gun violence, after his father was shot and killed two years ago. He ha

The 17th-ranked Purdue basketball team will attempt to win its third November tournament in the past eight seasons Wednesday night when the Boilermakers face Auburn in the Cancun Challenge championship game.And if coach Matt Painters team wins, the Boilermakers will have beaten a Southeastern Conference opponent in each of those three events title games.Purdue (3-1) defeated Tennessee in the 2009 Paradise Jam in The Virgin Islands when current Auburn coach Bruce Pearl was coaching the Volunteers. The 2015 Boilermakers defeated Florida in the Hall of Fame Tipoff title game in Connecticut.Now, Painter will attempt to get the best of Pearl again after Auburn defeated Texas Tech 67-65 in Tuesdays first semifinal, and Purdue pulled away from Utah State, 85-64.Boilermaker center Isaac Haas scored a career-best 26 points against Utah State, guard Dakota Mathias added a career-best 25 on 9 of 10 field goal shooting and power forward Caleb Swanigan had 15 points.Dakota had a great night, and Isaac was just as good on the interior, taking his time, Painter said. A lot of people who have some size arent used to doubling. When they go and double, its tough for them when they get there late. Trouble happens.Against Utah State, Isaac did a good job of waiting and taking his time. I thought Caleb did, too. Both of those guys really had a good night Tuesday.Painter is hoping to get just as much perimeter help from Mathias against Auburn as he got against Utah State.The more you can make other teams pay -- getting them in foul trouble, playing against their backup bigs -- and then being able to step up and hit some 3s will really help us set our defense more, Painter said.The more consistent we can get on the offensive end, they constantly are going to be going against a set defense, which is what you want.Mathias said Haas and Swanigan help create open shots for Purdues perimeter players.They are so good when they get doubled or triple-teamed, being able to pass out of it, Mathias said. I think especially Isaac has improved.When teams double our big men, weve got guys on the perimeter who can move around the horn and make shots. That is tough to guard.Auburn improved to 4-0 for the second time in the last 10 years. In Mustapha Heron and Danjel Purifoy, the Tigers had two freshmen reach double figures in each of their first four games for the first time since Scott Pohlmam during the 1997-98 season.Beating Texas Tech was a great win for our program and a great win for our kids, Pearl said. Texas Tech is an NCAA caliber team. I thought we stopped guarding in the second half, but hey, I would rather learn and win than learn and lose.While Pearl starts three freshman and two sophomores, he is happy to have fifth-year graduate student point guard Ronnie Johnson, who was Purdues starting point guard as a freshman and sophomore before transferring to Houston to play for Kelvin Sampson.After earning an undergraduate degree in the spring, Johnson opted to move again -- this time to Auburn. Whitey Herzog Cardinals Jersey . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. 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MIAMI -- A woman performing the national anthem before an NBA preseason game in Miami on Friday night did so while kneeling at midcourt, and opening her jacket to show a shirt with the phrase Black Lives Matter.The singer was identified by the Heat as Denasia Lawrence. It was unclear if she remained in the arena after the performance, and messages left for her were not immediately returned.Heat players and coaches stood side-by-side for the anthem, all with their arms linked as has been their custom during the preseason. Many had their heads down as Lawrence sang, and the team released a statement saying it had no advance knowledge that she planned to kneel.We felt as a basketball team that we would do something united, so that was our focus, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Throughout all of this, I think the most important thing that has come out is the very poignant, thoughtful dialogue. Weve had great dialogue within our walls here and hopefully this will lead to action.The anthem issue has been a major topic in the sports world in recent months, starting with the decision by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to not stand for its playing. Kaepernick cited racial injustice and police brutality among the reasons for his protest, and athletes from many sports -- and many levels, from youth all the way to professional -- have followed his lead in various ways.All I can say is what weve seen in multiple preseason games so far is our players standing for the national anthem, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in New Yorkk earlier Friday, at a news conference following the leagues board of governors meetings.ddddddddddddIt would be my hope that they would continue to stand for the national anthem. I think that is the appropriate thing to do.The NBA has a rule calling for players and coaches to stand during the anthem.Heat guard Wayne Ellington often speaks about the need to curb gun violence, after his father was shot and killed two years ago. He had his eyes closed for most of the anthem Friday, as per his own custom, though was aware of Lawrences actions.At the end of the day, to each his own, Ellington said. If she feels like thats the way she wants to stand for it, then more power to her.Making a statement in the manner that Lawrence did Friday is rare, but not unheard of in recent weeks.When the Sacramento Kings played their first home preseason game earlier this month, anthem singer Leah Tysse dropped to one knee as she finished singing the song.Tysse is white. Lawrence is black.I love and honor my country as deeply as anyone yet it is my responsibility as an American to speak up against injustice as it affects my fellow Americans, Tysse wrote on Facebook. I have sung the anthem before but this time taking a knee felt like the most patriotic thing I could do. I cannot idly stand by as black people are unlawfully profiled, harassed and killed by our law enforcement over and over and without a drop of accountability. ' ' '