of Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights were held to 116 total yard

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Malcolm Hill made sure Illinois didnt step off the gas pedal Friday night so that the Illini could took care of business against Detroit Mercy, 89-69.The senior, who scored 25 points, led his team to a quick start after the intermission, when his team was up 39-30 and it seemed like the Titans would close the gap even more.Im always in an aggressive attack more, but this was one of those games where I needed to start strong in the second half, Hill said.Illinois (4-0) continued its strong start to the season in the opening game of the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament.The Illini had little trouble scoring, shooting 27of 52 from the field and 8 of 19 from 3-point range. Friday marked the second straight game the Illini had difficulty shooting from the free throw line however, finishing 27of 38.Tracy Abrams continued to have a strong return to basketball, scoring 15 points and finishing with four rebounds, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range.Groce knows the importance a balanced offense can have on his team.If you can have a balance of paint touches with that outside shooting, it puts opponents in dilemmas, Groce said.Detroit Mercy (1-2) had trouble keeping up with Illinois fast offensive pace from the start of the game. The Titans never led.Josh McFolley and Jaleel Hogan both led the way with 16 points for a team that finished shooting 43 percent from the field and 24 percent from beyond the arc.The Titans fell behind in most categories against the Illini, but Detroit Mercy head coach Bacari Alexander felt Illinois won the game down in the post, where the Illini won the rebound battle 39-29.They took advantage of those opportunities (in the post), Alexander said. (But) I like the direction this team is going in.BIG PICTUREIllinois: The Illini have played as they should against the type of opponents theyve faced so far this year. The team has one game left against relatively easy competition before facing No. 19 West Virginia at the Barclays Center in New York.Detroit Mercy: Although the game was never really close after the first few minutes, the Titans found some scoring opportunities and will need to continue to do that in the rest of the tournament.ROLE PLAYERGroce thought bench player D.J. Williams had his best overall performance of the year. The sophomore wing scored six points.LETDOWNAfter a strong start to the season, center Maverick Morgan had his worst night of the season, finishing with six points and zero rebounds and fouling out with more than five minutes left in the game.UP NEXTIllinois will continue play in the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament when it hosts Winthrop in Champaign on Monday.Detroit Mercy will try to bounce back Monday when it travels to Florida State to play its second game in the NIT Season Tip-Off.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.orgDwight Clark 49ers Jersey . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. Deebo Samuel Womens Jersey .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. http://www.thesf49ersshoponline.com/Youth-Tom-Rathman-49ers-Jersey/ . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. Dee Ford Youth Jersey . -- Its been a long road back for Sean Bergenheim. Jalen Hurd 49ers Jersey . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Indianas upset of Michigan State in overtime Saturday raised some eyebrows among college football pundits around the country, but it wasnt a huge stunner for Ohio State players who know the Hoosiers as a tough out the past few years.Indiana (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) overcame a 14-point Spartans lead in the final 16 minutes Saturday night, and won on a 20-yard field goal in overtime, 24-21. Indiana won its first overtime game in six years and got its second win in 26 tries over a ranked foe.The task this week will be more formidable for the Hoosiers when they travel to Columbus to play No. 2 Ohio State (4-0, 1-0).Last year the Buckeyes just snuck by Indiana 34-27, fumbling the ball four times and racking up 109 penalty yards. In 2014, the Buckeyes didnt manage to pull away until the third quarter in a 42-27 win.Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said Monday the Hoosiers have by far their best team this season.I see an outstanding team, Meyer said. For four years in a row its been a swing-as-hard-as-you-can (game)....Theyve got an excellent coaching staff, you can see some really good things on video tape, and their game Saturday was a great win for that program.Defensive end Sam Hubbard said Indianas victory over the defending Big Ten champs last week just adds to the intensity of Saturdays matchup.They almost beat us last year, so we didnt really expect it to be an easy game at all, Hubbard said, noting that Indiana could have the best offensive line the Buckeyes have faced this year.When I heard about it, I wasnt shocked by any means, said quarterback J.T. Barrett, who became the Ohio State career leader for touchdown passes Saturday. Indiana is not a team to look past because they give us trouble every year.DEFENSE MAKES THE DIFFERENCEA slow start in the Tulsa game notwithstanding, the Buckeyes have clicked early this season and havent run into anny major potholes, in contrast to last season when they had trouble playing consistently until near the end.dddddddddddd Meyer credits a deep, stifling defense with making the difference.Ohio State had another shut-down defensive performance on Saturday in the 58-0 dismantling of Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights were held to 116 total yards, 33 passing yards and nine first downs. Ohio State is third in the nation in total defense and is the only team not to have allowed a rushing touchdown.Thats just the way the game of football is -- if you have a great defense, things are usually going to get rolling for you at some point, even if you struggle a little bit, Meyer said. And the fact that you have J.T. Barrett running the show, its pretty smooth. Even when he makes a mistake, usually its not an awful one and we can rally right back up. But it starts with defense.WEBER ROLLING ALONGRunning back Mike Weber was named Big Ten freshman of the week after rushing for 144 yards on 14 carries against Rutgers, including a 46-yard breakaway for a touchdown. He also had a 49-year breakaway run. Weber, a redshirt freshman, leads the Big Ten with a 123.8-yards-per-game average. He ranks 11th nationally.LAST WORD ON RUTGERSTwelve Ohio State players caught passes from Barrett Saturday, and eight different players scored touchdowns. Wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Parris Campbell and Johnnie Dixon all caught the first career TD passes....Backup running back Demario McCall ran for 85 yards and a TD on 10 carries late in the game after spelling Weber....Nick Bosa -- Joeys younger brother -- had four tackles and a sack.---Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacyFor some of his other recent stories: http://bigstory.ap.org/content/mitch-stacy ' ' '