Hilfestellungen » ot have a need for Rodriguez. But when Boone tore

CINCINNATI -- The rematch was no match at all. Xaviers defense made sure of it.J.P. Macura scored 18 points, and Xaviers defense dug in during a dominant first half, sending the ninth-ranked Musketeers to a 64-42 victory over Northern Iowa on Saturday.Xavier (6-0) completely controlled a matchup of teams playing for the second time in six days. The Musketeers beat Northern Iowa 67-59 for championship of Tire Pros Invitational in Orlando last Sunday.This time, it was no contest. Xavier knew exactly what to expect the second time around.I think its easy, coach Chris Mack said . Northern Iowa always runs the same three plays to start the game. Im sure the players are like, `Weve got it. I was really excited about our mindset today.Edmond Sumner had 14 points and seven assists, making Xaviers offense get into a flow quickly.The Musketeers looked very comfortable in their second go-round against the Panthers (3-2). Northern Iowa had trouble finding open shots while Xavier raced ahead 30-10, going 4 of 13 from the field with seven turnovers as Xaviers defense gave its best performance of the season.The Musketeers led 35-12 at halftime, the fewest points they had allowed in any half for 34 years.Thats the best half weve played since Ive been here, said Macura , a junior. We were talking really well. We were in each others gaps.Xavier pushed the lead to 26 points early in the second half and was never threatened. Jeremy Morgan scored 14 points -- all in the second half -- for Northern Iowa. Morgan had 20 points in their game on Sunday, but missed all of his four shots in the first half while Xavier took control.The Panthers had made at least 10 3-pointers in each of their first four games this season, going 10 of 24 against Xavier on Sunday. They were only 6 of 18 in the rematch. Xavier had a 42-20 edge in rebounds, getting 15 on offense.They made it obvious that they did a better job of preparing their guys for what was the rematch, if you will, Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson said. They outplayed us on the glass, they outplayed us in a lot of areas. They outplayed us in the areas that mattered.Northern Iowa shot 33 percent from the field and had only seven assists.I thought the difference in the game was our defensive effort at the outset, Mack said. Good teams lock in on the challenge in the moment. We defended at a really high level, as good as I can remember.BIG PICTURENorthern Iowa: The Panthers are 17-37 all-time against ranked teams, including 2-17 on the road. Both of those road wins came at Wichita State -- last season and in 2006.Xavier: Kaiser Gates got into a game for the first time. The sophomore forward was counted upon to be an integral part of Xaviers overhauled front line, but tore cartilage in his left knee and had surgery a month ago. Gates played 11 minutes, missed his only shot, got two rebounds and picked up three fouls -- not bad for someone whos had only three practices.He had a phenomenal summer, Mack said. Hes in great position as we move forward.SEE YOU SOONXavier hadnt played consecutive games against a nonconference team since it faced Yale twice in 1960. It was the eighth time in school history that the Musketeers played someone in back-to-back games out of conference.OUCHNorthern Iowas Klint Carlson picked up third foul with 7:48 left in the first half, even though the Panthers were playing zone. Carlson finished with 11 points and three rebounds in 24 minutes. Forward Bennett Koch fouled out with 8:15 to go after scoring five points and getting two rebounds.POLL IMPLICATIONSXavier played its most complete game yet and has shown improvement each time out after a couple of close opening wins.UP NEXTNorthern Iowa hosts George Mason on Wednesday.Xavier hosts North Dakota State on Tuesday.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org Paul ONeill Jersey . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. Gerrit Cole Jersey . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. http://www.customyankeesjersey.com/custom-bernie-williams-jersey-large-714i.html . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Mike Mussina Jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Michael King Jersey . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. NEW YORK -- The Yankees?announced Sunday that?Alex Rodriguez?will play his final game in pinstripes Friday, then assume a position as?a special adviser and instructor with the team.Following Fridays game, Rodriguez will be unconditionally released by the Yankees from his player contract in order to sign a contract to serve in his new role with the organization through Dec. 31, 2017.This is a tough day. I love this game and I love this team, Rodriguez said, often choking up during Sundays news conference. And today Im saying goodbye.Rodriguez, 41, said the agreement arose out of conversations over the past few days with Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner. Relegated to little more than a spare part lately, the three-time AL MVP said the last four weeks have not been fun.Its been very painful and embarrassing to sit on the bench. Its been awkward, Rodriguez explained.Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, however, acknowledged that Rodriguez has a right to change his mind and pursue any potential opportunity. And for his part, Rodriguez never used the word retire.So, if another team offered him a chance to play, would he consider it?A lots happened the last 72 hours, Rodriguez said. You know, when Hal told me, I just told him: Give me a few days. I need to kind of think on this, sleep on it. I have not thought past the pinstripes, and my horizon is Friday. And, I havent thought much more than that.Yankees manager Joe Girardi said hed talk to Rodriguez about possibly playing this week in Boston before the team returns home.Hes earned the right for us to sit down and have a conversation, Girardi said, later adding, If he wants to play in every game, Ill find a way.The Yankees, who are pushing to play younger players, are contractually obligated to pay Rodriguez the remainder of his $21 million salary for this season and the $21 million he is owed for 2017, the final season of a 10-year, $275 million contract that was the largest in Major League Baseball when he signed it.Cashman confirmed that Rodriguez and the team did not reach any type of settlement regarding the remainder of his contract. Rodriguez, therefore, will be paid the full sum still owed on his deal, which is approximately $27 million.When asked if the Yankees considered letting Rodriguez play on another team in order to reach certain home run milestones, Cashman said no teams reached out to the Yankees to inquire about trading for him.Rodriguez has won three MVPs and has made 14 All-Star teams during his 19 full seasons in the big leagues. He is fourth on the all-time home run list with 696, trailing leader Barry Bonds (762) by 66.Of course I think I can play baseball. You always think you have one more hit in you, Rodriguez said. That wasnt in the cards. That was the Yankees decision, and Im at peace with it.With Brett Gardner, Brian McCann and his teammates in attendance at a packed news conference, Rodriguez said he was thankful he would get a few more at-bats in front of family and friends.We all want to keep playing forever, Rodriguez said. But it doesnt work that way.Rodriguezs announcement comes just two days after Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira announced he would retire at the end of the season.I think the ultimate way to go out is to go out on your own terms and Tex is getting an opportunity to do that, and its sad to see that Alex isnt, Gardner said. If we had played better collectively as a team things wouldnt be unfolding this way. Its something thats kind of hard to swallow. Ive been around ffor a little while and its sad to see Alex going like this.ddddddddddddStatistically speaking, Rodriguez is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but he may never get in because he was suspended a then-record full season in 2014 for performance-enhancing drug use. It was the second time he had admitted to using PEDs.The Yankees had essentially made Rodriguez a full-time bench player this season one year after he was a vital member of the lineup during his 33-home run comeback in 2015. But he never could get going in 2016, hitting just .204 with 9 home runs and 29 RBIs in 62 games. His OPS is .609.Rodriguez recently sounded at peace with being cut, saying he would go home to Miami to spend more time with his daughters. Rodriguez mentioned his daughters this spring when he told ESPN he planned to retire following the 2017 season.Rodriguez was drafted by the Seattle Mariners as the No. 1 pick in 1993. By 1996, at 20, he was an All-Star and second in the MVP voting after leading the league in average at .358 and home runs at 36.By the time he was 25, he left Seattle for Texas for what was then the largest contract in American sports history, a 10-year, $252 million deal that exactly doubled the $126 million the?Minnesota Timberwolves Kevin Garnett?was due to earn.Though he personally produced for the Rangers, the marriage would last only last three years. After winning the MVP in Texas in 2003, Rodriguez was nearly dealt to the Boston Red Sox, who were still in the middle of their 86-year championship drought. A trade for Manny Ramirez was agreed upon, but it was foiled by the MLB Players Association, which wouldnt allow Rodriguez to give back money from his initial contact.With Derek Jeter at shortstop and Aaron Boone -- who had just beaten the Red Sox with a game-winning home run in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series -- at third base, the Yankees did not have a need for Rodriguez. But when Boone tore ligaments in his knee playing pickup basketball, Cashman swooped in, dealing?Alfonso Soriano and Joaquin Arias for Rodriguez. The Rangers chose Arias over a minor leaguer named Robinson Cano, who was on a list of players from which Texas could choose. Texas also paid $67 million of the $179 million that Rodriguez was still owed.Rodriguez agreed to move from shortstop to third base in order to play next to Jeter. Rodriguez went on to win three MVPs, and he finally shook off his postseason troubles by leading the Yankees offensively during their 2009 World Series run.Prior to that season, Rodriguez first admitted to PED use after a Sports Illustrated story outed him.Rodriguez said after the SI story that he was a changed man, but his involvement in Biogenesis and subsequent fight to try to overcome the allegations led him to file lawsuits against baseball, the players association and a team doctor. He questioned the integrity of then-commissioner Bud Selig, as well as other executives, during a controversy-filled attempt at a defense.There was a thought Rodriguez may never play again after the suspension, but with the Yankees still owing him $61 million, Steinbrenner decided to let him return.Rodriguez, looking for forgiveness, carried himself with contrition and helped lead the Yankees to an AL wild-card berth in 2015.This year, though, he and the team have not had the same results.ESPNs Andrew Marchand and The Associated Press contributed to this report. ' ' '