COLUMBUS, Ohio -- JaeSean Tate scored 21 points and pulled down 10 rebounds as Ohio State overcame cold shooting and some ugly play to beat North Carolina Central 69-63 Monday night.Ohio State (2-0) struggled for much of the game and let the Eagles hang around. The Buckeyes shot just 46.4 percent from the floor and were lucky to get away with the victory over the less-talented Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference team.We just didnt come out ready to play today, Tate said.Fortunately for the Buckeyes, North Carolina Central (0-2) was sloppier, committing 20 turnovers and losing two players to fouls, including point guard Dajuan Graf.Patrick Cole carried the load for the NCCU with 26 points. Ron Trapps added 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds.Freshman center Micah Potter added 11 points on 3-for-4 shooting from the 3-point line for the Buckeyes, and Keita Bates-Diop had nine.I didnt like a whole lot of what I saw tonight, Ohio State coach Thad Matta said.Ohio State led 31-29 after a slow start by both teams in the first half. The Buckeyes had a 12-0 run and led by as much as 21-11 with 9:17 left in the first, but allowed North Carolina Central to slowly climb back. The Eagles briefly had a lead until Tate hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the half. They cut the lead to five with 40 seconds left.Hats off to Ohio State. They made some significant plays at significant time, NCCU coach LeVelle Moton said. I thought we did enough to win the basketball game.North Carolina Central led 32-31 with 18:46 to go in the game, but the Buckeyes slowly pulled away.Weve got Providence next, and if we come out like that its not going to be pretty, Tate said . We know from last year that these early games count. We cant just be lackadaisical. We have to come out there and be the first team to punch the other in the mouth.Ohio State starting forward Marc Loving sat much of the first half after picking up two fouls in the first 1:15 of the game. He finished with three points.BIG PICTURENorth Carolina Central: If theres such thing as a moral victory, the Eagles got one by staying with the Buckeyes for most of the game. In the end, the best the Eagles got from the trip to Columbus was a chance to hone their game against a more-talented team. They nearly pulled off the upset.Ohio State: The Buckeyes were put on notice that this years version still needs a lot of work. Fortunately there are more tune-up games before conference play begins after Christmas.QUOTABLEWe werent physically and mentally very tough, Matta said. Obviously, we have to get that corrected.LYLE STRUGGLINGStarting point guard JaQuan Lyle sat most the second half Monday in favor of C.J. Jackson. He finished with five points. Lyle also sat most of the second half of last weeks win over Navy.UP NEXTNorth Carolina Central plays Wednesday at Western Carolina.Ohio State stays home to play Providence Thursday night. . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. . The deal is pending a physical, assistant general manager Bobby Evans said. Traded from Seattle to Baltimore on Aug. 30, Morse also can play first base and right field to give manager Bruce Bochy some flexibility in writing his lineup. . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. .ca. Kerry, Just watched the shootout in the Coyotes/Leafs game and I have to ask, why was the James van Riemsdyk goal allowed to count? All of the video replays we were shown on TV were inconclusive about whether the puck had entirely crossed the line or not. AUBURN, Ala. -- Gus Malzahn was ready to try anything to get a win for his Auburn Tigers.Malzahn relinquished offensive play-calling duties. Following his daughters advice, he traded his usual game-day visor for a cap. And then, when the clock expired and LSU players were celebrating an apparent last-second win, the Auburn coach put all his faith in a ruling he couldnt control.Daniel Carlson kicked six field goals and Auburn beat No. 18 LSU 18-13 on Saturday night after officials ruled Danny Etlings apparent last-gasp scoring pass came after time expired.Malzahn said he knew there were only zeroes on the clock before the snap to Etling.I was pretty confident time had expired, Malzahn said. It was just a matter of going to the booth and confirming it.Etling rolled to his right and found D.J. Shark in the back of the end zone on a 15-yard pass, setting off a short-lived celebration by LSU players.I dont know if Ive ever come as close to winning a game and finishing second as today, LSU coach Les Miles said.LSU center Ethan Pocic said he it was unbelievable to briefly believe his team won.One second you do but then one second you dont, but thats college football, Pocic said.The celebration shifted to the Auburn sideline and the similarly dramatic turn in emotions.It was terrifying, just knowing as an athlete, theres nothing you can do about it, said running back Kerryon Johnson, who led Auburn with 93 yards rushing. ... Just to see the clock run out and know its over officially made me feel great.It was an important for Auburn (2-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) and Malzahn, who faced increased criticism following losses to Top 25 teams Clemson and Texas A&M.I think it will give us some momentum moving forward, Malzahn said.Malzahn gave play-calling responsibility to offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and said Lashlee will retain the role even after Auburn was held without a touchdown.An illegal shift penalty against LSU (2-2, 1-1) left the Tigers with a fourth-down play from the 15. There was only 1 second on the clock before officials huddled. Miles said officials said theyy were adding 3 seconds to the clock.dddddddddddd.We knew the referee was not going to blow a whistle, Miles said. He was going to raise a hand and drop it and the clock was going to start. We were trying to get off the play as fast as we could.LSU star running back Leonard Fournette had 16 carries for 101 yards.THE TAKEAWAYLSU: The LSU offense must improve if the Tigers are to realize their preseason expectations. LSU was held to 338 yards, including 118 yards passing by Etling.Auburn: Defense continues to be Auburns strength, but struggles by the offense drew sporadic boos from impatient fans throughout the game. Improvements will be needed; it will be difficult to pull off more SEC wins without reaching the end zone.POLL IMPLICATIONSWith the loss to unranked Auburn, LSU could fall out of the Top 25 with its second loss in four games. The Tigers began the season No. 5 before falling to Wisconsin in their opener.WAR BALD EAGLEMalzahn switched to a white Auburn baseball cap after advice from his concerned daughters. My daughters said something about me wearing a visor and I need to put on a hat because Im getting bald, he said. I saw a replay and it looked pretty bad so thats the reason Im going to wear a hat.TARGETING EJECTIONAuburn linebacker Tre Williams was ejected for targeting in the second quarter. There was no flag after Williams helmet-to-helmet hit knocked Etling out of the game for a play. A review by the officials determined Williams led with the crown of his helmet on the hit.UP NEXTLSU: The Tigers will face another SEC Western Division rival when they play Missouri in a home game next Saturday night. It will be only the second meeting between the teams and the first as SEC rivals. In the only other meeting, Missouri won 20-15 in the 1978 Liberty Bowl.Auburn: Auburn will take a break from its SEC schedule when it plays Louisiana-Monroe in its last of five straight home games.---AP College Football website:
www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '
