Jae’Sean Tate has been described by coach Thad Matta as the heart and soul of the Ohio State basketball team.
In Monday night’s home opener against a dogged North Carolina Central team, Tate had to be the leading scorer and designated energy guy, too. He finished one shy of his career high with 21 points and helped the Buckeyes finally take charge during a crucial 9-0 run early in the second half as Ohio they held on for a 69-63 victory.
Ohio State (2-0) escaped dropping a game this early since it opened the 2003-04 season with two straight losses, but it wasn’t a sure thing until late against the Eagles (0-2).