this is an athlete who secured a silver medal forr his c

CINCINNATI -- Earlier this week, Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak called 13th-ranked Xavier a a well-oiled machine that could easily be a Final Four team.By March, Krystkowiak might be right. But, the Musketeers that the Utes will face on Saturday (5:30 p.m. ET) at Cintas Center remain a work in progress.After dropping a 68-66 decision at Colorado on Wednesday, Xavier (7-2) has lost two straight games for the first time since February 2015. Turnovers, poor free-throw shooting and bad decisions late in losses to the Buffaloes and at fourth-ranked Baylor have brought the Musketeers back to Earth.Its early in the season so we arent going to pack our tent and quit playing, said head coach Chris Mack. We got a reality check the last couple times. We are willing to go on the road and play in games like this but you can get penalized too. Our team has to grow up from these types of experiences because they arent fun.The good news for Xavier is that it can unpack the suitcases for a while. Saturdays game against Utah (6-1) begins a stretch of four straight home games.It will be the first meeting between Utah and Xavier and is one of 15 games -- including seven non-conference -- for the Musketeers against teams that reached last seasons NCAA Tournament.The Utes have five players averaging in double figures, led by junior forward Kyle Kuzma, whos averaging 16.4 points and 11 rebounds.Utah is outrebounding its opponents by more than 14 per game. The Utes shoot just 31 percent from 3-point range while allowing their opponents to shoot 33 percent.Xavier presents a formidable test for the Utes, who have faced just one ranked opponent this season, losing 68-59 to 16th-ranked Butler at home.I think most seasons for everybody are about learning lessons and growing, Krystkowiak told the Salt Lake Tribune. To be able to learn some pretty valuable lessons without a loss is always a positive thing, especially when youre trying to get something going.The Musketeers are riding the hot hand of junior guard Trevon Bluiett whos scored at least 23 points in each of his past three games. At Colorado, Bluiett scored 27 points, going 6 of 13 from 3-point range with three assists, and two steals. Hes averaging 19.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.6 steals.Mack is trying different combinations at the five. Senior Rashid Gaston got the nod at Colorado and responded with 14 points and 11 rebounds.But, for the Musketeers to get going, they badly need junior guard J.P. Macura to get on track.In losses to Colorado and Baylor, Macura was a combined 1-for-11 from 3-point range and 5-for-25 shooting overall.He tends to at times play out of our system, Mack said. You know it is tough because you want to give some freedom because he plays so hard. But at times that freedom bites him in the tail.The Musketeers hope that returning to Cintas Center, where they are 220-31 all-time, will help get things back on the winning track. Xavier has not lost a regular-season non-conference game at home since falling to Wofford on Dec. 22, 2012. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys China . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. Cheap Buccaneers Jerseys China . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. http://www.cheapbuccaneersjerseysauthentic.com/ . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. Buccaneers Jerseys China .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Cheap Buccaneers Jerseys . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- The Ethiopian marathon runner who made an anti-government gesture at the Rio Games while approaching the finish line will not face prosecution upon his return home and will have a heroic welcome, a government spokesman said Monday.Feyisa Lilesa told reporters Sunday that he could be killed or imprisoned if he ever goes back to the East African country. He called protesting inside Ethiopia very dangerous.The silver medalist crossed his wrists in an attempt to draw global attention to deadly protests in his home region of Oromia. He told reporters that Ethiopias government is killing his people.Oromo is my tribe, he said. My relatives are in prison, and if they talk about democratic rights, they are killed.The crossed-wrists gesture has been widely used by anti-government protesters in recent nationwide demonstrations as a sign of peaceful resistance and before that by the Muslim community when it revolted against the Ethiopian government.Lilesa will not face any problems for his political stance, government spokesman Getachew Reda told the state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate. After all, this is an athlete who secured a silver medal forr his country.ddddddddddddIt was not immediately clear whether Lilesa plans to return. He told reporters he would discuss the issue with family and friends.Ethiopia state broadcaster EBC did not re-broadcast images of Lilesas gesture. Some people who were watching live and cheering for Lilesa quickly hushed when they saw his gesture.The Oromo are Ethiopias largest ethnic group, with about 40 million people. Their region has seen massive anti-government protests since November that activists say have left more than 400 dead.The protests were ignited by the governments decision to annex some Oromia land into the capital, Addis Ababa. The plan has been abandoned, but demonstrations calling for wider freedoms have continued.Ethiopias government, a close security ally of the West, is often accused of silencing dissent, including blocking internet access at times.?Earlier this month, video obtained by The Associated Press showed Ethiopian security forces beating, kicking and dragging several protesters during a rare demonstration in the capital. ' ' '