In the future, will the story of the Ohio State Buckeyes' season beggar belief?

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – Years from now, when its tumult, tragedy and triumph have faded, will revisionists wonder why the coaching staff had Cardale Jones on the sideline for so long?

Will they downplay the loss of Braxton Miller, one of the most honored Big Ten players ever and a preseason Heisman Trophy hopeful at quarterback, because of Miller's struggles in reading defenses?

When, implausibly, an unknown redshirt freshman named J.T. Barrett rose from the gloom after Miller's injury and from the ashes of a dismal loss to a mediocre Virginia Tech team to finish fifth in the 2014 Heisman voting, will they wonder how the Buckeyes could have absorbed losing him too in the last regular season game?

Will they remember that Urban Meyer, the Buckeyes' rock star coach, came back  from burnout to win all but three of his first 40 games, with a team he inherited that had the worst record since 1897?

Praise, the Buckeyes' coaches lecture, is worse than criticism. Both can kill you if you let them. But praise can lead to covetousness of other players' positions and can fracture unity as surely as an unfortunate pile-up broke Barrett's ankle.

"If you preach it, you have to live it. If you don't live it, they won't cross the street to follow you," Meyer said of the remarkable unselfishness that characterizes his current team and of the plain-spoken style he has in summoning it from his assistants.

Players competing for the same position found a bond in the culture of challenge. They found  a commitment beyond individual accomplishment. They became one of the closest teams Meyer has ever coached.

Every coach says that, of course. This time, it is true.

When freshman Jalin Marshall struggled fielding punts, sophomore Dontre Wilson, who had lost his return job to him, encouraged Marshall.

Wilson, who suffered his own broken foot at Michigan State (and caught a touchdown pass while playing on it) also consoled Barrett, a fellow Texan, after he was hurt.

Tight end Jeff Heuerman changed his number to "5" in tribute to Miller.

After a confused, despondent walk-on named Kosta Karageorge committed suicide, the team grieved together at his funeral during the week of the Big Ten Championship Game. Stellar defensive lineman Michael Bennett changed his number too, to "53," the one Karageorge had worn. Bennett still wears it.

A team that grieves, consoles, memorializes and perseveres together can develop the bond that ties winners together.

This was true both off the field and on it, even after the ascension through injury of the unknown Jones, whose nickname, "12 Gauge," comes from his number and from the shotgun velocity of his passes.

Jones is eligible for the NFL at the age of 22. For those who say such a thought is preposterously premature, so were forecasts that no third-stringer could do enough to keep the Buckeyes in the playoff chase. 

A player with a great arm often depends on it too much, becomes infatuated by his gift, never tempers it, and thus wastes it. Through a combination of his own delayed but still impressive maturation, Jones, a redshirt sophomore and former standout at Glenville, has enhanced his teammates' play as well as his own future, wherever it might be.

Jones' arm creates opportunities that were not discussed nearly as much as were fears that his more stationary pocket presence would burden the offensive line after it had played for so long in front of escape artists such as Miller and Barrett.

The arm enables Jones' receivers to use their speed to their best advantage, and their catches empower Jones with growing confidence.

Fans seated behind the end zone are always in play when Jones unleashes a blistering throwaway. Jones doesn't force it if he doesn't have it.

The "blonde in the first row" that former Browns coach Sam Rutigliano always said was the ideal target when everyone was covered on the field better be agile and have good hands when Jones is on the field.

Alabama coaches said Ohio State's game plan made them account for "every square inch of the field."

And why not?

Ohio State has lived on the edge for most of the season.  Every game since the Virginia Tech loss, 12 straight now, all wins, was what amounted to a playoff game. The Buckeyes are used to living dangerously. They have explored the far fringes of possibility.

In the 42-35 upset of Alabama to reach the national championship game, wide receiver Evan Spencer took a pitchout from Marshall, the hybrid back, after Marshall had taken an inside handoff from Jones. Running to his left, Spencer, a righthander, was supposed to throw to Michael Thomas in the corner of the end zone.

"If you don't have anyone open, throw it away," said Spencer's father, former Buckeye running back and assistant coach Tim Spencer.

"If I think there's a chance, I'm going to give it a shot," Evan replied,

His throw was a spiral. Well defended, Thomas leaped, caught it, and came down with the one foot he needed for a legal catch under college rules landing no more than an inch from the sideline chalk.

Alabama had not accounted for the last square inch. Ohio State, which has come so far against such long odds, took it.

 

"We need to get some guys at the ground at Houston," Herman said. "Nobody can go on the road recruiting so we're not falling behind as far as that's concerned, and Houston doesn't start their spring semester until Jan. 20, too."

NEW ORLEANS – When you go as long as Tom Herman has relying on only three or four hours of sleep, what's another 10 days of sleep deprivation? 

Recently hired as Houston's next head coach, Herman has had been juggling responsibilities as Ohio State's offensive coordinator and trying to get things lined up at his next job. 

So while he celebrated in Ohio State's locker room after the Buckeyes 42-35 win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl – a win that vaults Ohio State to the national title game vs. Oregon in Dallas on Jan. 12 – the reality also set in that Herman has a long few weeks ahead of him. 

But ... 

"We planned to win," Herman said. 

Herman called Houston athletic director Mack Rhoades on Friday and put together a plan for how to attack the next 10 days while helping Ohio State prepare for a chance at a national title. 

It's going to be difficult, but Herman said the timing of everything actually lines up in regards to recruiting and his schedule at Houston. 

"We need to get some guys at the ground at Houston," Herman said. "Nobody can go on the road recruiting so we're not falling behind as far as that's concerned, and Houston doesn't start their spring semester until Jan. 20, too.

"So the light at the end of the tunnel is certainly a lot closer now, so we just have to ramp some of the stuff in terms of getting a staff hired and getting feet on the ground, so to speak." 

It's good that Ohio State is playing in Dallas. That'll give Herman a chance to pack up his stuff in Columbus and get ready to move his family to Texas. 

Because when Ohio State goes to Texas, Herman isn't coming back. 

Ohio State cornerback Doran Grant said the Buckeyes did enough against Alabama receiver Amari Cooper to keep him from changing the game.

NEW ORLEANS — Ohio State cornerback Doran Grant has heard Alabama receiver Amari Cooper's name probably 10,000 times since the Buckeyes landed in New Orleans for their Sugar Bowl matchup with the Crimson Tide.

He heard Cooper's name a few more times on Thursday night, when the Heisman Trophy finalist made nine catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns. That's a great night for most receivers, but a bit mundane by Cooper's standards.

That's how good this guy has been.

Asked how he felt about how the Buckeyes played Cooper, Grant tapped the black Sugar Bowl Champions hat on his head three times ... "That's how I feel about it," he said.

It wasn't meant as a slight toward Cooper. He got his, but didn't change the game, and Ohio State left the Superdome 42-35 winners with a ticket to the first College Football Playoff National Championship. The No. 4 Buckeyes will play No. 2 Oregon on Jan. 12 in Arlington, Texas.

That matchup with the Ducks and Heisman-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota will complete the trifecta for Ohio State: Three Heisman finalists in three games. The Buckeyes shut down Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon in the Big Ten Championship. They'll take what they did against Cooper, too.

"We did our job, same scheme we had all year," Grant said. "That's what got us here, so why change? It means a lot, especially on our end, especially in the secondary. That means we did our job and helped the team win the game."

Here's more from Ohio State's win over Alabama:

• Former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who won national championships with Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer and the Gators in 2007 and 2009, was at the game working for ESPN.

He shared a moment with Meyer and his family in the hallway outside Ohio State's locker room after the game.

"With Coach Meyer and the type of program they have, and the culture, things are just changing," Tebow said. "They went out there and they played with them athletically and physically and they're getting better every single game."

View full sizeOhio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott, left, and coach Urban Meyer lift Sugar Bowl trophy after defeating Alabama on New Year's Day 2015.Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer 

• The win was Ohio State's first over the No. 1 team in the country since beating Miami in the 2003 BCS National Championship. Urban Meyer is now 2-2 all-time vs. Nick Saban and 8-2 in bowl games.

• Ohio State is now 22-0 when Devin Smith catches a touchdown pass. He reeled in a 47-yard score from Cardale Jones in the third quarter.

• A puzzling decision in the fourth quarter gave Alabama some extra time to potentially tie the game. Ohio State got the ball back with less than two minutes left, and opted to throw deep on first down. The pass was incomplete and helped Alabama save the two timeouts it had left.

The Tide were able to to get the ball back, and had a throw to the end zone in the final seconds that could've tied the game.

"You start questioning why we threw that ball, "Meyer said. "It was my call to throw it down the field. And you're going to not gain a yard anyways against very good players, they're playing zero coverage. Everyone is within two yards of the line of scrimmage and it was my call. So, maybe it wasn't the right call.

"I just kept thinking I screwed this thing up."

• Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott set a Sugar Bowl record with 230 rushing yards, including an 85-yarder late in the fourth quarter that iced the game for Ohio State.

It was another strong performance for Elliott, who said he had some added motivation coming into the game.

"I was ready coming into the game," Elliott said. "Barry Sanders said before the game there were two great running backs that were going to play tonight, and they both were for Bama. I felt a little bit left out."

Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's Chris Fedor and other reporters bring you the latest on the game between the Hornets and Cavs.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their three-game losing streak on Friday night, beating the Charlotte Hornets, 91-87. 

Playing without LeBron James for the fourth time this year, Kevin Love scored a game-high 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Kyrie Irving scored 23 points despite making just 8-of-27 from the field. 

The Cavs, who trailed by six points at the half, used a sizzling third quarter, outscoring Charlotte, 32-18, to build a big enough lead to hang on down the stretch.

Cleveland is now 19-14, and will return to Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday to play the Dallas Mavericks.  

Scoring Summary:

End of 3rd Quarter - Cavs lead the Hornets, 72-64. Kevin Love leads the way. He has a game-high 23 points. Dion Waiters has added 15 points off the bench. Charlotte has gotten 11 points from Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. 

End of 2nd Quarter - Cavs trail the Hornets, 46-40. Kevin Love has 12 points on 4-of-8 from the field. Kyrie Irving has eight points. For the Hornets, nine players have scored in the game. P.J. Hairston and Cody Zeller each have eight points. 

End of 1st Quarter - Cavs trail the Hornets, 25-16, after the Cavs hit just 6-of-21 from the floor. Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving each have six points. The Hornets are led by Cody Zeller's six points. 

FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page to get the latest updates. If you're viewing this on a mobile app, click here to get updates and comment.

Tennessee mounts 28-0 lead and rides it to victory

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Tennessee coach Butch Jones was soaked from a celebratory sideline dousing. Quarterback Joshua Dobbs carried the Most Valuable Player trophy with him all around EverBank Field. Both of them, as well as the rest of the Volunteers, donned championship hats for the first time in years.

It was tangible proof that the program is headed in the right direction.

Dobbs accounted for three touchdowns, Jalen Hurd ran for two scores and Tennessee beat Iowa 45-28 on Friday in the TaxSlayer Bowl for its first postseason victory since the Phillip Fulmer era.

"This is the start of something big that's going on at Tennessee," Dobbs said. "It's momentum that we can carry into the offseason. It's the start of something big, a lot of momentum going into the offseason to get ready for next year."

The Volunteers (7-6) took the momentum early Friday, scoring on their first four possessions and leading 28-0 before Iowa (7-6) managed 70 yards.

Hurd, Dobbs and a bit of trickery helped Tennessee build the big lead.

Hurd broke tackles on nearly every run, capping Tennessee's first possession with a 3-yard score and adding a 29-yard touchdown scamper on the next drive.

Tennessee made it 21-0 late in the first quarter when Dobbs threw a lateral to running back Marlin Lane in the right flat. Lane, a senior from nearby Daytona Beach, turned and hit Vic Wharton in stride down the sideline.

It was a nice send-off for Lane, one of just a handful of Tennessee's seniors.

But the victory, which was Tennessee's first in the postseason since beating Wisconsin in the 2008 Outback Bowl, was more about the future. The Vols won four of their last five games, showing plenty of potential for one of the youngest teams in college football.

"We still have a long way to go, but we're making progress," said Jones, who finished his second season in Knoxville. "We talk about building this program brick by brick, and we built another brick in the foundation today."

Jones also delivered the program's first winning season since 2009. And it's not out of the question for Tennessee to be a trendy pick to contend for the Southeastern Conference's Eastern Division title in 2015.

Hurd and Dobbs could be integral parts.

Hurd, a freshman, had his fourth 100-yard game. He finished with 122 yards -- three shy of his career high -- and totaled the most yards on the ground by a Tennessee player in a bowl game since Travis Henry ran for 180 against Kansas State in the 2001 Cotton Bowl.

"Jalen really set the temperament of the game for us, getting yards after contact, finishing runs and he just had that look in his eye of 'give me the ball, coach,'" Jones said. "He earned every yard that he got today."

Dobbs, a sophomore filling in for injured quarterback Justin Worley, completed 16 of 21 passes for 129 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. He also ran for 76 yards and two scores. His 19-yard scoring pass to Von Pearson in the closing seconds of the first half made it 35-7. It came one play after the duo hooked up for an 11-yard gain on a ball that was tipped by a defender.

It was that kind of day for Iowa, which was looking for its first postseason victory since the 2010 Insight Bowl.

The Hawkeyes missed tackles, made mistakes and looked like they would end up with their worst bowl loss in school history before scoring three times in the fourth quarter.

"They were ready right from the start, and we certainly couldn't match their tempo in the first half," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "Best execution that we've seen from their football team all season long."

The Volunteers dominated on the field -- and in the stands. Tennessee fans vastly outnumbered Iowa fans, not surprising considering they feel really good about the direction of the program under Jones and hadn't been to a bowl game in several years.

Players kept them entertained, scoring their first six touchdowns in less than 3 1/2 minutes.

"We've learned how to win," Jones said. "Our players expect to win now every time they step on the football field. In anything you do, that's the starting process."

Browns' players appreciate O'Neil's passion, youth and knowledge of the game. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio – Browns defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil and his wife, Stacy, used to head butt each other as student-athletes at Towson University.

Many couples butt heads figuratively, but few choose to knock noggins as a form of greeting like a pair of bighorn sheep. The wife of the Browns' most exuberant assistant doesn't expect anyone to understand.

"Our gene pool should have been approved by the government because we're both a bit crazy," Stacy said.

O'Neil, 35, bounds through life like Tigger on his third can of Red Bull. His energy level never seems depleted no matter the hour or time of season. It was the same way as a co-captain for a small-college football team outside of Baltimore.

The nose guard used the first play of spring practice in pads as occasion to plow into the center the moment he touched the ball, sparking a brawl between the units. O'Neil did it every season, Towson teammate and Browns assistant linebackers coach Brian Fleury recalled.

"It was just to set the tone," Fleury said. "He always said when we took the field we were going to get an understanding with the offense as to who runs the show. That's Jim in a nutshell."

The 35-year-old brought that five-alarm fire to Cleveland this year, his first as an NFL coordinator. The results were mixed mainly because of the unit's inability to stop the run. The Browns (7-9) finished dead last in rushing defense (141.6 yards per game.), but were very good defending the pass.

A quick glance at some of the game's most meaningful metrics shows significant improvement from a season ago. The Browns ranked:

--- ninth in scoring defense (21.1 points), shaving 69 points from their 2013 total.

--- first in opponent passer rating (74.1).

--- second in interceptions (21) and tied for fourth in takeaways (29).

--- fifth in red-zone defense (46.4 touchdown conversion rate) and 11^th in third-down defense (37.7).

