the two-leg playoff isnt a massive lead for Toronto to defen

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The NCAA has accepted?Missouris?self-imposed sanctions over infractions involving its mens basketball program but it tacked on a year of probation though August of next year.The NCAA infractions committee panel on Tuesday said roughly $11,400 in improper inducements and benefits was given to players and a recruit by two boosters. The findings come nearly seven months after Missouri admitted NCAA violations dating to 2011.In January, the school hoped to blunt NCAA punishment by announcing it was vacating its 23 wins from 2013-14, banning itself from the postseason last season and stripping itself of one scholarship last season and a second scholarship no later than 2017-18.The school, while agreeing to pay a $5,000 fine, also permanently banned one unidentified donor who the NCAA said provided impermissible benefits to three players and one recruit in 2013-14. The benefits included compensation for work not done at a business through a summer intern program, along with housing, $520 cash, local transportation, iPads, meals and use of a local gym.The NCAA concluded that a second booster also provided impermissible benefits to 11 mens basketball players and three members of a players family. Missouri has said those benefits included reduced rates at a hotel along with meals and a boat ride, and a student manager also provided transportation for multiple players to the hotel from the campus.The Missouri systems interim chancellor, Hank Foley, and basketball coach Kim Anderson welcomed Tuesdays announcement as a turning point for the program after roughly two years of turmoil.As responsible members of the (Southeastern Conference) and the NCAA, we chose to self-report potential violations of bylaws and self-impose certain sanctions, Foley said in a statement. Tuesdays announcement is a clear indication this was a wise decision by the university and allows us to put these issues behind us as we continue to rebuild a top-notch basketball program.Through cooperation between NCAA personnel, the University of Missouri and our Mizzou athletics staff, we are now able to draw this process to a close, added Anderson, who is 19-44 in his first two seasons in Columbia. It has been my desire to move our program forward since learning of what had taken place.Missouri went 23-12 in 2013-14 -- Frank Haiths final season as coach before he left from Tulsa, not long after the school received a verbal notice of inquiry from the NCAA in April 2014, when Missouri hired Anderson. At that time, Anderson said he wasnt aware of the investigation.Haith, the former coach at Miami, was suspended for five games by the NCAA at the start of the 2013-14 season for inadequately monitoring former assistants interactions with a disgraced Miami booster and then trying to cover up a five-figure hush money payment to keep potential violations hidden.The investigation found that Haith and Miami assistant coach Jake Morton paid Nevin Shapiro $10,000 after he threatened to expose previous improper contact with high school recruits and amateur coaches.Haiths Kansas City attorney, Scott Tompsett, said Haith cooperated fully with the NCAAs investigation and was not named in or held responsible for any of the violations.As the NCAA Infractions Report makes clear, violations happened while Coach Haith was at Mizzou and they continued after Coach Anderson became the head coach, Tompsett wrote in an email to The Associated Press. The fact of the matter is that this is not a Frank Haith issue or a Kim Anderson issue; its an issue of Mizzou as an institution not adequately monitoring the summer employment arrangement. Thats what the NCAA found and Mizzou agreed.Haith, Tompsett added, wishes the best to the University of Missouri and its mens basketball program.A message left Tuesday with Haith at his Tulsa office was not immediately returned. Jusuf Nurkic Jersey . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Gary Trent Jr. Jersey . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. http://www.blazersteamofficial.com/Terry-Porter-Blazers-Jersey/ . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. Damian Lillard Blazers Jersey . -- Derrick Rose shook off poor shooting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Zach Collins Blazers Jersey . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. New York City FC needs to find goals with its MLS Cup playoff hopes hanging in the balance, and theres no better place to overhaul a two-goal deficit than at home.New York hosts Toronto FC in the second leg of the Eastern Conference semi on Sunday, with Toronto holding a 2-0 lead after the first leg in Toronto. That leaves NYCFC with no choice but to go on the attack if it has any hope of advancing.We dont have a choice. Weve made it really difficult for ourselves with the result of the first leg, New York head coach Patrick Viera said. But we still have belief. Weve been in the game long enough to know that anything can happen. We just need to go out onto the field with a good organization, determination and work hard.Playing at Yankee Stadium, a two-goal margin heading into the second 90 minutes of the two-leg playoff isnt a massive lead for Toronto to defend and New York to overhaul. With a smaller surface in the facility normally used for baseball, New York has enjoyed plenty of high scoring games.Torontos visits to Yankee Stadium are raarely short of goals.dddddddddddd The lone result this season was a 2-2 draw while last season, the two clubs played to a 4-4 draw. TFC players know playing a defensive-minded game likely would not end very well.But Toronto enjoys plenty of offensive weapons in the shape of designated players Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco to make the most of the scorer-friendly field.Weve all been there, weve all played there and there arent going to be any surprises for anyone, said Altidore. Were an attacking team. We like to create chances, so I figure well still see that during the game. I think there will be times where well be smart but when you play with a guy like Seba (Giovinco), theres only so much defending youll do.New Yorks lineup will be bolstered with David Villa, whose apparent kick-out at Armando Cooper in the first leg was not ruled egregious enough to merit a suspension by the MLS Disciplinary Committee. ' ' '