Its about time the last-minute break went their way.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State found its energy after a sluggish performance earlier in the week, and the Buckeyes needed every bit of it to beat Providence.JaQuan Lyle scored 20 points and JaeSean Tate added 14 as Ohio State held off the Friars 72-67 on Thursday night.Ohio State (3-0) looked sharper after barely surviving North Carolina Central earlier in the week and won this game despite the efforts of Rodney Bullock, who was 5 for 9 from beyond the 3-point line and scored 27 points for Providence (1-1).It just seemed like we had more flow to us, Ohio State coach Thad Matta said.Trevor Thompson added 12 points for the Buckeyes in their opener of the Gavitt Tipoff Games, an eight-game series featuring Big Ten teams against the Big East.Indiana transfer Emmitt Holt scored 11 for Providence, and Jalen Lindsey booked 10 as the Friars as a team shot just 34 percent from the floor. The Buckeyes made exactly half their shots.Providence, searching for an identity this season after the loss of its two best players to the NBA, couldnt overcome the Ohio State lead but was still in the game in the final few minutes.Bullock closed it to 50-49 at the 10-minute mark with a 3-pointer, but the Buckeyes went on a 9-0 run over the next 1:28 to lengthen the lead again. The Friars pulled within two at the 4-minute mark with an Isiah Jackson 3-pointer, but a series of fouls put Buckeyes at the line and allowed them to build the lead and hang onto it.We fought back a couple different times, Providence coach Ed Cooley said. I think we were down by double digits two different times and found a way to get back. We lost a lot last year, and to grind it out and make it a competitive game right down to the wire, Im really proud of our group.The Buckeyes led the cold-shooting Friars 38-28 at the half, highlighted by a 9-2 run that erased a 17-16 Providence lead, and punctuated with a Keita Bates-Diop dunk off a steal and a 3-pointer from Lyle. Thats the last time the Friars would lead.Ohio State dominated inside, scoring 42 in the paint against Providences 20.I thought we did a good job finishing down there, Matta said. Its been a little bit of a problematic area for us. Our guys did a good job of getting the ball where we wanted it.BIG PICTUREProvidence: The departures of superstar Kris Dunn and sophomore Ben Bentil to the NBA left Cooley without a proven, experienced player around which he could build this years team, although Bullock stepped up to carry the load Thursday. Some of his teammates are going to have to do more for the Friars to be successful.Ohio State: After struggling on Monday, Ohio State triumphed in their first true test of the season. The Buckeyes were able to hold off Providences scrappy second-half charges and keep the lead.We were up by 12 points at one point, but they went on a run, Lyle said. This team last year probably would have folded and end up losing the game. It shows our maturity and how much we have grown up. We will continue to build off this game.INJURY REPORTBates-Diop went down awkwardly with his leg bent behind him about six minutes into the second half. He stayed down awhile, but eventually was helped to his feet and walked to the locker room under his own power. Matta said Bates-Diop was day-to-day with an ankle injury.UP NEXT:Providence: Returns home to play Grambling State on Saturday.Ohio State: Plays Western Carolina at home Monday night. The Buckeyes also play the day before and the day after Thanksgiving.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25.Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacy Albert Pujols Jersey . Arsenal failed to take full advantage of its main rivals stumbles on Saturday as substitute Gerard Deulofeu levelled with a hard shot from a tight angle in the 84th minute to give Everton a deserved point. Ahead of a crucial fortnight that will see them play against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal leads by five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea. Eddie Murray Jersey . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. https://www.cheapangels.com/673j-bert-blyleven-jersey-angels.html . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. Hoyt Wilhelm Angels Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Noe Ramirez Jersey . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th.Great art galleries, great architecture, great churches and some decent-looking domes, Michelangelo, restaurants, youll love it. That was my promise to the SuperSport broadcast team who are following the Springboks around this month. A week in Florence, hell, was I envious!But South Africans, being the passionate rugby people they are, will not be leaving one of the worlds great renaissance cities with many happy memories and Bach cantatas echoing in their ears. Instead, there was yet another day of Springbok humiliation. Sky Sports Black Friday sale Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price! One week earlier the largely second string All Blacks had carved Italy open in one of those games where tries are scored from every angle. But on Saturday, Italy reversed their fortunes with an astonishing victory against South Africa. Great credit to Italy, Conor O Shea and Mike Catt (how he must have enjoyed the win) but is it really so astonishing?The Springboks have now lost five of their six games away from home this season and drawn the other with the Barbarians. They have twice been blown away by their former deadly rivals New Zealand. It is time for the word crisis. The dejected Boks leave the field after their loss to the