Clan-Members » ROOMCubs: OF Jorge Soler took batting p

By Jeff Washburn, The Sports XchangeWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- If the performances match the mutual respect, Monday nights Gavitt Tipoff Games battle between reigning NCAA champion and No. 3 Villanova and No. 15 Purdue in Mackey Arena has the potential to be special.The Wildcats opened their season Friday night with an 88-48 victory against Lafayette, getting 17 points from Jalen Brunson, 16 from NCAA title game hero Kris Jenkins, 16 from sixth man Mikal Bridges and 13 from preseason All-American Josh Hart.Purdue also opened Friday night, crushing McNeese State 109-65, getting 23 points, 20 rebounds and six assists from power forward Caleb Biggie Swanigan, 22 points from 7-2 center Isaac Haas, 19 points and 11 rebounds from wing Vince Edwards and 18 points from explosive freshman guard Carsen Edwards -- no relation to Vince.Swanigan joined Blake Griffin and Ben Simmons as the only Division I college players in the past 10 years to amass at least 20 points, 20 rebounds and five assists in a single game.Villanova coach Jay Wright is well aware of Purdues front line skill, which compiled 64 points and 37 rebounds in the opener.Were going to find out Monday night, Wright said when asked about what to make of Swanigan, Haas and Vince Edwards. Were not going to play anybody bigger. Literally, I think they are the biggest team in the country. (Rebounding with Purdue) is going to be our next test. Were going to find out.Jenkins, whose 3-pointer beat North Carolina in the 2016 title game, respects this big and strong Purdue team.We have a team that is hungry and looking forward to our next game, Jenkins said. Purdue is going to be a big challenge for us.Swanigan knows Purdue cant afford a slow start against the Wildcats after McNeese State raced to a 19-14 lead before the Boilermakers countered with a 22-3 run.We cant do that Monday night, or a team like Villanova gets up by 10 or more, Swanigan said.Vince Edwards knows what Purdue is facing in Villanova.We have the defending national champions coming in, and a team like that is very capable of taking a 10- or 15-point lead and then milking the clock to make it harder for a team to come back, Vince Edwards said. We know we cant dig ourselves another hole.Purdue coach Matt Painter respects Wright and what his program represents.They do a great job of playing hard, and they do a great job of guarding and keeping the ball in front of them, Painter said. They have good guards and good versatility. They just have great talent.The thing I love about this Gavitt Games setup is that people like Villanova normally dont want to come here and play us. This way, its built into the schedule. I have a lot of respect for the way Jay has built that program the right way.Villanova has won the only two previous meetings with Purdue -- once in the 1995 Wooden Classic in Anaheim, Calif., and again in 2012 in overtime in a game played in New Yorks Madison Square Garden.Purdue is 0-5 all-time against Top 5 non-Big Ten opponents in Mackey Arena, most recently dropping a 76-60 decision to No. 4 Duke on Dec. 2, 2008 when the Boilermakers -- led by current New Orleans Pelicans guard ETwaun Moore and former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Robbie Hummel -- were ranked No. 9. Fake NBA Jerseys China . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Fake NBA Jerseys 2019 . Canada is now down to its 22-player limit, although but players wont be registered until Christmas Day. Changes could still be made as a result of a suspension or injury. http://www.fakenbajerseys.com/ . The winner Saturday will remain in the elite 10-team field next year. "We talked about wanting to be disciplined and stick with our game plan and good things will come," Draisaitl said, who had two goals for the victors. Fake NBA Jerseys Online . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. Wholesale Fake NBA Jerseys . -- Derrick Rose shook off poor shooting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. CINCINNATI -- Jon Lesters late-summer surge put him in position to get 20 wins for the first time in his career. The left-hander let his one chance slip away with an uncharacteristically poor performance.No time to fume over it, though. He might be starting the Cubs first playoff game in a few days.Lester struggled for the first time since mid-July as the Cincinnati Reds pulled away to a 7-4 victory on Saturday against what is likely to be Chicagos lineup for its opening game of the playoffs.Asked before the game if hell open the playoffs with the same lineup -- including Lester on the mound -- manager Joe Maddon said, Theres a shot. The Cubs will host the NL wild-card playoff winner on Friday at Wrigley Field.For now, its more about staying ready and accomplishing a few personal goals, like a 20-win season. Lester (19-5) found himself rushing on the mound Saturday as he gave up five runs in only five innings, including Eugenio Suarezs two-run homer and a pair of RBI by Joey Votto. The left-hander hadnt allowed five runs in a start since July 9.I dont know if I was rushing, just trying to get through the game or what, said Lester, who threw 111 pitches. Im more or less bummed about that more than the other stuff.Maddon has been getting players some rest heading into the postseason. Even so, the Cubs have won eight of 12, finishing one of their best regular seasons with a flourish. Chicagos 102 victories are its most since 1910.I think weve been doing a nice job, Maddon said. Im happy with what were doing now. Its not about this. Its about four days off (before the first playoff game) -- thats the bigger concern.Tim Adleman (4-4) gave up three runs in five innings as part of a rare Reds victory over Chicago. The Cubs are 14-4 against Cincinnati this season. Ben Zobrist hit his third homer in two games.The overwhelming majority of the 30,970 fans were wearing Cubs blue and cheering for Lester to get that milestone victory.You know everybody in that clubhouse wanted to get him his 20th win, Adleman said. This didnt feel at all like home. The place was flooded with Cubs fans. It was sweet to get the win today.Nobodyys been better lately than Lester.dddddddddddd Since the All-Star break, hed won a career-high 10 straight decisions. In September, he allowed a total of two runs while winning all five starts. Lester had allowed one run or none in a club-record eight straight starts heading into Saturday.The Reds strung together several well-placed hits while sending him to his first loss since July 3. Lester was hoping to become the first Cubs left-hander to win 20 games since Dick Ellsworth in 1963.Jake Arrieta won 22 games last season to help the Cubs reach the playoffs.STATSThe Cubs have hit 40 homers against the Reds this season, the most ever by an opposing team against Cincinnati. ... Dexter Fowler singled for his 1,000th career hit. ... Suarez snapped an 0-for-12 slump with his first homer since Aug. 30. ... Votto had three hits and drove in three runs overall. Hes batting .412 since the All-Star break. Hes trying to become the first player in the majors to hit .400 after the All-Star break since Ichiro Suzuki hit .429 in 2004. ... Aroldis Chapman fanned Votto on three pitches in the eighth clocked at 101, 102 and 101 mph.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: OF Jorge Soler took batting practice on Saturday and appeared to have no problems with his sore right side that has sidelined him for a week. Maddon said he would likely play on Sunday if there was no lingering soreness.Reds: 2B Brandon Phillips had an MRI on his sore left hand that found a deep bruise. He missed a fourth straight game.UP NEXTCubs: Kyle Hendricks (16-8) is expected to go no more than five innings as the Cubs keep him fresh for the postseason. Hendricks has allowed three or fewer runs in each of his last 22 starts since May 22, the longest such streak in the majors this season. His 1.99 ERA is the lowest in the majors.Reds: Robert Stephenson (2-3) makes his sixth start since he was promoted in September. He gave up four runs in 3 2/3 innings of a 9-2 loss at Wrigley Field on Sept. 21.---Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay ' ' '