"Jim is an outstanding young coach, a great football mind," Browns coach Mike Pettine said. "I think he has a bright future in this league. He loves to show up to work every day, and that's infectious. He's all about winning. That's the only thing he's concerned with."

Although some see him as an extension of Pettine and his defense – O'Neil worked under the head coach with the Jets and Bills -- the baby-faced assistant has forged his own identity in the eyes among players.

They relate to his youth and appreciate his intensity and enthusiasm.

"I give him a hard time about how excited he gets," Browns safety Jim Leonhard said. "Every week he's excited about the game plan and he loves nothing more than for us to put on a show and win games."

As the Browns offseason begins, the wife who dubs herself the "director of homeland sanity," is eager to have O'Neil around the house more often and playing with the couple's two children, Danny, 6, and Riley, 2.

The game is never far from his mind, however.

"I don't want to talk too much about next year, but I'll talk about the foundation that I think we've laid," O'Neil said. "I think first and foremost, we instilled the mentality of 'Play Like a Brown.' I think our guys know what that means, and I think that we'll continue to add pieces to that. To me, that's most important is getting guys to play the way we want them to play."

Competitive drive

Browns safety Donte Whitner stood in the Browns locker room and smiled as he recalled the early-morning O'Neil rants.

Some players and coaches don't read or listen to what's being said about their teams in the media. O'Neil apparently isn't one of them.

View full sizeBrowns coach Mike Pettine and defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil have been working together for the past six seasons in New York, Buffalo and Cleveland. Thomas Ondrey, Plain Dealer 

"Anyone says something bad about our defense we hear about it in our meetings," Whitner said. "He'll be in there yelling and screaming and it's 8 a.m.. He's screaming about what Pro Football Talk said and all of this stuff.

"He wants us to be great individually and collectively and he works so hard to make it happen. He gets a big thumbs up from me."

O'Neil is a radical departure from the Browns past two defensive coordinators, the professorial Dick Jauron and Ray Horton. He's more like Rob Ryan without the magnificent mane.

The Philadelphia native makes calls on game days from the sidelines because he wants to take the temperature of his players. Cornerback Buster Skrine said there are times O'Neil appears ready to run on the field and play a few downs.

Competition and team building are at the heart of every O'Neil endeavor. In the 1990s, he was an offensive and defensive lineman for Mike Pettine Sr., the legendary prep football coach in suburban Philadelphia who recommended O'Neil to his son in 2005.

He also played basketball for Jim Reichwein who described a kid that wore floor burns like badges of honor and made players around him two inches taller and 15 pounds heavier with his inspired effort.

"Jim was the ultimate teammate, the kid who would run through a wall for you," Reichwein said.

It was the same at Towson, where O'Neil made sure teammates attended off-season conditioning programs and bounced off walls for 6 a.m., workouts. In the O'Neil lexicon, "meathead" is a term for an athlete driven to do anything to win. He woke up in the middle of the night to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to maintain weight and worked at GNC for the employee discount to purchase supplements. 

He met Stacy, a soccer player, during their freshman year and quickly became "meathead buddies." Stacy battled through knee injuries and, according to Fleury, was as competitive as O'Neil.

"He could make you do crazy things," Stacy said of her husband. "He will find what drives you and exploit it and turn it into something competitive."

Asked for her best example, Stacy replied: "That's not useable."

Asked if they still head-butt each other, she added: "Only after a few drinks."

They didn't start dating until their senior year in 2000. Stacy became an accountant and her job paid the bills as O'Neil began his coaching career in the college ranks. He served as an assistant at the University of Albany-SUNY and University of Pennsylvania.

In 2003, he was finalist for graduate assistant positions at Northwestern and Notre Dame. His dad, Bob, said O'Neil was so driven that he barely spoke a word on the car ride from Philadelphia to Chicago as the son formulated his interview strategies.

O'Neil and other Northwestern grad assistants once tabulated what they earned for the time they worked. It came out to 16 cents an hour.

"I was the Sugar Mama for awhile there," said Stacy, who's been married for 10 years. "The funny thing is I was a homebody. I never pictured myself moving all over the country. But Jim's passion is contagious. It's a train you want to jump on because you know it's going somewhere."

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald made a similar observation. He saw a grad assistant who built relationships with every coach on the staff.

"Everything about Jim is genuine," Fitzgerald said. "With some guys in this business there's an air of false bravado. Not with him. He's a grinder, an incredibly knowledgeable coach who knows how to motivate people. You just love being around him."

'I belonged here'

As the final seconds ticked down on Pettine's first NFL victory against the Saints in September, O'Neil joyously grabbed the coach from behind and bear hugged him.

It represented a special moment for these sons of Doylestown, Pa., and the people who have watched them evolve as coaches.

"I was pretty excited," O'Neil said. "That's why as a coach, you sleep three or four hours a night. You live away from your family for three months out of the year when you take a new job. You only see your kids for a couple hours a week. It's to chase that feeling."

There's a misconception that Pettine, 48, and O'Neil are longtime friends. Although playing for the same high-school coach, they only became acquainted a decade ago after Pettine's father put them in touch. Pettine was a Ravens assistant and O'Neil was Towson's defensive coordinator when he began attending Baltimore's offseason workouts in 2005.

He sat in meetings with Super-Bowl winning coach Brian Billick and rising star Rex Ryan and roamed the sidelines to see how veterans such as Ray Lewis and Ed Reed led a defense.

"Mike kind of gave me the green light that whenever I could get over there during their OTAs and minicamps, he let me kind of stand in the back and observe . . . ," O'Neil said. "It was a great experience for me because at the time, I had no aspirations of wanting to coach in the NFL. I was very happy coaching college football. That kind of, 'Wow, this is like getting your PhD in football' feeling was awesome."

O'Neil stayed in contact with Pettine, but remained in the college ranks at Towson and Eastern Michigan until 2009. When Pettine left the Ravens to become Ryan's defensive coordinator with the Jets he was given one hire. He chose O'Neil.

The Browns head coach is grooming O'Neil the way Ryan did him. They build the call sheet together early in a week and O'Neil makes the calls on game day with input from Pettine.

"It's obviously been a great learning experience," O'Neil said of his first season as a coordinator. "I've really enjoyed it. I've had a lot of fun with it . . . . I always had confidence in myself. I always had confidence in the system that I was going to be teaching. I felt like I belonged here."

When the Browns play on the road the coaches' wives assemble at O'Neil's home and watch the games together. As a former college athlete, Stacy appreciates how much time goes into the weekly preparation. The emotional investment is even greater.

"The highs are pretty high and when they lose we compare it to a funeral because you don't know what to say to make anything better," she said.

It made for a pretty quiet December as the Browns -- who posted their best record in seven years -- finished on a five-game losing streak.

O'Neil usually sleeps "for about two weeks" after the final game, Stacy said, before slipping into offseason mode with the family. He spends much of his free time playing with the kids and goading Stacy into some competitive like shooting pool.

Of course, it won't be long before the coaching staff reassembles and starts planning for 2015. Finding ways to improve the run defense figures to top his offseason to-do list.

"It's technique, it's scheme, it's players, it's a combination of everything," O'Neil said. "When you're not where you want to be, you've got to take a hard look at yourself. We will do that, but I'm very confident in our run scheme."

Maybe it's just a matter of finding a tone-setting nose guard willing to blow up a center or two to gain an "understanding" with the offense.    

Kent State snapped a two-game losing streak with a solid victory over Texas-Pan American as the Golden Flashes delivered both inside and out.

KENT, Ohio -- Scoring well inside and on the perimeter Kent State ended a two-game losing streak with a comfortable victory, 74-54, over Texas-Pan American on Friday night in the M.A.C. Center.

