No. 24 Beachwood girls basketball locks down No. 10 Cuyahoga Heights in 41-34 win
No. 24 Beachwood girls basketball locks down No. 10 Cuyahoga Heights in 41-34 win
No. 24 Beachwood girls basketball locks down No. 10 Cuyahoga Heights in 41-34 win
No. 24 Beachwood girls basketball locks down No. 10 Cuyahoga Heights in 41-34 win
The Monsters' three-game winning streak ended Saturday night against Hamilton at The Q.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Monsters played hard and reasonably well against Hamilton on Saturday night. They held a 34-26 advantage in shots.
When it came time to score, though, the Monsters were a study in frustration.
The Bulldogs, behind winger Daniel Carr's two goals and goalie Mike Condon's strong performance, prevailed, 4-0, in front of 12,209 on Cavaliers Night at The Q.
Hamilton (23-18-6-0) has won seven of eight.
The Monsters (21-17-4-3) had won three in a row and notched points in seven straight. Their previous five games had been decided in overtime or shootout. They had not lost in regulation since Jan. 17 at Iowa.
"I wasn't disappointed at all with our effort,'' Lake Erie coach Dean Chynoweth said. "I don't think the score was entirely indicative of the play of the game. I think we had more quality chances than they had; it's just that they capitalized and we didn't.''
Lake Erie center Colin Smith suffered a leg injury in the third period and went to the locker room. Smith's status is uncertain.
The Bulldogs led, 1-0, after two periods.
Late in the first, Carr broke out of traffic on the left side and zoomed in on Lake Erie goalie Calvin Pickard. Carr crossed the crease and went top-shelf with a chip at 17:38 for his 12th.
The Monsters routinely created chances in the second period. They had several odd-man rushes, and one shot hit a pipe. But they failed to score largely because Hamilton's defense excelled at blocking pucks. The Monsters needed to do a better job of creating traffic in front of Condon.
Lake Erie's defense was superb in the second period. Hamilton managed just five shots.
Based on what the Monsters did the previous three games, a one-goal deficit through two periods was not going to make them nervous. On Jan. 31 in Oklahoma City, they trailed by one and won, 2-1, in overtime. On Feb. 3 in Milwaukee, they trailed by two and won, 3-2, in a shootout. On Feb. 6 against Toronto at The Q, they trailed by one and won, 4-3, in overtime.
The Monsters entered Saturday ranked among AHL leaders with six victories when trailing after two periods.
The Bulldogs were unimpressed.
At 2:11 of the third, Carr achieved inside position and punched in a rebound to make it 2-0. Three minutes later, winger Nick Sorkin was the first to find a loose puck amongst several Monsters and went upstairs for his fifth. At 10:43, center Charles Hudon turned a particularly bad Monsters turnover into his 12th.
The Monsters opted for an extra attacker for the first time with more than seven minutes remaining.
Chynoweth refused to use Lake Erie's recent run of lengthy games as an excuse for his team's inability to find the back of the net.
"These guys are finely tuned athletes,'' he said. "They had lots of energy.''
Cavaliers Night featured a Tristan Thompson bobblehead giveaway. The Monsters wore Cavaliers-themed sweaters.
The Akron Zips use a strong second half to topple the Buffalo Bulls and remain one of the leaders in the Mid-American Conference race.
AKRON, Ohio -- The Akron Zips applied a second-half lockdown on Buffalo's inside game then survived their own tepid play down to the stretch for a 75-72 victory in a Mid-American Conference showdown Saturday night in Rhodes Arena.
Both teams entered the day in a five-way tie for first place in the MAC, and one of four tied for first in the East Division, going into the second half of the 18-game schedule.
It was the first game of the season between the Bulls and Zips, with the Zips (16-7, 7-3) coming off a road loss at Ohio University while UB (15-7, 6-4) entered with wins in its last two games.
The first half ended near even, with the Bulls taking a 43-41 advantage almost entirely on the inside work of 6-7 Justin Moss and 6-7 Xavier Ford. That duo combined for 31 of UB's points, almost all at the rim, as the Bulls had seven of their 16 rebounds on the offensive glass.
Both teams were shooting 50 percent at the break but the Zips, using their deep bench, had no double figure scorers. Akron's biggest issue was a pair of early fouls on point guard Noah Robotham and swingman Jake Kretzer.
But that changed quickly in the second half. After a first half with seven ties and nine lead changes Akron took the lead early in the second half and never gave it up again.
"We didn't come out ready to play,'' Akron backup center Isaiah Johnson (10 points) said. "We just had to man up and play hard. It wasn't a big adjustment, it was just toughen up and playing hard."
Moss finished with 21 points (five in the second half) and Ford had 22 (seven).
"I liked where we were going into the half,'' Buffalo head coach Bobby Hurley said. "We didn't play defense the first five minutes. We didn't generate enough stops and the game got away from us."
Akron's depth -- 10 players with 11 minutes or more -- and a dominating 30-2 effort in bench points was just too much for the Bulls to overcome in the end, although they came close.
With battle lines drawn, Akron's defense clamped down inside the first 10 minutes of the second half, holding Moss and Ford to a combined five points while the Zips used their 3-point shooting to build a 65-58 advantage at the 10:06 mark. Hurley called a timeout at that point looking to change the momentum.
The Zips, however, stayed the course and kept the clamps inside. And with a pair of back-to-back 3-pointers from Kretzer (13 points) when UB closed within 54-53, the Zips were on their way.
"They weren't good enough to beat us from the outside tonight,'' Akron coach Keith Dambrot said.
Up, 74-67, at the final media break with 3:15 to go the Zips only needed to close the game out cleanly. A fifth foul on Moss with 1:08 to go seemed to send LeBron James to the exit as Forsythe made one of two free throws. But Ford answered with a quick 3-pointer with 57.9 to go forcing Akron to have one last good possession.
Robotham missed a short jumper in traffic, giving Buffalo the ball with 20 seconds to play. Ford then air-balled a 3-pointer forcing UB to foul. Cheatham then missed two with 13.2 seconds to go and the Bulls had another shot at overtime.
Actually two, but both 3-pointers missed and the Zips remained in first place.
Kent State escapes with one-point win over Miami
KENT, Ohio -- Chris Ortiz scored the game-winner on a two-handed slam and picked up a key defensive rebound late, and Kent State rallied to beat Miami (Ohio), 61-60, in the Mid-American Conference on Saturday night.
Miami's Eric Washington scored to give the Redhawks a 60-54 lead with 2:26 to play. Kent State's Devareaux Manley scored five straight points and then grabbed a defensive rebound before Ortiz's dunk with 42 seconds remaining.
Miami had the ball with 17.7 seconds to play, but the Golden Flashes stripped it twice before Washington's shot missed with 4.4 seconds left. Ortiz grabbed the board and was fouled, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. Willie Moore's 3-point attempt at the buzzer hit the glass, sealing it for Kent State (16-7, 7-3 Mid-American).
Manley finished with 20 points and Ortiz chipped in 16. Marquiez Lawrence grabbed 10 rebounds for Kent State.
Washington scored 17 points to lead Miami (8-15, 3-7).
The Pioneers set records for most points, finalists and individual champions.
The Pioneers set records for most points, finalists and individual champions.
A look at Ohio girls basketball scores for February 7, 2015.
A look at Ohio girls basketball scores for February 7, 2015.
See how the cleveland.com Top 25 boys and girls teams in action on Saturday night.
See how the cleveland.com Top 25 boys and girls teams in action on Saturday night.
Casper was a genius with the short game, considered one of the best putters in golf.
SAN DIEGO -- Billy Casper, one of the most prolific winners on the PGA Tour who was overshadowed at the height of his career by the "Big Three," died of a heart attack Saturday at his home in Utah. He was 83.
Bob Casper said his father died quickly and peacefully with wife, Shirley, at his bedside. They had been married 62 years.
