CANCUN, Mexico -- LeRon Smith made a crucial observation and followed it with a confident prediction sitting among his teammates on the bench Tuesday night.The Auburn forward watched again and again as Texas Techs Aaron Ross drove into the paint, hollered for the ball and hopped for easy layups. He watched as his teams lead got smaller and smaller, too.I was sitting on the bench, I asked, `Why doesnt someone just block his shot? Smith said. I said, `Theres no way Im going to let him get that layup.Smith came up with the block, swatting Rosss potential tying layup with four seconds left out to Texas Techs Zach Smith, who sailed a 3-pointer over the basket at the buzzer, and the Tigers held on for a 67-65 win in the Cancun Challenge.Mustapha Heron scored 15 points, Daniel Purifoy added 11 and Jared Harper netted 10 for Auburn (4-0), which led by 15 points with 11:15 left.Aaron Ross led the Red Raiders (3-1) with 17 points, Keenan Evans had 13 and Devon Thomas and Smith added 11 and 10, respectively. Smith grabbed 10 rebounds.Texas Tech is an NCAA tournament-caliber team, Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. Theyre going to have a really good year. They didnt didnt get off to a very good start in either half and we did. I thought we played really good basketball in the first half.It was all Tigers at halftime. They led by 15 and dominated from midrange and added five 3-pointers. But the Red Raiders began to chip away and turned the rebounding battle in the second half, pulling down 20 to Auburns 11.Meanwhile, the Auburn offense went cold. Dunas snapped 4:18 skid without a field goal with a steal and fast-break layup to make it 65-59 with 1:18 to play.It didnt slow the Red Raiders, who continued a 28-15 run that ended when Thomas hit a layup with 32 seconds left to cut Auburns lead to 65-63. But the Tigers got free throws from Harper, who was 6 for 10 from the line but hit two in the final 25 seconds to keep the game out of reach.THE BIG PICTUREAuburn: The Tigers are 4-0 for the first time since 2011-12 and four underclassmen are helping them get it done. Bryce Brown, Jared Harper and Daniel Purifoy entered the game averaging in double figures and all chipped in equally against the Tigers. Auburn will try to win its fifth straight for the first time since 2004-05 on Tuesday.Texas Tech: Although they couldnt take the lead late, the Red Raiders, on their fourth head coach in six years, were able to keep the game within range. They did so with some explosive plays, including Zach Smiths furious slam dunk that cut Auburns lead to 53-45 with 7:52 left.PROTECTING THE RIMMaybe assistant coach Chuck Perkins overheard Smith as he noticed Ross cutting free to the basket?Pearl said Perkins suggested they put Smith in the game late. He had played just over 12 minutes to that point.Coach Persons suggested that I put LaRon in and I went with it, and it was a great call, Pearl said. Because LaRon is our best rim protector. . LaRon had some rebound baskets, he had some offensive rebounds and he was our best rim-protector at a very, very big time.LEARNING AND WINNINGHeron did plenty on the offensive side. Pearl noted the game began to shift as the true freshman got deeper into foul trouble. Heron picked up his third early in the second half and Texas Tech took advantage, getting inside the defense to sink 18 points in the paint over the final 20 minutes.The rebounding thing, it really swung in the second half. It energized them, Pearl said. I thought we stopped guarding in the second half. . Hes got to continue to guard and that, I think opened the door a little bit to Texas Techs run.UP NEXTBoth teams continue in the Cancun Challenge tomorrow. Cheap Nike Tanjun Online . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. Cheap Nike Tanjun Wholesale . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. http://www.niketanjuncheap.com/ . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Nike Tanjun For Sale . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. Cheap Nike Tanjun Shoes . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. SAN DIEGO -- The name and face are familiar but its a different Clayton Richard pitching for the San Diego Padres.Richard was sharp for six-plus innings and Wil Myers homered as San Diego defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 on Monday night.The win in the matchup between the NL Wests worst teams elevated the Padres into a fourth-place tie with Arizona.Richard (3-3) won his third straight decision, charged with two runs and six hits. He struck out two and walked two.I feel like Im better now than I have been in my career, Richard said.Arizona manager Chip Hale was impressed.He did a good job, pitched in, used his changeup and his breaking ball well, he said.Richard, in his second stint with the Padres, has resurrected his career as a starter. Used mostly by the Chicago Cubs as a reliever the last two years, Richard has allowed two runs or less in six of his seven starts with the Padres.Once a strikeout pitcher coming straight over the top, Richard now pitches from the stretch and with a three-quarter delivery. Since San Diego acquired Richard on waivers on Aug. 6 hes become the teams most consistent starter.I didnt have expectations when I can here, Richard said. I just wanted the opportunity to get on a big-league mound and show what I could do.Brandon Maurer pitched the ninth for his 11th save in 13 chances as the Padres snapped a three-game losing streak.Braden Shipley (4-4), who had won three of his last four starts, was gone after four innings. Shipley surrendered three runs -- two earned -- and six hits with three strikeouts.I just didnt feel like I had the command that I normally do, especially with my offspeed stuff, he said.Richard wasnt in trouble until the seventh when Kyle Jensens triple scored Yasmany Tomas. Philip Gosselin drove in Jensen with an infield hit when Richard was late coveringg first base on a grounder to the right side.ddddddddddddrad Hand relieved Richard and induced pinch-hitter Rickie Weeks to hit into an inning-ending double play.Brad came into a difficult situation with the momentum going and he stopped it, said Richard, who lowered his ERA as a starter to 1.71.The Padres scored three times in the fourth inning.Myers solo blast started the rally, coming on an elevated outside 93 mph fastball. He went the opposite way over the fence in right field for his 26th homer of the season and a franchise-record 16th at Petco Park.The big thing for me is to stay on the fastball, Myers said. To hit it the other way is good. I wasnt late. I was trying to work the ball that way.Alexi Amarista, who had two hits, followed with a two-run single to left, pushing the Padres ahead 3-0. It came after Derek Norris liner ricocheted off shortstop Chris Owings glove for an error.Padres general manager A.J. Preller started his 30-day suspension for breaking Major League Baseballs protocol for medical record-keeping on Monday.TRAINERS ROOMDiamondbacks: OF A.J. Pollock (strained groin) ran for the first time since getting hurt on Sept. 9.Padres: OF Jabari Blash (sprained finger), who has been out since Aug. 19, could rejoin the team at the end of the week.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: RHP Archie Bradley (7-9, 5.07) has produced three quality starts in his last five outings, going 3-1 with a 5.19 ERA. He has split his two decisions in three starts against the Padres.Padres: RHP Paul Clemens (3-5, 4.94) has dropped three of his last four starts, but the win came in his last one. He threw five innings of scoreless ball when the Padres blanked the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 12. Cheap Throwback Baseball Detroit Tigers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Colorado Rockies Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Houston Astros Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Kansas City Royals Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Los Angeles Angels Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Los Angeles Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Miami Marlins Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Milwaukee Brewers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Minnesota Twins Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball New York Mets Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball New York Yankees Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Oakland Athletics Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Philadelphia Phillies Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball San Diego Padres Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball San Francisco Giants Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Seattle Mariners Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball St. Louis Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Texas Rangers Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Toronto Blue Jays Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Washington Nationals Jerseys ' ' '