welcome perennial American League East cellar dwellers,

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The play J.P. Macura made with 1.7 seconds left wont show up in any boxscore, and certainly wont appear in any highlight video.But it helped No. 11 Xavier escape and remain unbeaten.Edmond Sumners free throw with 0.3 seconds left in overtime gave the Musketeers an 83-82 win over Missouri in the opening round of the Tire Pros Invitational on Thursday. He was fouled after Xavier inbounded near midcourt, after a heady timeout that Macura called to give his team a chance to set something up at the end.He understands time and score and puts himself in positions to make hustle plays and plays that determine the outcome of a game, Xavier coach Chris Mack said. It doesnt surprise me that he had presence of mind to call timeout that quickly.Sumner was fouled by Missouris Terrence Phillips as both went for the ball along the sideline on the deciding play. He missed the first one short, then rattled in the second for the win.I decided to call timeout because I didnt want us to just fire up a halfcourt shot, Macura said. I thought wed have better chances of making a shot if we got a timeout.He was right, and the Musketeers -- who won a tournament at the Disney complex last year -- are now in the semifinals of this event. Sumner and Macura each scored 19 points for Xavier, which got 13 apiece from Trevon Bluiett and Sean OMara.Frankie Hughes scored 24 points for Missouri (1-1), and Kevin Puryear finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Phillips scored seven of his 21 points in overtime for Missouri, which never got off a desperation shot after Sumners deciding free throw.I think he was just being aggressive, Missouri coach Kim Anderson said. Im sure hed love to take it back, but you know what? He made a lot of great plays to get us to where we were, so if it wasnt for that it wouldnt come down to that play.Missouri led by 10 in the first half and held the lead most of the second half, but needed to scramble both late in regulation and then from an early five-point deficit in overtime. Missouri went on a 7-0 run late to grab the lead, but Macura made two free throws with 17.8 seconds remaining to tie the game for the 15th and final time.A great basketball game, first of all, Anderson said. I thought our guys did a lot of great things and played one of the top 10 or 15 teams in the country toe-to-toe.BIG PICTUREXavier: It was the second time in three games that the Musketeers were put to the test -- they beat Lehigh 84-81 to open the season last week. ... Xavier missed its last 12 3-pointers, shooting 2 for 22 in the game from long range.Missouri: Hughes is averaging 23.5 points after two games. Only 10 Missouri players have managed to go their entire freshman season averaging more than 10 points. ... The Tigers were outrebounded 52-39.HELLO, AGAINThis is the third straight season that Xavier and Missouri have played.Xavier won 74-58 at Missouri on Dec. 13, 2014, in the start of what was going to be a two-game series, and prevailed again at home 78-66 exactly one year before this meeting -- Nov. 17, 2015.Missouri will be in that position with another non-conference foe later this season, when it meets Arizona for the third consecutive year.UP NEXTXavier: Faces Clemson in the tournament semifinals Friday.Missouri: Faces Davidson in the consolation semifinals Friday.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 Damon Severson Devils Jersey . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Cory Schneider Devils Jersey . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. http://www.devilssale.com/authentic-scott-stevens-devils-jersey/ . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). Andy Greene Jersey . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Will Butcher Devils Jersey . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. Oh, what might have been. Just a month ago, this had the makings of a strength-on-strength matchup featuring the best offense in baseball versus the best 1-2-3 rotation in the American League. However, late season injuries to Cleveland starters Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar have the Indians scrambling for a strategy to neutralize the Red Soxs potent lineup.Its refreshing to see new blood in the playoffs. The Indians make their first appearance in the Division Series in nine years, and theyll welcome perennial American League East cellar dwellers, the Boston Red Sox, to town. We kid, we kid! But the Red Sox did finish in last place in their division in three of the past four years. Of course, the exception was 2013, when they captured their third title of the David Ortiz era. This has truly been a boom or bust franchise for five seasons.The Red Sox send 2016 Cy Young Candidate and 22--game winner Rick Porcello to the mound, and Cleveland counters with Trevor Bauer.dddddddddddd While this will be Bauers first taste of October baseball, Porcello has made eight appearances, including two starts during his six seasons with the Tigers. His 4.41 ERA in 16 postseason innings was reflective of his regular-season results and his skill set -- at least until this year, when he emerged as the unlikely ace and stopper of the Red Sox rotation.Our rotation of baseball handicappers hope their regular-season work carries over to the postseason as well. For the nightcap of Thursdays two ALDS previews, were rolling out our own version of a 1-2-3 rotation with Joe Peta, Andrew Lange and Dave Tuley, and those three will supply a pick for the series and Game 1. ' ' '