Steelers get OT win at Baltimore

Calm as can be on what could have been his final pass, Ben Roethlisberger was right on target, finding RayRay McCloud over the middle on fourth down to set up Pittsburgh for the winning field goal in overtime.

“He’s the same when everybody else gets funny,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “Everybody else gets a little tight, he’s the same guy.”

Roethlisberger delayed his retirement for a few hours and probably longer, guiding Pittsburgh to a 16-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 9 that left the Steelers on the verge of an improbable playoff berth. Chris Boswell made a 36-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining to win the game for Pittsburgh, which stood to make the playoffs as long as Sunday night’s ChargersRaiders game didn’t end in a tie.

The Steelers (9-7-1) didn’t sound too worried about that possibility.

“I’m just happy for Ben,” Boswell said. “We’re sending him to the playoffs. This team deserves it.”

Both Baltimore and Pittsburgh had slim playoff hopes coming in. The Steelers needed to win and have Indianapolis lose to Jacksonville to have any chance of extending Roethlisberger’s career with a postseason appearance.

The Ravens needed a win, a loss by the Colts — and losses by the Dolphins and Chargers later in the day.

The most unlikely part of those scenarios — Indianapolis losing to lowly Jacksonville — actually happened.

The Steelers and Ravens (8-9) would have both been eliminated if their game had ended in a tie, so it was no surprise when Pittsburgh went for it on fourthand-8 from the Baltimore 41 with 2:28 left in OT. McCloud made the catch for a 10-yard gain.

College basketball

D’Moi Hodge tied his season high with 31 points as Cleveland State beat Youngstown State 86-80 in overtime on Sunday.

Hodge hit a 3 with 14 seconds left in regulation to force overtime and scored eight of the Vikings’ 11 points in extra period.

Deante Johnson had 14 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland State (10-3, 6-0 Horizon League), which won its fourth consecutive game. Deshon Parker added 14 points and eight assists. Tre Gomillion had six rebounds.

Shemar Rathan-Mayes scored a career-high 21 points for the Penguins (9-7, 3-3). Dwayne Cohill added 19 points. Tevin Olison had 15 points and seven rebounds.

The host Chicago Wolves scored two thirdperiod goals on Jan. 9, and defeated the Monsters, 4-3.

Andrew Poturalski scored 24 seconds into the third to tie the score at 3. Stefan Noesen then lit the lamp at 9:53 for the game-winner.

Jake Gaudet and Josh Dunne each scored in the second period to give the Monsters a 3-2 after two but they couldn’t hold that advantage. Cole Fonstad also scored for Cleveland.