Bucks survive Belmont scare

J.J. Sullinger had a double-double to lead Ohio State.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBUS -- J.J. Sullinger scored 14 points in the second half on the way to a double-double Wednesday night to help Ohio State survive a scare from Belmont, 85-75.
The Buckeyes (7-0) led by 14 in the first half and carried a 12-point lead into the half before the Bruins (3-4) took a 48-47 lead on Andy Wicke's layup with 13:26 remaining.
Ohio State called a 30-second timeout, then reclaimed the lead on a layup and a 3-pointer by Sullinger, who finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
The Buckeyes also got 18 points from Je'Kel Foster, who was 3-6 from beyond the arc. Jamar Butler had 12 points and seven assists and Ron Lewis added 11 points.
Ohio State opened on a 13-2 run, keyed by 3-pointers from Sullinger, Foster and Matt Sylvester.
Wicke had 14 of his 21 points in the second to help Belmont close the gap. Josh Goodwin added 14 points while Boomer Herndon had 10 points, six rebounds and a pair of blocks for the Bruins.
Cincinnati 86, Ohio 58
CINCINNATI -- Freshman point guard Devan Downey scored a career-high 24 points, directing Cincinnati over previously unbeaten Ohio.
Downey led runs at the start of both halves that gave Cincinnati (5-2) a calming victory. The Bearcats had lost two consecutive home games for the first time in their arena's 17-year history.
Trying for its first 5-0 start since 1969, Ohio quickly realized it had no one to guard Downey, a true freshman who is learning how to crack open a defense with his quickness. He led an opening 19-9 run and set the pace during a 24-5 spurt early in the second half.
Sonny Troutman led Ohio with 17 points. Forward Leon Williams, who anchors Ohio's inside attack, picked up his fourth foul with 13:56 left in the game and wasn't a factor while Cincinnati took control.
Wooden Tradition
INDIANAPOLIS -- Ohio State and Cincinnati play each other next year for the first time since the 1962 NCAA men's championship game.
The game on Dec. 16, 2006, will be first between the teams in the regular season since 1921. It's part of the annual John R. Wooden Tradition doubleheader at Conseco Fieldhouse. Purdue, the host team, will play Butler in the other game.
Separated by fewer than 100 miles, the two schools have played only eight times, most recently in Cincinnati's 71-59 victory for its second straight NCAA title in 1962. The Bearcats also beat the Buckeyes for the championship the previous year.
It will be the first appearances in the Wooden Tradition for Ohio State and Butler. Second-year Ohio State coach Thad Matta is a Butler grad and coached Xavier in the 2003 Wooden Tradition against Indiana.
Wooden, the former UCLA coach, was an All-American at Purdue, which has played in every Wooden Tradition except in 2003, when Indiana made its lone appearance.