ed No. 18 in the final poll of 1978-79. We dont talk about that, we talk about the team

ESTERO, Fla. -- A sizable contingent of Ohio State fans came to the Gulf Coast Showcase in southwest Florida, where the weather happens to be just a bit nicer than back home.Those fans will be free to watch a certain football game Saturday afternoon.Kelsey Mitchell scored 10 of her game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter, and No. 8 Ohio State used a late 11-0 run to pull away and beat Florida Gulf Coast 79-66 on Friday in the tournament quarterfinals. The win means the Buckeyes (4-1) play on Saturday night -- instead of playing a consolation matchup in the afternoon, which would have been during the Michigan-Ohio State showdown back in Columbus.Ive been at Ohio State three years and I never got a chance to experience `The Game, Mitchell said. Hopefully we can give back, watch them, cheer them on.Mitchell got better as the game went on, still having a big night despite not getting her first basket until the second quarter. She had 19 of her 25 points after halftime.Shes going to be the first pick, FGCU coach Karl Smesko said. Whenever she comes out shell be the first pick in the WNBA draft. Shes that good.Shayla Cooper finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Buckeyes. Stephanie Mavunga added 13 points and 12 rebounds for Ohio State.I thought it was a great challenge for our team, Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said.Taylor Gradinjan and Nasrin Ulel each scored 13 for Florida Gulf Coast (2-3), which trailed by one at halftime and was still within five points early in the fourth.The Eagles -- who are playing this weekend about two miles from their campus -- were 12 for 37 from 3-point range and 8 for 30 from inside the arc.Im a little bit mixed emotions right now, Smesko said. Im disappointed because we didnt work as well together as I thought we should of. But then at the same time I saw us do some things well and move in a positive direction.Mitchell had five of the 11 points in the decisive run for Ohio State, starting it with a layup and adding a 3-pointer. The Buckeyes held a 52-31 rebounding edge, 25-11 in that department after halftime.Ohio State led by as many as 12 in the third, but Ulel -- who logged six scoreless minutes in her lone collegiate appearance entering Friday -- made three 3s in the final 2:30 of the quarter, and FGCU was within 54-48 headed to the fourth.Knowing we were in Florida, playing a team like Florida Gulf Coast, we could never get comfortable, Mitchell said.BIG PICTUREFGCU: Gradinjan left the court briefly in the first half while getting her left leg bandaged. She also had to be taken out early in the fourth quarter, favoring the leg slightly. ... The Eagles need only look at last season when figuring out how to overcome a slow start. They were 1-2 last year and finished 33-6.Ohio State: Mitchell is now the Buckeyes career leader in 3-pointers made, getting No. 271 to fall late in the third quarter. She passed Caity Matter, who made 270 from 2001-05. Mitchell didnt know she was even nearing the record. Aw, thanks, she said. ... Even though they trailed for only 1:18, the Buckeyes were tested -- there were six ties and six lead changes.HOMECOMINGS, SORT OFThis weekend is taking Smesko back to his roots. Hes a native of Ohio, and theres a chance he could face his alma mater -- Kent State -- when the three-team, eight-team tournament wraps up on Sunday.UP NEXTFGCU: Either No. 11 Syracuse or George Washington on Saturday.Ohio State: Either No. 11 Syracuse or George Washington on Saturday. Kansas City Royals Pro Shop . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. Kansas City Royals Gear . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. https://www.cheaproyals.com/ . But when it comes to determining if Raymond will find a place on the Leafs roster when training camp concludes in a week, well, that decision will ultimately fall to the head coach. Kansas City Royals Store . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Cheap Royals Jerseys . Bradwell was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday. Born and raised in Toronto, Bradwell is entering his sixth CFL season, with all six played for his hometown Argonauts. PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers forward Deshawn Freeman and coach Steve Pikiell had some discussions about Freemans zero-rebound effort against Niagara, and whatever was said made a difference.Freeman followed up with 13 points and a career-high 15 rebounds as Rutgers defeated North Texas 66-53 in the Scarlet Knight Showcase on Wednesday night.I had no energy (against Niagara), said Freeman, who got his third double-double of the season. Grabbing rebounds gives me a lot of energy.Nigel Johnson and Mike Williams had 10 points each as the Scarlet Knights moved to 5-0 for the first time since 2000-01.Shane Temara had a career-high 16 points for the Mean Green (1-3), who lost their third straight. Deckie Johnson added 13 points and seven rebounds. North Texas played without second-leading scorer Jeremy Combs, who was resting a sore ankle.Trailing 25-24, Rutgers scored seven straight to start the second half and take the lead for good. Leading 43-40, the Scarlet Knights put it away with an 18-2 run to go up 61-42 with 2:52 remaining.The win was keyed by a hard-nosed defensive effort, which Pikiell preaches.I know you would say this game was a little bit ugly but I think it was beautiful, Pikiell said. We couldnt score and it didnt matter.North Texas coach Tony Benford liked how his team hung tough while playing short-handed.I thought we played hard, he said. We are down five scholarship guys. When we get our whole team back, we will be very competitive.BIG PICTURENorth Texas: The Mean Green allowed a season-low in points by holding Rutgers to 36.5 percent shooting (23 of 63), but only shot 33.3 percent (19 of 57) and were outrebounded 53-38. We wanted tto do everything we could to control tempo and stay in the game, Benford said.dddddddddddd I thought we did that early on, but we couldnt keep them off the glass.Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights have not defeated a team with a winning record yet, but their best start in 16 years earned them one vote in the AP poll. Rutgers has not been ranked since it finished No. 18 in the final poll of 1978-79. We dont talk about that, we talk about the team were playing and what we need to do, Pikiell said. People look at records, I look at tape. Rutgers entered the game among the national leaders in offensive rebounding (fifth, 18.25), rebounding margin (seventh, 18.5), and total rebounds (ninth, 48.5).GOOD AND BADThe 66 points tied a season-low for Rutgers and the 53 were the least it allowed this season.UGLY OFFENSERutgers made its first 3-pointer then missed 13 straight and finished 3 for 20 from behind the arc. North Texas had eight shots blocked, including five by Candido Sa.PLEASED TO MEET YOUThis was the first meeting between the two schools, and it left North Texas 1-10 against Big Ten competition.PIKIELL PERFECTAt 5-0, Pikiell continued to add to the best start for a Scarlet Knights coach beginning his tenure.UP NEXTNorth Texas: The Mean Green hosts Niagara on Friday to kick off a five-game homestand. North Texas plays nine of its first 12 games at home.Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights host Hartford Friday, and will attempt to go 6-0 for the first time since 1975-76, when the schools lone Final Four team won its first 31 games. ' ' '