Casper passed out in the clubhouse at the Masters last year, had work on his heart and recovered from a bout of pneumonia over Thanksgiving that kept him hospitalized for a month. His son said Casper was going to cardio rehab for the last four months and was doing well until he started to feel badly in the last week.
In any other era, Casper might have commanded more attention than he did.
"I think it is fair to say that Billy was probably underrated by those who didn't play against him," Jack Nicklaus said Saturday night. "Those who did compete against him knew how special he was."
Casper won 51 times on the PGA Tour, putting him at No. 7 on the career list behind only Sam Snead, Tiger Woods, Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer and Byron Nelson. His three major championships include the 1966 U.S. Open, one of golf's most remarkable comebacks. He rallied from a seven-shot deficit on the back nine at Olympic Club to tie Palmer, and beat him in an 18-hole playoff.
Casper also won the 1959 U.S. Open at Winged Foot and the 1970 Masters. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1978.
Yes, it's still February, but here's what the Indians opening day lineup could look like on April 6 at Minute Maid Park in Houston: CF Michael Bourn, SS Jose Ramirez, LF Michael Brantley, 1B Carlos Santana, RF Brandon Moss, DH Nick Swisher, 2B Jason Kipnis, C Yan Gomes, 3B Lonnie Chisenhall..
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do you have a question that you'd like to have answered in Hey, Hoynsie? Submit it here.
Hey, Hoynsie: If you had to guess right now what would be the Indians Opening Day lineup look like? -- Patrick O'Neill, Euclid.
Hey, Patrick: OK, here goes, but remember it's February and there are two five-foot snow piles at the end of my driveway: CF Michael Bourn, SS Jose Ramirez, LF Michael Brantley, 1B Carlos Santana, RF Brandon Moss, DH Nick Swisher, 2B Jason Kipnis, C Yan Gomes, 3B Lonnie Chisenhall.
If you break it down it by what side of the plate each player hits from it would look like this: left, switch, left, switch, left, switch, left, right, left.
Hey, Hoynsie: Wouldn't it be smart for the Indians to keep all their outfield options - Ryan Raburn, David Murphy, Nick Swisher and Brandon Moss -- instead of trading them away? What happens is Michael Bourn doesn't produce? Yes, Michael Brantley could move to center, but an opening would be created in left field and a guy like Murphy could fill it. -- Shawn Marshall, Garfield Heights.
Hey, Shawn: GM Chris Antonetti and manager Terry Francona are on record as taking that approach. Still, there are only 25 spots on a big-league roster and that logjam is going to have to be broken before opening day on April 6.
Hey, Hoynsie: I know manager Terry Francona loves relievers. However, it would seem that it's more important to have players who are strong at one position rather than being OK at several. It seems the Tribe always loads up with guys who are OK at several positions. Am I wrong? -- Tom Goodsite, Gulfport, Miss.
Hey, Tom: You're exactly right.
The Indians love versatility in their players. For a team that doesn't have a big payroll it's a great way to fill holes on the cheap.
It has allowed Francona and GM Chris Antonetti to build rosters that can figuratively stretch a 25-man roster into 26 or 27 players.
Hey, Hoynsie: With the cost on James Shields supposedly dropping, why has the Tribe not jumped into the mix? -- Drew Baad, Canton.
Hey, Drew: They have not jumped into the mix, nor will they, because the mix is too rich.
Hey, Hoynsie: Is Zach Walters destined to be a Class 4A player or might he be part of the Tribe's future? -- John Gage, Perrysburg.
Hey, John: Walters is 25 and I believe he is part of the Indians future. He's a switch-hitter, has power, plays several positions and and has two options left.
If he doesn't make the opening day roster, I think Walters will bounce between Cleveland and Class AAA Columbus several times in 2015.
Hey, Hoynsie: What do you see happening with Jesus Aguilar, seeing as his path to the big leagues is now blocked more than ever with the addition of Brandon Moss? -- Tom Cassity, Pittsburgh.
Hey, Tom: Aguilar is a right-handed hitter with power. Those are two things every team needs.
