebounds) and Motley helped the Bears control the inside. Baylor outrebounded Michigan State 36-29 and held it to three offensive boards while scoring 44 points in the paint.UP NEXTBaylor: The Bears will play No. 10 Louisville, which beat Wichita State later Thursday, in Fridays championship game.Michigan State: The Spartans will play Wichita State in Fridays third-place game.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap---More AP college basketball at http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '