HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Terrence Thompson scored a career-high 20 points and tied a career best with 10 rebounds to help Marshall hold off North Carolina Central for an 81-69 win in the season opener for both teams on Saturday.Jon Elmore hit three 3-pointers and finished with 17 points, Stevie Browning scored 16 and Ryan Taylor had 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocked shots for Marshall.Delvin Dickersons layup with 7:52 left pulled NCCU within five with 7:52 left, but a dunk by Thompson sparked an 11-3 run that made it 78-65 with 2:58 to play.Marshall made as many free throws (17) as the Eagles, who shot 47 percent from the foul line, attempted.Dajuan Graf led NCCU with 19 points and six assists. Patrick Cole added 18 points and eight rebounds and Ron Trapps scored 11 with 10 boards.Nikita Zadorov Avalanche Jersey . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. Cale Makar Jersey .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. http://www.hockeyavalanche.com/authentic-peter-forsberg-avalanche-jersey/ . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. A.J. Greer Avalanche Jersey . Haas said he "felt a lot of pain" in his right shoulder when he slammed his racket to the ground in frustration after losing his serve at 3-3 in the first set. Custom Colorado Avalanche Jerseys . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club.Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko says Max Verstappen is light years ahead of most of his F1 rivals and thinks most of the criticism aimed at him this year comes from fear among the reigning establishment.Verstappen enjoyed a breakthrough 2016, winning his first race for Red Bull after being promoted from Toro Rosso ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. The teenager, who is already rewriting Formula Ones record books, was handed his debut in 2015 aged just 17 despite criticism that he was too young to step up to the pinnacle of motorsport.Marko says Verstappens successful season has vindicated every decision Red Bull has made about the teenager.When asked by the official F1 website what the Dutchmans incredible performance in Brazil told him, he replied: That we were right to sign him and put him into Formula One at an age where everybody called us mad. And that he has proved ever since that he is something special.Verstappens drive in Brazil has already been compared alongside some of F1s greatest wet-weather performances, with an awe-struck Toto Wolff saying the teenager was redefining the laws of physics. Marko thinks Brazil, and not his maiden F1 win in Spain, proved the 19-year-olds massive potential.Hes shown on many occasions that he is light years away from your common Formula Onne driver by winning his first race sitting in a Red Bull.dddddddddddd Yes, the two Mercedes drivers took each other out so this win probably fell in our laps, but Brazil showed that he is not only above average but that he will be a great one.The season has not been without controversy for Verstappen, who was criticised on a number of occasions this season for moving in the braking zone when defending positions. Those criticisms led to a clampdown of that move, which has now become known as the Verstappen Rule.However, Marko scoffs at those criticisms and believes Verstappen is a target because he is like nothing Formula One has ever seen before.What I see is that he brings a completely new approach to the reigning establishment! He shows them again how racing should be - how it was in the past. I remember when guys like Senna and Schumacher came, they also had a different approach and were a shock awakening for the establishment of their time.They also were criticised massively. Now we have a young, hungry, sexy young driver, with a devil-may-care attitude about the spoils of former champions - whether they have won once, twice, three times or even four times. ' ' '