Sophomore forward Jimmy Hall delivered 19 points and 10 rebounds while junior center Khaliq Spicer had seven points and nine rebounds to take care of the Flashes inside. On the perimeter, senior swingman Dev Manley had 19 points with five 3-pointers.

Hall and Manley have been productive all season, but Spicer's improvement takes pressure off Hall inside.

"Every game, he's getting better and better,'' coach Rob Senderoff said. "He's working. I think he's healthier now."

The Golden Flashes (9-4) went about their business almost too methodically as they built a 40-25 halftime lead behind 50 percent shooting while forcing eight turnovers. The only thing Texas-Pan American (5-9) had as a counter was 6-6 sophomore Janari Joesaar who sliced KSU's 3-point defense, hitting 5-of-8 behind the arc for 19 of his 27 points by the break.

The Flashes got 14 points from Manley as he hit 4-of-7, also on 3-pointers. But the most positive sign for Kent as Mid-American Conference action begins Wednesday was 5-of-6 free throw shooting in the opening half, and 14-of-17 for the game. That was a major accomplishment for a team shooting 57 percent on the season.

The Broncs shot 36.5 percent and the Flashes dominated the boards, 37-27.

"If we can continue to guard at this level, we will win a lot of games,'' Senderoff said.

It was a homecoming of sorts for former Akron coach Dan Hipsher, and former Zip, Andy Hipsher, who walked into Kent's facility and noted, "Nothing has changed."

Dan Hipsher is the Broncs head coach and Andy is a member of his staff.

"Other than they turned the lights up, this place is still the same,'' young Hipsher said.

Dan Hipsher, a Bowling Green grad, added; "it hasn't changed since I played here, and that's when Rex Hughes (1974-78) was coach."

CSU shoots 82.1 percent from the field in the second half to pull away from Milwaukee on Friday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State waited two months for the type of effort and distribution on display in their Horizon League opener against Milwaukee on Friday.

And guard Trey Lewis wants more.

"We wanted to come out and make a statement in our league and we did tonight," said Lewis, who led the Vikings with 27 points. "This is how we want to play for the rest of the year. This is how we know we can play and this is what we want to start doing for the rest of our conference [play]."

Behind a pressing defense and an incredible second-half offensive spurt, the Vikings opened conference play with an 84-57 victory over the defending league tournament champion Milwaukee Panthers at the Wolstein Center.

The Vikings (7-8) snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory, and extended their winning streak over the Panthers (5-10) to four.

The victory came at a favorable time for CSU because four out of its next five conference games are on the road.

"This game was vital," said CSU coach Gary Waters. "If we had any chance to win the league, we can't give away home games, especially the first one."

The Vikings were in a giving mood, especially when they trailed 43-42 with 13:41 left. Waters put the team in defensive mode with a diamond zone that not only pressured the Panthers, but also generated the Vikings offense.

Pressure by guards Lewis and Charlie Lee ignited a run that forward Anton Grady capped with a dunk for a 67-52 lead with 6:09 left. Grady and Lee combined for 34 points.

"When we're all scoring like this, it's tough to beat us," Lee said. "We're leaders of this team. We know how to get the game going when we're down. Picking up the energy is on us [Lewis, Lee and Grady]. The rest of the team can look at us and do the same thing."

The Vikings were certainly on the same page behind an incredible 82.1 percent (23-28) from the field in the second half. The Vikings also scored 15 points off 15 Milwaukee turnovers.

The Vikings trailed by three at the half. The Panthers outshot the Vikings 42.1 percent to 35.5 percent from the field. The Vikings, as they've often been this season, were sluggish on offense and depended more on the outside shot. They shot 28.6 percent from 3-point range.

A change was needed in the second half, and CSU got its offensive spark with defense.

"It was defensive mindset that changed the game around," Lewis said. "Our defense gave us momentum on offense. We started moving the ball and playing together."

The Vikings improved to 6-2 at home. The Panthers extended their road losing streak to seven.

CSU plays its first league road game on Sunday at UIC.

Lake Erie Monsters drop 3-2 decision to Oklahoma City Barons.

CLEVELAND -- The slump continues, in terms of wins and losses. The Lake Erie Monsters, though, must be somewhat encouraged after their solid performance against one of the American Hockey League's premier teams on Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

Ryan Hamilton's goal with 14:13 remaining gave the Oklahoma City Barons a 3-2 win over the Monsters, who have now lost six of their last eight games. The teams play again Saturday night at the Q.

The Monsters (14-13-2-3) stand in fifth and last place in the challenging Western Conference Midwest Division. Oklahoma City (22-7-2-2) leads the Western Conference West Division.

"They have a good transition game, they move the puck and they come at you in waves," Monsters coach Dean Chynoweth said of the Barons.

A scoreless first period featured the brilliant goalkeeping of Lake Erie's Calvin Pickard and Oklahoma City's Laurent Brossoit. Both made several difficult saves in the stanza, with Pickard turning away 14 Barons' shots and Brossoit denying 12 Monsters' tries.

Chynoweth was pleased with Lake Erie's early-game performance. "We've had trouble with that lately," he said.

Pickard and Brossoit continued to frustrate their opponents until nearly the game's mid-point. Then, with 11:49 to go in the second period, Connor Jones gave Oklahoma City the first goal of the match. Kellen Jones, to the right side of the Lake Erie net, backhanded a short pass just outside the crease to Connor Jones, who tapped in the puck inside the right post. It was the Barons' 19th shot against Pickard.

The Monsters scored on their 19th try against Brossoit. It came with 6:54 left in the second period on a tap-in by Joey Hishon for his seventh goal of the season. Troy Bourke, almost even with the left post and about eight feet from it, directed the puck into the crease -- for his eighth assist -- and Hishon converted for the tying goal.

It took just 74 seconds for the Barons to regain the lead at 2-1, as Josh Winquist tallied with a hard slap shot from 12 feet that appeared to deflect off a Monsters defender before it caromed off Pickard into the Lake Erie net.

The Monsters bounced back to tie, 2-2, with 17:43 left in the game on Trevor Cheek's second goal of the season. Hishon got his eighth assist by sliding a 10-foot feed to Cheek, who made a couple quick touches with the blade before flipping the puck into the upper part of the net from the top left corner of the crease.

"That line played with lots of energy," Chynoweth said. "They played it simple and got pucks to behind the net, which is a key."

Hamilton cashed the game-winner with his 14th goal. Andrew Miller angled a precise crossing pass to Hamilton, stationed at the left post. It was an easy conversion for Hamilton.

Brossoit only had to make rather routine saves the rest of the way. He finished with 33, and Pickard totaled 30.

-- Mike Peticca

The Bruins held off No. 11 Kansas State 40-35 on Friday night in the Alamo Bowl.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Even with a 31-6 halftime lead, UCLA coach Jim Mora knew the Bruins had a lot of work to do to finish off Kansas State in the Alamo Bowl.

"We're playing the 11th-ranked team in the country, and it's not going to be easy," Mora said. "You know they're going to fight back. If they don't fight back, they don't deserve to be No. 11."

The No. 14 Bruins held on, beat the Wildcats 40-35 on Friday night.

Kansas State (9-4) scored 22 of the first 25 points in the second half, cutting it to 34-28 on quarterback Jake Waters' 1-yard run with 4:54 left.

Paul Perkins countered for UCLA (10-3) with a 67-yard run with 2:20 to go.

"That hole was huge. Anybody could have run through it," said Perkins, who ran for 194 yards on 20 carries. "And on the kick, I just wanted to secure the ball and get us out of here with the win."

The Wildcats weren't finished.

Waters threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett with 1:21 left, but Perkins recovered the onside kick for UCLA and the Bruins ran out the clock.

"Our players didn't give in," K-State coach Bill Snyder said. "Fought back. It wasn't enough."

