COLUMBUS, OHIO - Ohio State used its top-ranked freshman class to breeze past the North Carolina A&T men's basketball team 102-61 Friday night at the Value City Arena. It was the season opener for both teams.

Freshman Deshaun Thomas led the No. 5 Buckeyes with 24 points and eight rebounds on 10-for-16 shooting. Jared Sullinger, another Buckeye freshman, finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Junior guards Marc Hill and Nic Simpson led the Aggies with 14 points apiece.

"They had the superior, and they used it to get very physical against us in the paint," said Aggies head coach Jerry Eaves, who saw his team outrebounded 60-22.

"There is no question they deserve their ranking,'' Eaves continued. "Once it got out of hand I wanted to see if we could score 70 against a team like this because it would have said we are being more aggressive with the ball."

The Aggies might have reached that goal, but they went through two four-minute scoring droughts in the first, and then went through four-minute drought to start the second half.

The Aggies return to action Sunday afternoon at 2 when they travel to play Morehead State.