I would like to see him play every day for the Tribe for four or five weeks to see if his power will play at this level, but unless there is a series of injuries or trades that won't happen. Aguilar has hit and he's hit for power at every stop in the minors, but he really hasn't had a chance (19 at-bats) to do that in the big leagues.
The good thing is that Aguilar has two options left. It means the Indians won't be forced into making a hasty decision.
Hey, Hoynsie: Who is the favorite for the fifth spot in the Indians rotation headed into spring training? -- Brian Maher Charleston, S.C.
Hey, Brian: In my opinion it's Danny Salazar. His main competition will be Zach McAllister, T.J. House and Josh Tomlin when camp opens Feb . 18. But in my mind it Salazar's job to lose.
House and Tomlin have options. McAllister is out of options, but could move into the bullpen if he doesn't start.
Hey, Hoynsie: Could you explain what baseball's pay scale is starting in the minor leagues? For instance draftees agree to signing bonus etc., but do they all get the same base pay or how does that structure work? How does the structure change as they move up the ladder toward the big leagues? -- Bob Housholder, Willoughby.
Hey, Bob: This year in the big leagues the minimum salary will be $500,000. The average salary for a big league player was $3.8 million in 2014, according to the Associated Press, and could top $4 million in 2015
It is a different story in the minors. Outside the signing bonuses for high draft picks, and players who are on split contracts from the big leagues, players are usually paid an average of about $1,100 a month. For the five-month season - minor league players are usually not paid in spring training - the average salary is between $3,000 and $7,500.
Last year minor-league players filed a class action lawsuit against MLB for federal wage and overtime violations. Baseball has been able to keep minor league salaries down because of its federal protection from anti-trust laws.
Minor league players are not protected by a union.
Unless you're a prospect on the fast track, the minors can be a tough place.
Hey, Hoynsie: Russell Brayan just stole second base in the Caribbean World Series (Saturday). Is the world as we know it ending? - Mickey Scorscea, Cleveland.
Hey, Mickey: I can't say for sure, but I'm double bolting all my doors and headed for the basement with as much beer and bologna as I can carry.
Glad to hear Branyan is still grinding. He's playing for Mexico.
"It's something that none of us wants to deal with," Matta said of Loving's suspension, "but you've got to look at the situation and say we've got to move forward and carry out the task of playing our best basketball." Watch video
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Thad Matta walked into the warm media room in Value City Arena and a reporter informed him that it was going to be a snowy trip to New Jersey.
"It's going to be 1-to-3," the reporter said.
"Feet?" Matta joked.
That has nothing to do with No. 20 Ohio State's game at Rutgers on Sunday, but that's the analogy to which Matta came back around when reflecting on the Buckeyes current situation.
The situation? They're without sophomore Marc Loving, their second-leading scorer, for the second consecutive game as he serves a suspension for an undisclosed off-the-court incident.
And they have to find a way to win without him.
"It sort of is what it is," Matta said. "If it's going to snow 1-to-3 inches in New Jersey, we'll adjust to it when we get there. You just move on. I think you keep the vision of what you have to do in the forefront of your program and preparation.
"It's something that none of us wants to deal with. ... But you've got to look at the situation and say we've got to move forward and carry out the task of playing our best basketball."
Ohio State won three in a row before Loving missed the trip to Purdue on Wednesday. The Buckeyes announced before the game that Loving had "temporarily lost the privilege to wear the Scarlet and Gray."
Perhaps if the Buckeyes had his 11.7 points per game, that two-point loss would have been a win.
Loving had a career-high 19 points in his last game out, and Ohio State enjoyed perhaps its most complete win over the season over Maryland.
That's gone. Now Ohio State has to rely on three players to fill in for Loving's outside shot and offensive presence.
1. Jae'Sean Tate - The freshman has stood out to Matta since day one because of his energy. It has become much more important now considering the Buckeyes' biggest problem as a team right now is maintaing energy at a high level consistently.
Tate also has a clean shot from the outside. He went 0-for-2 vs. Purdue, which Matta referenced, but Ohio State is confident he'll knock down his open looks vs. the Scarlet Knights.
2. Keita Bates-Diop - Another freshman, Bates-Diop was a highly recruited prospect who came to Ohio State because he can shoot. Given Loving's three-point percentage is 53 percent, this could be Bates-Diop's chance to break out.
"That's what I am hoping happens," Matta said. "It's like when David Lighty broke his foot one year and William Buford comes off the bench and becomes newcomer of the year in the Big Ten. It's probably a little late for that now.
"But Keita can score it, he can rebound and he's so long and athletic. We can use him on the defensive end as well."
3. Kam Williams - The redshirt freshman can flat out shoot. But Matta said there were times during the Purdue game when his game was stagnant.
"The other night, Kam was just out there," Matta said. "We talked at halftime, and said, 'Hey, you have to create and find opportunities to shoot the basketball.' "
The good news for Ohio State is that Loving - who is still practicing with the team despite his suspension - will be back. Eventually.
The even better news is that the Buckeyes, as a result of the suspension, have a chance to find another piece that could end up powering them in March.
Ohio State linebacker Kyle Berger said he hopes to get back on the field toward the end of spring practice and contribute for the Buckeyes after tearing his ACL last August.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Kyle Berger is starting to feel like himself again. He said that over a month ago during Ohio State's media day before the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Back then he was already running, jumping, doing the things necessary to get back on the football field. Only he's not exactly sure when that's going to come.
* Projecting Ohio State's linebackers in 2015
He hopes it will be next month when the Buckeyes open spring practice, but Berger knows the process. That would be a quick comeback from the ACL he tore in his left knee in August. That injury came almost a year to the day after the former St. Ignatius star tore the same ACL for the first time before his senior year of high school.
"Hoping to get on the field next year," Berger told Northeast Ohio Media Group. "Hoping to get back to spring ball as soon as possible and make a dent in the team somehow ... I'm hoping by the end of spring ball I should be full go"
The Buckeyes will wrap up spring drills with their spring game on April 18.
If Berger can get back by then, it would be the culmination of a long road back for a player who's experienced two major injury setbacks before his second year of college.
When he committed to Ohio State in April of 2013, Berger was fresh off a junior season where he racked up 10.5 sacks and 105 tackles for the Wildcats. Berger, a four-star prospect and one of the top players in Ohio, was part of a huge linebacker haul in the 2014 recruiting class that also included Raekwon McMillan, Dante Booker and Sam Hubbard.
Urban Meyer expected big things from all four, including Berger.
"There's four linebackers in Raekwon McMillan, Sam Hubbard, Kyle Berger and Dante Booker. Four guys I'm putting pressure on them, Coach (Luke) Fickell and myself, to get ready for next year," Meyer said after signing the 2014 recruiting class. "They have to play for us."
McMillan and Booker both played big roles in Ohio State's National Championship season with McMillan essentially splitting time at middle linebacker with Curtis Grant, and Booker serving as a key member on special teams.
Hubbard redshirted, but Meyer couldn't stop raving about him while wondering out loud several times which position Hubbard would wind up playing. Berger had to wait too.
"It was real tough," Berger said. "After the first year I got used to things and used to not playing football, so that wasn't the hardest part. It was not being able to practice."
McMillan, Booker and Hubbard will play in 2015. Berger hopes to be in that mix as well, but getting back on the field is the first step.
"It's going good. I'm starting to feel a lot better," Berger said. "Starting to feel back to normal again."
Dean Smith won 879 games, 2 national titles.
Dean Smith, the Hall of Fame innovator who won two national championships at North Carolina along with an Olympic gold medal while coaching some of the game's biggest names like Michael Jordan, has died. He was 83.
The retired coach died "peacefully" at his Chapel Hill home Saturday evening, the school said in a statement Sunday from Smith's family. He was with his wife and five children.
Smith had health issues in recent years, with the family saying in 2010 he had a condition that was causing him to lose memory. He had kept a lower profile during that time. His wife, Linnea, accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom on his behalf from President Barack Obama in November 2013.
Roy Williams, the current North Carolina coach who spent 10 years as Smith's assistant, said Smith "was the greatest there ever was on the court but far, far better off the court with people."
"I'd like to say on behalf of all our players and coaches, past and present, that Dean Smith was the perfect picture of what a college basketball coach should have been," Williams said in a statement. "We love him and we will miss him."
In a statement, Jordan said Smith was "more than a coach -- he was a mentor, my teacher, my second father. Coach was always there for me whenever I needed him and I loved him for it."
In a career that spanned more than 40 years, Smith influenced the game and how it is played in ways that are unrivaled.
His "Four Corners" time-melting offense led to the creation of the shot clock to counter it. He was the first coach at North Carolina, and among the first in the segregated South, to offer a scholarship to a black athlete. The now-common "point to the passer," in which a scorer acknowledges a teammate's assist, started in Chapel Hill and became a hallmark of Smith's always humble "Carolina Way."
He was a direct coaching descendent of basketball's father, James Naismith, playing and later coaching at Kansas for the inventor of the game's most famous student, Jayhawks coach Phog Allen.
Smith would pass along lessons learned in Kansas at North Carolina, adding more than a few of his own. He tutored perhaps the game's greatest player in Jordan -- who burst onto the national stage as a freshman on Smith's 1982 national title team alongside stars James Worthy and Sam Perkins -- and two of basketball's most successful coaches, fellow Hall of Famers Larry Brown and Williams.
The numerical record of his accomplishments is staggering. His only losing season came in his first, and he left the game having surpassed Kentucky's Adolph Rupp as the winningest men's basketball coach in Division I history.
"We have lost a man who cannot be replaced," said Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski, who coached against Smith at rival Duke and ultimately surpassed his career wins record. "He was one of a kind and the sport of basketball lost one of its true pillars."
Smith led the Tar Heels to 13 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championships, appearances in 11 Final Fours, five national title games, and NCAA championships in 1982 and 1993. North Carolina won at least 20 games in each of his final 27 seasons, and made 23 consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament.
Along the way, more than 95 percent of Smith's lettermen graduated from one of the nation's premier public universities.
His devotion to a humble, team-first philosophy -- the famed "Carolina Way" -- bred a fierce loyalty among the Tar Heels. Williams was an enormous success at Kansas, able to resist returning to his alma mater in 2000. He could not do so three years later when Smith called, and Williams tearfully left the Jayhawks behind after 15 seasons and returned to Chapel Hill.
When North Carolina held a reunion for school's 1957 and 1982 championship teams in 2007, Smith drew the largest applause from the crowd, even as he stood alongside Jordan and fellow Tar Heel greats Worthy and Phil Ford. During the ceremony, Jordan put his arm around Smith and kissed him on the head.
Smith remained in the background after his retirement, keeping an office at the Dean E. Smith Center -- the arena that opened while he was still coaching in 1986. He often consulted North Carolina players as they considered whether to leave school early for the NBA, and would occasionally watch Williams direct practice and take notes. He was hesitant to give them to his former assistant, fearful of suggesting something that might not work.
Though he never ran for office, Smith also helped shape political and social views in North Carolina as coach of the state's beloved Tar Heels. At the urging of his pastor, he recruited blacks to his team, and in 1967 made Charlie Scott the first black scholarship athlete at North Carolina and one of the first in the South.
He was active in politics, often supporting Democrats and liberal candidates. He donated money to the presidential campaigns of Howard Dean and Bill Bradley, and supported former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards -- a North Carolina alumnus -- in his two presidential bids before later endorsing Obama.
Smith's church served as a base for his advocacy. He joined the Baptist congregation soon after arriving in Chapel Hill, helping build it from a 60-person gathering on campus to a full church with 600 parishioners. It was booted from the Southern Baptist Convention and the North Carolina Baptist State Convention in 1992 for licensing a gay man to minister.
"He was willing to take controversial stands on a number of things as a member of our church -- being against the death penalty, affirming gays and lesbians, protesting nuclear proliferation," said Robert Seymour, the former pastor at Binkley Baptist Church. "He was one who has been willing to speak out on issues that many might hesitate to take a stand on."
Born Feb. 28, 1931, in Emporia, Kan., the son of public school teachers, Dean Edwards Smith graduated from the University of Kansas with a communications degree in 1953. He played for the Jayhawks teams that won the NCAA title in 1952 and finished second the next year.
He served as an assistant coach at Kansas to Allen and Dick Harp before joining the Air Force. He was an assistant basketball coach at the Air Force Academy, and also the baseball and golf coach for a year, before leaving in 1958 to join Frank McGuire's staff at North Carolina. When McGuire left to coach in the NBA in the summer of 1961, the university tapped the 30-year-old Smith to take over.
Smith went 8-9 in his first season. In January 1965, in his fourth season, the Tar Heels returned to campus from a loss at Wake Forest to find an effigy of Smith hanging from a tree outside Woollen Gymnasium.
But Smith never had a losing season after his first. His breakthrough came in the 1966-67 season, when he led the Tar Heels to a 26-6 record. The season ended with the first of three straight ACC tournament titles and Final Four trips. His 1968 team lost in the final to Lew Alcindor and UCLA.
The Tar Heels lost in the title game twice more, in 1977 against Marquette and in 1981 against Bob Knight's Isiah Thomas-led Indiana, before Smith won his first NCAA championship in 1982. In one of the tournament's most enduring highlights, Jordan knocked down a 16-foot jumper in the final seconds to give the Tar Heels a 63-62 win against Patrick Ewing and Georgetown in New Orleans.
"A great writer in Charlotte once said that it was our system that kept us from winning the national championship," Smith said after the game. "It's the most ridiculous comment ever made and I always wanted to say that. We don't have a system. We try to use our talent."
Smith won his final championship in 1993 with a balanced team that won 34 games. Once in the Final Four, the Tar Heels beat Williams' Jayhawks and Michigan's "Fab Five" to claim another title in the Big Easy.
Smith retired in October 1997 with a career record of 879-254, having surpassed Rupp's record of 876 victories during the NCAA tournament that March.
Knight overtook Smith's win total in 2007 while at Texas Tech, and the combustible coach summoned an Associated Press writer afterward, upset that he'd forgotten to publicly thank Smith following the game.
Smith seemed uncomfortable with the attention that came with breaking Rupp's record. When Knight was on the verge over taking it over, Smith noted with a sarcastic smile, "I'm going to cry about that."
"But still, it's something that, we do it for the team," Smith said. "When they're excited, that's why we're in this field. I'm sure it's that way with Bob Knight. It's never one of his goals and certainly was never one of mine."
More than 50 of Smith's players went on to play professionally in the NBA or the ABA, and more played overseas. Among them: Walter Davis, Brad Daugherty, J.R. Reid, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace, Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison. Along with Williams and Brown, the only coach to win both an NCAA and NBA title, former Tar Heels with successful coaching careers include George Karl and Eddie Fogler.
In addition to wife Linnea, Smith is survived by daughters Sandy, Sharon, Kristen and Kelly; son Scott; and several grandchildren.
We provide a couple things to look out for and ponder before tip of the Lakers and the Cavaliers this afternoon.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - It's time for the Cleveland Cavaliers to embark on another winning streak and they're getting a nice soft ball to start it off with the Los Angeles Lakers as their opponent today at 3:30 p.m. at The Q on ABC.
Coming off of a defeat by the hands of the Indiana Pacers that saw their 12-game winning streak snapped shouldn't bode well for the rebuilding Lakers who have lost 12 of their last 13 games.
The expectation is that the Cavaliers will lay a beat down. Here are some things to ponder before the game.
