NEW YORK -- When the New York Mets stumbled home Wednesday after losing three straight games to the Washington Nationals, there seemed to be a better chance the Mets would be worried about falling below .500 by the end of a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs than talking about a potential sweep of the presumptive World Series favorites.Yet the Mets have a chance to break out the brooms Sunday afternoon in the finale of a National League Championship Series rematch at Citi Field. New York posted its third straight win with a 4-3 victory over the Cubs on Saturday night.The Mets have outscored the Cubs, who have the lowest ERA in the majors at 2.97, by a margin of 18-8. Not bad for a team that scored 17 runs in the six games preceding the Cubs arrival.Youve got to believe you can compete, Mets manager Terry Collins said Saturday night. But then when you go out and do it, it means a lot. The confidence that it sends throughout the clubhouse -- theres no other way to do it except to go out there and beat one of the real, real good teams three times.The three straight losses to the Mets (43-37) have continued a monthlong skid of sorts for the Cubs (51-29), who have gone 12-14 since June 5. Chicago is 2-11 against teams with a winning record -- the Mets, Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals -- during that stretch.Every team were playing is gunning for us, Cubs utilityman Ben Zobrist told reporters Saturday afternoon. They know weve got the best record in the league. And theyre showing up to play against us. Theyre not showing up like this to play against other teams.The Cubs will try to avoid the sweep behind left-hander Jon Lester, who will oppose Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard in a matchup of aces and potential All-Star Game starters.Lester was named the National Leagues Pitcher of the Month for June on Saturday after a stretch in which he went 4-0 with a 1.41 ERA. Overall this season, Lester has a 2.03 ERA, second best in the NL behind injured Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.We want to finish it off (Sunday), Collins said. Lesters pitching great, but we certainly are right now playing pretty good. So we need to hopefully go out and get some pitches to hit and do some damage with them.Syndergaard absorbed his most damage of the season in his most recent start last Tuesday, when he gave up five runs in three innings and took the loss as the Mets fell 11-4 to the Washington Nationals. The next day, multiple media outlets reported Syndergaard is pitching with a bone spur in his right elbow, accounts corroborated by Syndergaard on Thursday.Lester is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA in three career regular-season starts against the Mets. He took the loss in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series last Oct. 17, when he gave up four runs in 6 2/3 innings in the Cubs 4-2 loss at Citi Field.Syndergaard lost his lone regular-season start against the Cubs in his major league debut on May 12, 2015, when he gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings as the Mets fell 6-1. He picked up the win in Game 2 of the NLCS last Oct. 18, when he allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings in the Mets 4-1 victory. Clearance Air Max 95 Shoes . Canada is now down to its 22-player limit, although but players wont be registered until Christmas Day. Changes could still be made as a result of a suspension or injury. Cheap Air Max China . 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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- When the season began, No. 17 Purdue knew it had two of the nations best big men in 6-foot-8 sophomore power forward Caleb Swanigan and 7-2 junior center Isaac Haas.What the Boilermakers did not kmow was what kind of production they would receive from their perimeter players. After this weeks Cancun Challenge, coach Matt Painter may have found the answer.Swanigan had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and freshman guard Carsen Edwards added 19 points, leading Purdue to a 79-68 victory over NJIT on Saturday.Swanigan was a perfect 6 of 6 from the field and 10 of 10 from the free throw line, and Edwards scored 15 second-half points to help Purdue (5-1) pull away from a 37-34 halftime lead.Swanigan was the MVP of this weeks Cancun Challenge, and Edwards scored a career-high 21 points in Wednesday nights victory over Auburn in the championship game.Were still turnover prone (16 on Saturday), and thats a problem, but we are doing some good things with our zone offense, especially when we are posting our big guys in those sets, which some teams dont do, said Painter, who got 25 points from guard Dakota Mathias in Tuesdays victory against Utah State in Cancun.I also like our focus at the start of second halves. We are able to mix and match lineups, and were still getting some of those nice second-half runs. Carsen was a big part of that today.Edwards helped Purdue maintain a double-digit lead throughout most of the second half.I am just kind of picking my spots, Edwards said. I am just playing off my teammates. I am playing the game and letting it come to me. I try not to lose confidence at all.Damon Lynn had 20 of his 33 points in the second half for NJIT (3-4), which also got 12 points from Chris Jenkins.Highlanders coach Brian Kennedy appreciated his teams effort.Obviously, Purdue is a Top 25 team with two of the best big men in the country, and those two guys arent going anywhere, Kennedy said. So, I told our guys from the beginning that we had to fight, fight and keep fighting, which is what NJIT basketball is all about. We may not get the top recruits in the country, but we are going to compette and fight as hard as we can.ddddddddddddThe momentum swung completely in Purdues favor with 9:12 remaining when Rob Ukawuba fouled Swanigan and also was whistled for a technical foul. Swanigan made four consecutive free throws for a 61-47 lead.I just grabbed the rebound, walked away and the guy called the foul, Swanigan said. (Ukawuba) started walking after me, and I just kept walking away. I was surprised they called a technical so quickly. Ill take it.BIG PICTURENJIT: With Lynn, the Highlanders have a proven scorer (22.5 points a game) and never backed down from a Purdue team that came in averaging 83 points and shooting 51.9 percent from the field. Beginning with Dec. 30, 2014, NJIT is 39-22.Purdue: The Boilermakers were sloppy with 10 first-half turnovers in their first game since winning the Cancun Challenge, but with Carsen Edwards, Mathias and Vince Edwards beginning to complement big men Swanigan and Haas, Purdue is assembling a really nice blend of interior and perimeter scoring options.POLL IMPLICATIONSHaving beaten Utah State, Auburn and NJIT by a collective 57 points this week in addition to capturing the Cancun Challenge championship by beating Auburn by 25, look for the Boilermakers to climb in the next poll.BIG NUMBERSThrough six games, Swanigan is averaging 18.8 points and 12 rebounds, having made 35 of 57 field goal attempts and 38 of 51 free throws.HIGH PRAISEPainter is impressed by the way NJITs Lynn plays the game, making 10 of 18 field goal attempts Saturday, including 8 of 13 from 3-point range.He is just such a tough cover, Painter said. He is a little different in the way he shoots it, but even if he is out there 25 to 27 feet from the basket, you cant give him a step or two.UP NEXTNJIT: The Highlanders will play host to St. Francis (Pa.) on Wednesday night.Purdue: The Boilermakers will travel to No. 10 Louisville on Wednesday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. ' ' '