It's been a week of big comebacks at bowl games. Michigan State trailed Baylor by 20 in the fourth quarter at the Cotton Bowl and won 42-41. Earlier Friday, Houston scored 29 points in the fourth quarter to beat Pittsburgh 35-34 in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Waters was 31 of 48 for 338 yards, but was sacked seven times -- twice by Butkus Award winner Eric Kendricks -- and threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.

Lockett had 13 catches for 164 yards for Kansas State.

Hundley ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries and passed for 136 yards. Mora has said Hundley is forgoing his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

UCLA raced to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter, with Hundley scoring on runs of 10 and 28 yards. The Bruins outgained Kansas State 218-4 and had a 9-1 edge in first downs in the quarter.

In the second quarter, Perkins had a 32-yard touchdown run and Hundley threw a 7-yard scoring pass to Devin Lucien. The Bruins sacked Waters five times in the half.

"By my count we left 28 points on the field in the first half," Snyder said. "That's our fault."

The Cavs shot poorly but managed to defeat the Hornets, 91-87, Friday night in Charlotte, N.C.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers defeated the Hornets, 91-87, Friday night at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C. Here is a capsule look at the game after a dvr review of the Fox Sports Ohio telecast:

Streak busted: The Cavs (19-14) had lost three in a row.

Streak extended: The Hornets (10-24) have lost five straight.

Breakthrough: The Cavs won for the first time in four games without LeBron James. The King is expected to be sidelined another couple of weeks because of leg and back issues.

Result is what matters: This game was not aesthetically pleasing by any stretch of the imagination -- but at least the Cavs found a way to win. The Cavs needed to scratch and claw and scratch and claw against a bad team -- but at least they found a way to win.

Overcoming themselves: The Cavs prevailed despite shooting 37.9 percent (33-of-87) from the field. They shot 70 percent (21-of-30) from the line and 26.7 percent (4-of-15) from 3-point range.

In the first half, the Cavs shot 33 percent (14-of-42) from the field.

Climbing out of holes: The Cavs trailed, 25-16, after one quarter. They trailed by as many as 11 in the second quarter before pulling within six, at 46-40, by intermission.

Dictating terms: A dominant third quarter by Cleveland proved to be the difference. The Cavs outscored the Hornets, 32-18, to take a 72-64 advantage into the fourth. Their defense made it possible; they moved their feet, hustled and communicated throughout. The solid defense continued into the fourth quarter.

Ball-security differential: The Cavs committed seven turnovers, which cost them seven points. The Hornets' 15 turnovers cost them 23 points. 

Lovefest: Cavs forward Kevin Love, who missed the previous game because of back trouble, owned the night. He performed like the player Cavs Nation thought it would see regularly after the trade with Minnesota in the offseason. Love had been solid-to-good entering Friday, averaging 16.7 points and 10.1 rebounds, but the top-20-player-in-the-association stretches had been fleeting.

Against the Hornets, Love played at an All-Star level. And he did so after speaking  of how he and his teammates needed to step up their games with LeBron absent.

Love went 9-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, and 6-of-10 from the line for 27 points in 38 minutes. He had five rebounds, one assist, one block and one turnover. He was a +10.

Shot of the game: The Cavs led, 86-83, with 28 seconds left on the game clock and a shade under five seconds on the shot clock. Coming out of a timeout, Matthew Dellavedova inbounded to Love on the left side. Love, guarded by Charlotte's Marvin Williams, made a move to his right and toward the paint; stopped and glanced at the opposite-end clock; turned away from the basket; and, with Williams' hand in his face, fired a 17-foot fall-away jumper with one second remaining on the shot clock.

Bang.

Love sank a difficult shot in a huge spot; it might as well have been a game-winner. In other words: Love did what he is expected to do as a member of his team's Big Three.

Charlotte called a 20-second timeout with 23.4 seconds remaining, but it simply delayed the inevitable. The Hornets chased the rest of the way, never getting closer than three.

Love told Fox Sports Ohio reporter Allie Clifton that Cavs coach David Blatt drew it up for him to work off a screen, receive the pass from Dellavedova, and "make something happen.''

Injury scare: With 10:56 remaining in the third quarter, Love lost the ball on the way to the basket and crumpled to the floor. He grabbed his left knee and appeared to be in serious pain. As Love remained on the floor, the Hornets converted the turnover into a dunk. The Cavs called timeout so Love could be examined.

Love told Clifton that it was "one of those instances where you try to go up and your legs just won't let you.''

Long-distance flurry: Love not only remained in the game, he scored nine points in a 71-second span soon after play resumed.

Love drilled 3-pointers at 10:26 (Mike Miller assist), 9:52 (Dellavedova) and, in a classic heat check, 9:15 (Miller). The Cavs went from trailing, 48-42, to leading, 51-50.

Kyrie Irving's two free throws at 8:52 capped an 11-2 run that put the Cavs in front, 53-50.

Fox Sports Ohio analyst Austin Carr said Love's teammates fed off the nine-point barrage. "When Love made those three shots, you could just see everybody's attitude change,'' Carr said. "Everything started to change on the defensive end. They started attacking the pick-and-rolls. They even started rebounding better.''

Chipping in: Four Cavs scored at least 14. Irving had 23 -- although he shot 8-of-27 to get there -- Dion Waiters 17 and Tristan Thompson 14. Thompson grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked three shots as part of his typical lunch-pail effort in the paint.

In speaking with Clifton, Love made a point to praise Thompson for his overall work.

Waiters had five rebounds and four steals in 34 minutes off the bench. When Waiters puts his mind to it, he can be a quality defender. The Hornets got a taste.

Shawn Marion, who missed the previous two games because of injury, had seven points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench.

Tristan Thompson believes the Cleveland Cavaliers' rim protector is already on the roster, and he is it.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Tristan Thompson doesn't take it as a slight. He takes it as a personal challenge.

When he hears the chatter of the Cavaliers needing a rim protector, he holds himself accountable. To him, there should be no talk about securing another big with that particular skil lset.

He's already wearing No. 13.

"I've got to be a rim protector here," Thompson said. "Like you guys always say, 'We've got nobody to protect the rim,' so I have to step up to the plate."

In Friday's 91-87 win over the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena, Thompson did more than step up to the plate.

The versatile frontcourt player made life difficult for the Hornets while he posted 14 points and a game-high 14 boards. He deflected shots, altered shots and blocked three shots - something the team has been seriously lacking this season.

Of Thompson's three blocks, the most impressive one came in the third quarter. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist drove to the basket and attempted a layup only to have it swatted by Thompson.

Thompson spiked it so hard that the ball ricocheted off of Kidd-Gilchrist's head and went out of bounds. The message was loud and clear: Not in my house.

"Tonight they attacked the basket and the rule of verticality worked," Thompson said of his rim protection. "Some nights you're not going to really get that, but tonight it worked out for me."

Head coach David Blatt praised his workhorse, saying Thompson gives it all he has on a continual basis.

"He made some really great plays for us," Blatt said of Thompson's defense. "Tristan is a really good basketball player and it doesn't surprise me."

Cleveland is 23^rd in the league with an average of 4.3 blocks per game. It doesn't have a single player averaging a block or higher. Thompson is the closest at 0.84. He knows he can do more. He has to do more.

Especially with LeBron James out for two weeks with knee and back pain, Thompson is certain to see a few more visitors scoping out the painted area and it's up to him to let them know they're not welcome.

As for the criticism of the Cavs' defense in the lane? Keep it coming. Thompson is fueled by it. Who says the media isn't helpful?

"I know I can block shots and I've got to do it," Thompson answered. "That's part of my job as a big. That's one of the reasons I was drafted because I blocked three shots a game in college so I got to continue doing that in the NBA. So I was disappointed in myself that I wasn't being called a rim protector. I just got to do my job."

The Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their three-game losing streak on Friday night, beating the Charlotte Hornets, 91-87.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their three-game losing streak on Friday night, beating the Charlotte Hornets, 91-87.

Playing their fourth game of the season without LeBron James, the Cavs got a game-high 27 points from Kevin Love and 23 points from Kyrie Irving.

The Cavs, who got off to a slow start, trailed by six at halftime, before making a second-half rally for the first win of the season without James.

David Blatt and the Cavs got a scare in the third quarter when Love bumped knees with Charlotte big man Bismack Biyombo. Love stayed on the court for a little bit holding his left knee, but didn't have to leave the game.

The Hornets struggled offensively without their best player in center Al Jefferson, who is out with a groin injury. Biyombo, his replacement, had two points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes.

Here are five other observations following Cleveland's win:

Negating the equalizer – On a number of occasions this season James has mentioned the three-pointer as the equalizer. It has been good for the Cavs at times when the offense bogs down or when teams pay too much attention to James and Irving, but it can also be lethal for the opponent as well, which was the case during the Cavaliers' three-game losing skid.

Detroit, Atlanta and Milwaukee combined to hit 38 triples, making 44 percent.

It was clear the Cavs made a concerted effort to take that away from the Hornets on Friday night, especially with them missing the low-post presence of Jefferson.

Part of it was Charlotte missing open shots. The other part was the Cavs increasing the defensive intensity in the second half.

The Hornets made just 6-of-28 (21 percent) from three-point range. Gary Neal, who was brought to Charlotte to help spark the bench, missed six of his seven attempts from distance. Kemba Walker was 1-of-8. Marvin Williams took seven shots on Friday night, all from three-point range, and made two.

4^th Quarter offense – The Cavs have a bad habit of ignoring Love late in games, and the same thing happened on Friday night.

Love erupted for 11 points and ignited the third quarter rally, only to be ignored in crunch time until the final minutes. As Irving and Waiters were chucking bricks, Love couldn't even get looks.

In the fourth quarter, Irving took eight shots. Waiters tried six, connecting once. Marion had three attempts and Thompson had one.

Love, one of the most important players for the Cavs this season, got three, making two of them. 

It all added up to a frustrating quarter and Cleveland finishing with 19 points, the second fewest on the night.

Love's final shot attempt came after a timeout when Blatt implored his team to get the three-time All-Star a look. Unsurprisingly Love canned the fadeaway jumper, putting the game out of reach.

It shouldn't be as hard as it's been for the Cavs to involve Love. He's one of the most versatile big men in the league.

The fault can be shared by Blatt, Love and his teammates. Some wisely pointed out that Charlotte was doubling him a few times in the fourth quarter, which made it tougher to keep him involved. But it's time for the Cavs to stop the excuses and get him the ball consistently.

With James out the next two weeks, Love should should get a bigger canvas and create the art he did so often in Minnesota. 

Blatt dilemma – There has been plenty of speculation about the future of David Blatt in Cleveland already. It comes with the territory. He's coaching James and the championship is the goal.

The Cavs are, and will continue to be, the most talked about team in the NBA. That means Blatt will hear the criticism coming from all different directions when things aren't going well.

Former coaches have already chimed in, saying he is trying too hard to prove himself. 

Blatt has also drawn the ire of fans because of his rotations, inability to manage minutes and a frustrating offense.

There have been a few times already this year when Blatt hasn't been on the same page with James or some of his other players. The message has been jumbled. When the Cavs were in the middle of a funk, James said a few times the Cavs were not a good team. It was at the same time when Blatt was reminding people how good the team looked at the beginning of December.

While he continues to go through growing pains, the questions will continue to come, especially since owner Dan Gilbert has made changes before. Blatt is the third coach in the last three years and Tyronn Lue, the runner up during the summer's coaching search, is sitting on the bench, and was made the highest paid assistant in the NBA for a reason. It's a tough spot. 

I don't know what's going to happen in the future, but the truth is this kind of gig is not one for a first-time coach.

Blatt took the job before James and Love arrived and the pressure became suffocating. It looked like he was going to coach Irving, Waiters, Thompson, Anthony Bennett and a future No. 1 pick -- all youngsters that Blatt could help develop while at the same time implementing his offensive system and adjusting to the new rules, culture and players.

Blatt seemed different to me on Friday night, and I don't think it was a coincidence. His body language was better. He looked free, energetic and fiery. He looked like he was able to coach. Now, it was a sloppy game where both offenses struggled, but he just seemed different.

It seems Blatt relishes the underdog role as opposed to being the hunted. He seems to like that challenge. It's worth mentioning that he was praised for taking the Russian National Team, one that not much was expected of, to the bronze medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics. His final Euroleague title came against power Real Madrid in a stunning upset.

I'm not pretending to know what he's thinking, I'm simply making an observation and writing in response to an exchange he had with a reporter on New Year's Eve.

Reporter: It looked like you had fun coaching that game last night. Is that an accurate statement?

Blatt: Yes it is. Just because guys went out there and laid it out there with a super positive attitude and a winning approach. That's what you want to see from your team.

That was the night after the Cavs lost a hard-fought game on the road against Atlanta without James. It could be something. It could be nothing. Perhaps he's just getting more comfortable. But I have seen a different coach since the loss against the Pistons.

Coaching James is not always easy at first. He likes to test coaches. Just like he did in Miami with Erik Spoelstra and in Cleveland his first time around.

Turnovers – On Friday night, the ball was in the hands of Irving, Waiters and Matthew Dellavedova, and all three made sure to value possessions. The Cavs committed just seven turnovers, the second-fewest this season, and didn't attempt silly passes.

This is not an indictment on James, who leads the team in turnovers. But it was nice to see the Cavs have other ball-handlers step up in James' absence and take care of the pumpkin.

Breaking the tie – Irving and Walker are considered two of the up-and-coming backcourt talents in the Eastern Conference. Walker, 24, is averaging more than 17 points for the third straight year and is averaging 5.5 assists. Irving, 22, is averaging 20.8 points and 5.3 assists.

Irving has been better head-to-head as well. With the win on Friday, Irving took a six to five lead in that category against Walker in their careers. Irving also has the edge in points per game, assists and three-point percentage.

On Friday, Walker had 10 points and five assists.

Career stats head-to-head: 

Irving - 23.1 points, 6.6 assists, 41 three-point percentage 

Walker - 15.5 points, 6.0 assists, 33 three-point percentage

Mason Rudolph threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns and Desmond Roland ran for 123 yards in Oklahoma State's Cactus Bowl victory.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Mason Rudolph threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns, Desmond Roland ran for 123 yards and Oklahoma State held off Washington 30-22 in the Cactus Bowl on Friday night.

Oklahoma State (7-6) built off its comeback victory over rival Oklahoma to earn a bowl berth, dominating Washington on both sides of the ball to take a 17-point halftime lead.

The Cowboys kept the Huskies' vaunted front seven from harassing Rudolph most of the night and the freshman was poised in his third career start, shrugging off three turnovers to hit 17 of 26 passes.

Defensive tackle James Castleman even got in on the offensive action with a 1-yard touchdown run and 48-yard reception.

Washington (8-6) stagnated offensively in the first half before finding a rhythm, but couldn't overcome the early deficit to close out coach Chris Petersen's first season with a loss.

John Ross scored on a 96-yard kickoff return and Cyler Miles threw for 268 yards and a touchdown, but had an interception on Washington's last-ditch drive.

The Cowboys pulled off a last-minute comeback to earn a spot in the Cactus Bowl, scoring two touchdowns in the final 8 minutes to knock off Oklahoma in overtime.

Tyreek Hill had the big play in that game, scoring on a 92-yard punt return with 45 seconds left, but he was dismissed from the team last month after being arrested on charges of choking and punching his pregnant girlfriend.

That left Oklahoma State without its most dangerous threat against a Washington defense that has three first-team All-Americans.

The Cowboys didn't seem to mind.

They had no trouble against Washington's ferocious front seven on their opening drive, confidently converting a midfield fourth-and-1 while marching 84 yards for a score. The Cowboys capped it by lining up Castleman in the shotgun and the 300-pounder rumbled in on a 1-yard dive off left tackle.

