Buckeyes rip Morehead

COLUMBUS (AP) — E.J. Liddell scored 16 points and No. 23 Ohio State pulled away from Morehead State for a 77-44 win on Wednesday.

Justice Sueing, C.J. Walker and Duane Washington Jr. had 11 points apiece for Ohio State (3-0). Kyle Young collected 10 points and nine rebounds, and Justin Ahrens finished with nine points.

DeVon Cooper scored 13 points for Morehead State (1-3), which shot a dismal 25% from the floor. Skyelar Potter had 11.

Ohio State led 37-27 at the break. Young, a 6-foot-8 power forward, made it 54-37 with his fifth career 3-pointer midway through the second half, and the Buckeyes took off from there.

Young added a dunk in transition off a Washington pass, and Washington hit a 3 as Ohio State went up 65-42 with 5:04 left. The lead ballooned to as many as 32 points as Ahrens hit a trio of 3-pointers and Washington made one for a 77-42 lead with just over a minute left.

Rafer Johnson dies at 86

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. He was 86.

He died at his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles, according to family friend Michael Roth. No cause of death was announced.

Lakers extend LeBron

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James has agreed to a contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. James’ agency, Klutch Sports, confirmed the deal Wednesday during the first week of training camp for the NBA champions. The Lakers are still finalizing their new contract with Anthony Davis, who is also represented by Klutch CEO Rich Paul. The Los Angeles Times reported James’ extension is a two-year, $85 million deal through the 2022-23 season. The four-time NBA champion is getting the maximum deal to extend his tenure in Los Angeles, where he moved two seasons ago after his second stint with his hometown Cavaliers.