Azzurri They have dropped into fifth place in the world rankings and have only the one game left against Wales - away - before the World Cup draw is made next May. The European teams have the Six Nations in which to rise and fall. The odds are on the South Africans being a tier-two pool draw for Japan with the potential of another England scenario looming large. Allister Coetzee is in a dark place.2 At the other end of the international game there was absolutely no surprise that New Zealand bounced back and beat Ireland in Dublin. What surprised even me was the ferocity of the All Black display. They walked the line of legality and occasionally stepped over it. Who is the better European team, Ireland or England? England is ranked two but has not yet shown quite the level of performance we have witnessed from Ireland this autumn. Stuart Barnes There has been some outrage regarding their aggression but the greater concern is with the officiating that doesnt think the Sam Cane shoulder hit that took Robbie Henshaw out of the game deserved anything but a penalty.While not condoling dangerous and violent play there was something thrilling about a team caring that much about losing. Its up to the referees and their assistants to control their passions. Paul OConnell, Gordon DArcy and Sean Fitzpatrick analyse Irelands loss 3 If high tackles and Sam Cane was the dark side of the All Black performance, Beauden Barrett was their white magic - all good, all positive, and dazzling in nearly everything he did. The first half hour was startling.Eddie Jones wonders whether George Ford can become a better fly-half than Barrett. Superb as Ford was with ball in hand against Fiji, its fair to say that, on Saturdays evidence, he has a way to go... and I loved Fords performance at Twickenham. Highlights of Irelands clash against the All Blacks in Dublin 4 Ireland - losing three key players as they did against France in the World Cup - couldnt quite pull off another epic victory.ddddddddddddBut then again that was France, this was New Zealand. Disrupted by the loss of key players, still Ireland gave the All Blacks a great game.They lack the match-winning stardust even with those three on the field, but this was a powerful performance, even in defeat. Joe Schmidts team has more strength in depth than ever. He has done a fine rebuilding job post-World Cup. 5 Who is the better European team, Ireland or England? England are ranked two but have not yet shown quite the level of performance we have witnessed from Ireland this autumn. England do have that winning knack, however, and are on a steadily improving curve.We may have to wait for the final match of the Six Nations for some sort of answer, although Ireland will have home advantage. Ireland, meanwhile, have to forget the aches and pains and end the Australian winning run this weekend.Isnt that a fascinating game? If Ireland want to be going toe to toe with England for the status of world number two, this is the sort of game they have to grit out. 6 Lets hope Argentina can give England a work-out. South Africa was comfortable, Fiji a walk in the park. The Pumas are looking ragged. It has been a long year of Super Rugby and the depth of their squad is looking dubious.Individually they are equipped with talent, especially in the back row and midfield, but they are collectively mistake-ridden. If they play their rugby in the wrong parts of the field, England will make short work of them. Paradoxical as it seems, an inspired Argentina is exactly what Joness men need before Australia arrive with revenge in mind. Highlights of Englands Autumn International clash against Fiji at Twickenham 7 Scotland nicked the game against the Pumas with the last kick of the game. Its about time the last-minute break went their way. Vern Cotters team have been playing some good rugby for quite a while but ending up on the wrong side of the scoreboard.It was time for the performance to give way to the importance of the result. Psychologically Scotland will be a lot stronger for the last swing of Greig Laidlaws boot.8 Wales too won with the last kick of the game, this time a drop goal from Sam Davies, but there are few hymns and arias across the Severn Bridge at the moment. Jones: Wales complacent again England coach Eddie Jones blasts complacent Wales Eddie Jones weighed in, accusing Wales of complacency against a team containing seven or eight company players.You and I could play company rugby, said the stirring Jones.9 Tension will be unbearable in Cardiff this weekend. Wales cannot afford to lose against a South African team that are a faded shadow of their old legendary self, while the Springboks cannot afford to lose to a Welsh team that is struggling to find any kind of form.I fear the pressure, the fear of not losing, as opposed to going out and playing positive winning rugby, could limit the quality of the rugby. You can chuck all my normal performance talk out the window, winning is even more important for both teams Saturday than it was for Scotland last weekend. Wales need a last-minute drop goal from Sam Davies to secure a win over Japan 10 New Zealand are talking up the unpredictable French. Go look at Frances record in the last five or six years, study the DVDs of their inept performances. France have not been unpredictable for ages, they have been useless.It would be an infinitely greater shock for France to beat a New Zealand team in Paris than it was when Ireland won in Chicago.Upgrade to Sky Sports now and get 12 months half price. Hurry, offer ends December 4! Also See: Hansen: Strongest ever Lions Jones: Ford must be selfish Follow @SkySportsRugby Rugby on Sky ' ' '