Rudolph turned it over on the next two drives, losing a fumble when he was sacked, then on a one-handed interception by Budda Baker.

The freshman kept his poise, though. He caught a pass from receiver Brandon Sheperd on a trick play to set up a 28-yard touchdown pass to James Washington, who one-upped Baker with a one-handed catch in the end zone.

The Sheperd-Rudolph connection worked again just before the half, this time in reverse: Rudolph on the throw, Sheperd on the catch for a 47-yard touchdown that put the Cowboys up 24-0.

Washington had 113 total yards in the half.

The Huskies finally showed signs of life on their opening drive of the third quarter, cutting into Oklahoma State's lead on Jaydon Mickens' 31-yard reverse.

Washington got a bad break when a punt hit one of its players and Oklahoma State recovered, but held the Cowboys to Ben Grogan's 27-yard field goal. Ross took the ensuing kickoff up the middle, made a couple of jukes and raced off to a 96-yard touchdown that cut the Cowboys' lead to 27-14.

Miles followed with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Mickens, trimming the lead to 30-2 with 3 1-2 minutes left, but Castleman caught a pass and rumbled down the sideline for a 48-yard reception that all but killed the Huskies' chances.

Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love led the way for the Cavaliers to break a three-game losing streak.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In the third quarter Friday night, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist drove hard to his left for a layup and the Cavaliers' Tristan Thompson blocked his shot.

He spiked it so hard that the ball ricocheted off Kidd-Gilchrist's head and went out of bounds. It was Cleveland's ball.

Thompson's defensive prowess and Kevin Love's offensive touch led their team to an 91-87 win over the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Thompson played the role of the Cavaliers' missing rim protector, swatting away three shots to combine with his 14 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. The big man's motto is "see ball, get ball."

On this night he was well acquainted with the ball, and that's exactly what Cleveland (19-14) wants.

"My team needs me to defend so that's what I'm concerned with," Thompson said. "If I can protect the paint and do the other things, we should be in good shape."

Love returned to the starting lineup after missing Wednesday's loss against the Milwaukee Bucks recuperating from back spasms.

He suffered a scare as he banged knees with a Hornets player early in the third quarter. Love went to the floor holding his left knee. A timeout was called to check on him, but he eventually got up and remained in the game.

To prove he was good to go, Love went on to nail back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers.

He came through when his number was called. Love knocked down a dagger, fadeaway jumper to beat the shot clock, putting the Cavaliers up five with 23 seconds remaining in the game.

That would be all she wrote. The All-Star power forward went for 27 points and five rebounds.

It wasn't a pretty game. Both teams shot below 40 percent from the field, but the victory ended Cleveland's three-game losing streak and broke a three-game losing skid in this venue.

With LeBron James out for half a month, head coach David Blatt said there would be a limit on the amount of isolation sets he calls. During Friday morning shootaround, the team focused on ball movement and player movement.

James' absence will force Blatt to alter his offensive schemes.

"When you don't have that (James), you have to depend more on the unit," Blatt said. "And hopefully you'll be able to make up for some of what you missed when those guys are out."

Kyrie Irving contributed 23 points on 8-of-27 from the floor.

Charlotte (10-24) has lost five in a row.

Ball security

The Cavaliers only turned the ball over seven times. That's a season-low.

Bench Update

Charlotte outscored Cleveland 37-24. Cavaliers guard Dion Waiters scored 17 of those points. Shawn Marion also returned to action after missing the last two games with an ankle sprain. He supplied the rest of the bench points and pulled down a season-high 10 rebounds.

Who's on deck

The Cavaliers' next opponent is the revamped Dallas Mavericks on Sunday at The Q. Dallas recently acquired All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo. It will be the first meeting of the season between the teams.

Browns' head coach Mike Pettine's first year in Berea tested him in every way imaginable. He passed -- Bud Shaw's Sports Spin. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Doug Marrone, high on Jimmy Haslam's list two years ago, is already gone in Buffalo. The bridge behind him looks like the inner belt detonation.

Ken Whisenhunt, who was a repeat head coaching candidate in Berea, took a 7-9 team to 2-14 in his first year in Tennessee.

Chip Kelly, whose interview with Haslam and Joe Banner lasted longer than a coal-miner's overtime shift and shed almost as much light on his intentions, just pulled off a power grab after missing the playoffs in Philadelphia.

Head coach hunting is tough sport.

For that and other more complimentary reasons, Mike Pettine's first season looks better the more distance we gain from his stumbling finish.

The catchword in this organization, if you haven't noticed, is "solid." Solid foundation. Ray Farmer searching for a solid quarterback and solid wide receivers.

By that definition, Pettine looks like a solid head coach in the making, with solid support from his GM and at least a solid pat on the back from his owner.

Low bar? Sure, but still one this organization hasn't cleared in years of limbo. And there is the hint of a lot more growth from Pettine, who doesn't appear to let ego get in his way.

There were mistakes and troubling developments but that's expected. Pettine's first year coincided with Farmer's first draft. That's probably two too many firsts to expect "solid" to tilt toward "spectacular" in a league that tests every aspect of an organization for its weak spots.

We're not sure if Pettine trusted too much in his offensive coaches in naming Johnny Manziel the starter for the Cincinnati game. Or if his own eyes misled him into believing Manziel was – using the coach's word -- "absolutely" ready for the biggest game of the year against the division-leading Bengals who also just happened to be coming into town holding a grudge the size of Paul Brown Stadium. 

Why were Manziel and Justin Gilbert still sloughing off 16 games into the season? That has to be answered more definitively than Farmer's explanation that people mature on different time schedules.

Other than a few assistant coaching changes, Pettine's staff should return fairly intact. (Unless Kyle Shanahan somehow turns two lackluster seasons in different cities into a head coaching job)

Again, small praise but important nonetheless. We need only look southeast to Pittsburgh to see the most recent example of the value of stability.

A year ago, after another playoff miss, Todd Haley's belongings were being sized up for a shipping crate, and talk of Dick LeBeau was moving from "legendary" to "aging."

The Steelers' idea of a fix was to bring former head coach Mike Munchak into coach the offensive line.

Haslam had some experience watching how the Steelers do it, right?

The way Pettine carried himself in his first season, and the early results when Brian Hoyer was at his best, showed Pettine is worth the time investment.

 Of the seven new head coaches in 2014, he finished in the black at plus-3 in wins. Not quite Bill O'Brien (plus-7 in Houston) or Jim Caldwell (plus-4 to 11 wins in Detroit) but a far cry from Whisenhunt (minus-5) and Lovie Smith (minus-2).

Next year's rotation brings an AFC North on the upswing (Baltimore, Cincy and Pittsburgh all coming off playoff seasons), plus the AFC West and NFC West.

While those opponents clearly look more muscled than the NFC South lightweights who emerged on the Browns' 2014 schedule, it's way too early to play that schedule game.

The Browns, at their best this season, dominated Pittsburgh and Cincinnati once each by a combined 55-13. They don't award playoff spots on the basis of your best two games but it's unfair to suggest the way the season finished ruined everything that went before.

In some other cities throwing out the head coaching nets, the discussion is whether to wait on Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn or Denver offensive coordinator Adam Gace. Sound familiar?

Or whether Doug Marrone was in a bad situation in Buffalo or trumped one up in exercising the out clause in his contract.

The Browns didn't fire a head coach this year. That's the lowest bar of all to measure organizational growth.

But, better, Mike Pettine didn't give them a reason.

For more Bud Shaw, read Spinoffs and You Said it.

Johnny Manziel's advice about Alabama was right, and Lee wouldn't say what he mentioned to Alabama's offensive coordinator.

NEW ORLEANS -- To beat Alabama in recent years, a quarterback has needed to be nearly perfect. Not in throwing for 300 years or a zillion touchdowns. In avoiding killer mistakes.

