Published Friday, November 21, 2008 6:05 AM

Sports in brief

Wire Report

Mussina retiring after 18 seasons in baseball

NEW YORK -- Mike Mussina took a secret to the ballpark every day this season. Maybe that's why he was so successful on the mound, so jovial in the clubhouse.

From Day One of spring training, he knew this was his final year -- even if it meant giving up bids for 300 wins, a World Series ring and a better shot at the Hall of Fame.

The New York Yankees pitcher walked away from baseball Thursday after his only 20-win season, a month shy of his 40th birthday with a still-potent right arm.

Mussina finished 270-153 with a 3.68 ERA in 18 seasons with Baltimore and New York. He ranks 32nd on the career wins list and 19th in strikeouts with 2,813.

Steelers finally get going against depleted Bengals

PITTSBURGH -- Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers know exactly how to beat the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Steelers limited the Bengals -- without benched wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco -- to six first downs following an early touchdown drive and found just enough offense themselves amid the snow flurries to beat Cincinnati 27-10 on Thursday night.

Pittsburgh (8-3) wasn't dominating -- except defensively -- in winning its fifth in a row over Cincinnati (1-9-1), its longest streak since an eight-game run in the early 1990s. The Steelers trailed 7-0 until Roethlisberger threw a 3-yard pass to tight end Heath Miller, their first touchdown in more than seven quarters, and didn't take control until running backs Mewelde Moore and Gary Russell led a third-quarter drive that made it 20-7.

Texas Tech smashes school record for points

LUBBOCK -- Trevor Cook scored a career-high 20 points as Texas Tech defeated East Central 167-116 Thursday night in the Legends Classic.

Cook was one of 10 players in double figures for Texas Tech, which easily eclipsed the record for most points scored by the Red Raiders.

Dontae Figgs scored 19 points to lead six East Central players in double figures.

The previous record was 128 points, scored by Texas Tech in a double overtime win against Texas on Feb. 20, 1994.

Texas Tech (3-0) had 77 points in the first half.

The 283 points scored in the game was also the most in school history for Tech.

-- Wire Reports

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