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 Cristiano Ronaldo Jersey . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Daniele Rugani Jersey . The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. http://www.juventusfcpro.com/Kids-Blaise-Matuidi-Jersey/ . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. Douglas Costa Jersey . Varlamov made 33 saves and Ryan OReilly had a goal and scored in the shootout as the Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Thursday night. Gonzalo Higuain Jersey . Ryan Garbutt had a goal and two assists as Dallas snapped a six-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Max Whitlock made history by becoming Great Britains first Olympic gymnastics gold medallist on Sunday.The 23-year-old produced a flawless routine on the floor apparatus to score 15.633 and beat two Brazilians - Diego Hypolito and Arthur Mariano - into second and third.It was an extraordinary result from Whitlock, who was also set to compete in his favoured pommel horse event later on Sunday.Whitlocks medal was his second of the Games after he claimed bronze in the mens all-around competition on Wednesday.Whitlock had started the floor apparatus as a strong contender but it was assumed his best chance of breaking his nations gold medal duck would come later.All-around champion Kohei Uchimura was first to go and after stepping out early in his routine he scored a relatively modest 15..dddddddddddd241.After a strong display from home favourite Hypolito, Whitlock nailed his own routine and a succession of likely challengers in the eight-man final proceeded to fall short.Teammate Kristian Thomas scored 15.058 which would eventually place him seventh, while Japans hot favourite Kenzo Shirai made a series of errors and polled only 15.366.American Mikulak, who had exceeded Whitlocks total in the past, also seemed struck by nerves and produced a poor routine which would rank him last.When the final score was announced Whitlock was submerged by teammates and staff, while the Brazilian silver and bronze medallists embraced as the crowd roared. 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