Other than LSU's two crazy wins over the Crimson Tide, the six quarterbacks who beat Alabama since 2008, going into the Sugar Bowl, had thrown 17 touchdowns and just one interception in those wins.

And then Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones threw an interception Thursday night.

In the moment, it looked like the play that may have finished Ohio State.

Down 14-6 early in the second quarter of the Sugar Bowl, Jones threw a pass where he expected Devin Smith to be, but the Buckeyes' deep threat was racing down the field. In his second start, the redshirt sophomore quarterback had read the play differently than the senior receiver, and a frustrated Smith flipped his helmet when he got to Ohio State's bench.

Five plays after Cyrus Jones' interception and 32-yard return, Alabama scored for a 21-6 lead. That's when you thought Ohio State, 22 minutes into a College Football Playoff semifinal, was done.

The fact that Jones, Smith, that offense and that team outscored the Crimson Tide 36-7 over the next 35 minutes was as impressive a reversal as I've seen in 10 years covering college football.

That a happy-go-lucky new guy at quarterback and a sometimes temperamental speed threat didn't go south after that play impressed just as much. By the end of Ohio State's 42-35 win, they were both taking the blame.

"After Cardale threw that first pick, I was a little frustrated because it was my fault," Smith said.

"It was a miscommunication, but I definitely take responsibility for it," Jones said, describing how he should have read the formation and the defender and thrown it long. "That guy in that certain position, he's not used to doing those things, so I should have been more aware of that."

That could have been a roadblock. Instead it was a speed bump.

"My coaches and teammates got around me and told me to calm down, everything was good," Smith said. "And we just kept going."

"You just knew it was something that could have been avoided," Jones said. "It wasn't like an interception where (you think) 'That guy is way better, stay away from him.'"

Jones, who made three consecutive huge third-down throws after the pick, fought on. Smith, who caught a deep touchdown from Jones later in the game, fought on. 

And the Buckeyes moved on, with a major mistake well in the rearview mirror.

2. Darron Lee is who he is. I wrote a story for Thursday morning, the day of the game, about what a cocky, confident player the redshirt freshman linebacker was and how he might be exactly what the Buckeyes needed against Alabama. That related to both his attitude and his skill and speed.

Fellow linebacker Joshua Perry had this to say about Lee in that story.

"You see him go against some of the guys who should block him based on the matchup," Perry said, "but he's not getting blocked because he says, 'I'm better than him, no matter what.'"

And there Lee was in the second quarter, diving over a blocker to make a tackle on an Alabama player on the edge basically on his back. I thought of that quote as I watched that.

This isn't that video, but Lee made another big play, on his way to earning defensive MVP honors, with a sack on Blake Sims.

3. And then there's how Lee handles himself when he is not making tackles. 

His confidence is extreme and, he hopes, contagious.

"I feel I can play with anybody no matter what," Lee said. "I feel anyone who steps on the field in the same jersey as me, they can play with anybody no matter what. When I feel confident, everyone else is confident. And if they don't feel confident, I'll make sure they feel confident."

Our friends at Landgrantholyland.com grabbed this video and wondered what Lee had to say to Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin during the game. It was a rather confident thing to do.

 As for what he actually said?

Everyone keeps asking me what I said to Lane Kiffin.....let's just say momma wouldn't be proud [?]

— Darron Lee (@DLeeMG8) January 2, 2015

4. Jones had run through multiple interviews by the time I got to him in the locker room after the game.

"What's crackin'?" he asked.

He then answered questions like he was sitting on his couch playing video games, with the easy calm of a veteran. I laughed and noted how relaxed he seemed.

"Thank you," he said.

One final confirmation that Jones really is ready for this.

5. Johnny Manziel might not be saying all the right things lately. It was clear his basic advice on beating Alabama was right though. And you got the sense Ohio State followed it.

"You respect them, but you don't fear them."

Four-star defensive tackle Neville Gallimore of St. Catharines (Ontario) Canada Prep Football Academy committed to Oklahoma over Ohio State on Saturday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Because room is so tight in Ohio State's 2015 recruiting class, which prospects Urban Meyer would actually accept a commitment from is kind of tough to tell. 

But four-star defensive tackle Neville Gallimore of St. Catharines (Ontario) Canada Prep Football Academy was one prospect the Buckeyes were seemingly still interested in. 

Whether Ohio State could make room for him is irrelevant now after Gallimore committed to Oklahoma during the U.S. Army All-American Game on Saturday. 

No. 88 overall prospect on @scoutrecruiting in America commits to #Oklahoma. #Sooners http://t.co/xUk7GdDW82 pic.twitter.com/NZShFApAwS

— Chad Simmons (@ChadSimmons_) January 3, 2015

Rated by 247Sports the No. 6 defensive tackle in the 2015 class, the 6-foot-3, 300-pound Gallimore committed to the Sooners over Ohio State and Florida State. 

Though Gallimore is from Canada, his high school is located near Buffalo, N.Y., and his team plays a schedule vs. American teams. 

He also had offers from Auburn, California, Florida, Miami (Fla.), Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, TCU, UCLA, Wisconsin and others. 

The Ohio State football team was honored during the first half of the Buckeyes basketball game vs. Illinois on Saturday. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Urban Meyer and members of the Ohio State football team were honored and addressed the crowd during the first half of the Buckeyes basketball game against Illinois on Saturday at Value City Arena.

The Buckeyes football team flew back from New Orleans on Friday after beating Alabama 42-35 in a College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.

No. 4 Ohio State will play No. 2 Oregon in the first College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Meyer addressed the crowd first, followed by cornerback Doran Grant and linebacker Curtis Grant.

"On behalf of our coaching staff, our athletic director Gene Smith and the 2014 Big Ten champion Buckeyes, thank you very much for your support all year," Meyer said. "There's a lot of fans who say the right things, and a lot of fans who do the right things.

"The Ohio State University led the nation in attendance by fans and by students, thank you very much."

Buckeyes H-Back Dontre Wilson was spotted back in a walking boot after dressing but not playing against the Crimson Tide. Wilson said he'll play against the Ducks in the national title game. Injured quarterbacks Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett were also in attendance.

Ohio State had off on Friday and Saturday, and will return to practice on Sunday. The Buckeyes will leave for Texas on Friday, Jan. 9.

The Illinois basketball team has made a habit of being in town for football ceremonies. The Illini were at Michigan last week when the Wolverines introduced Jim Harbaugh as their new football coach during a basketball game.

A city of just over 20,000 residents outside Toledo will change its name for one day on Jan. 12 for the College Football Playoff National Championship. Vote in our poll or offer your own suggestion for a new name in the comments.

COLUMBUS -- The city of Oregon, Ohio, located about five miles southeast of Toledo, completed its leaf collection for the year. It rescheduled trash pickup to Friday during Christmas week and New Year's week. And it plans wastewater treatment plant improvements.

On Jan. 12, Oregon, Ohio, population 20,291, won't have those typical suburburban issues to address. Because of Jan. 12, the day of the College Football Playoff National Championship, Oregon, Ohio, won't exist.

According to the Toledo Blade and the weekly Toledo Free Press, the town named for the Ohio State's opponent on Jan. 12 will change its names for that day. Ohio State will face Oregon in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, or that night. The idea came from a petition submitted by two residents, who suggested Buckeye Town, Ohio City and Brutusville as possibilities

The city plans to announce on Monday what the new one-day name will be. Maybe we can help.

Vote in our poll, which provides 10 potential names, or write in your own suggestion in the poll or in the comments. There are possibilities that could honor Ohio State specialists kicker Sean Nuernberger and punter Cam Johnston. (Sean Nuernburgh and Cam Johnstown.)

As far as we know, there's no issue like this in Oregon, which doesn't appear to have a city or town named Ohio, Brutus, Buckeye, Urban or Meyer.