--
1. Who are these guys?
Almost a week ago the Philadelphia 76ers gave the Cavaliers all they could handle at The Q. Similar to the Lakers, the 76ers have a bunch of players nobody has ever heard of unless you're a die-hard NBA fan and they played Cleveland hard from start to finish. It's difficult at times for teams to bring their A-game against inferior opponents. That will be the challenge this afternoon. If the Cavaliers bring it, this game should be over by the break.
2. Scott would love to stick it to Cavs
Former Cavalier coach and current Lakers' coach Byron Scott would love nothing better than to complete the ultimate upset. To have his fortune-less roster overtake his previous employer would surely be the highlight of his season and could very well end up being the highlight of his Laker tenure. He wasn't too thrilled with the way his departure went down in Cleveland. This would be utmost payback.
3. Everyone on the same page?
Stop trying to find a way to FIT-OUT and just FIT-IN. Be apart of something special! Just my thoughts
-- LeBron James (@KingJames) February 8, 2015
Probable starting lineups
Los Angeles Lakers (13-37)
F Ryan Kelly
F Tarik Black
C Robert Sacre
G Wayne Ellington
G Jordan Clarkson
* Kobe Bryant (shoulder) is out for the year.
Cleveland Cavaliers (31-21)
F LeBron James
F Kevin Love
C Timofey Mozgov
G J.R. Smith
G Kyrie Irving
* Anderson Varejao (Achilles) is out for the year.
Wrist and ankle injuries will not keep LeBron James off the court today.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James (wrist, ankle) will play this afternoon against the Los Angeles Lakers, Cavaliers coach David Blatt confirmed.
"LeBron is ready to go," Blatt proclaimed.
James' status was somewhat uncertain for today's game because of the injuries suffered in Cleveland's 103-99 loss to the Indiana Pacers Friday night.
James re-aggravated his sprained right wrist on a hard foul from Roy Hibbert late in the third quarter, and then asked out of the game with about 12 seconds left in the fourth because of what he later said was a recurring right ankle injury.
James, who has already missed a career-high 10 games this season due to injury, said Friday that he "hopefully" would be able to play against the Lakers and promised to begin treatment immediately.
On Saturday, James posted to his social media accounts a video of him getting treatment in a whirlpool at the team facility in Independence.
At the facility solo getting my treatment/rehab on grooving/clowning to Wiz! Hahaha #NewDayToBeGreat... http://t.co/P9XOCeyxcy
-- LeBron James (@KingJames) February 7, 2015
"I know we're treating both and that he's playing with a certain amount of pain in both cases, but he wants to play and he's going to be out there giving us his all," Blatt said.
James is averaging 26.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.4 assists this season, and the Cavs are 2-8 without him.
Cleveland started its recently snapped 12-game winning streak against the Lakers back on Jan. 15, and will look to start a new one against them today.
Former Cavs coach and current Los Angeles chief Byron Scott is coaching his first game at The Q since he was fired at the end of the 2012-13 season.
Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's reporters bring you the latest on the game between the Cavs and Lakers.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to bounce back after a recent loss when the shorthanded Los Angeles Lakers come to Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's reporters bring you the latest on the game in the comments section below.
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Game 53: Cavs (31-21) vs. Lakers (13-37)
Tip off: 3:30 p.m. at The Q
TV/radio: ABC; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7 FM
Cavs probable starting lineup: Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Timofey Mozgov.
Lakers probable starting lineup: Ronnie Price, Wayne Ellington, Wesley Johnson, Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre.
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From Johnny Manziel to Josh Gordon to 'Textgate,' it's been a rough week in Berea. What are you hoping to hear from owner Jimmy Haslam when he does address the state of the Browns?
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Jimmy Haslam had one of his most challenging weeks as owner of the Browns last week, with the news that Johnny Manziel had checked himself into rehab, that Josh Gordon had been suspended for a minimum of a year, and that his GM, Ray Farmer, could be facing a multi-game suspension and the Browns the loss of a draft pick for Farmer texting during games.
The events of the week left many fans outraged and clamoring for answers from Haslam, who hasn't yet commented and probably won't until the results of Text-gate are announced. Fans also hotly debated whether or not the Browns should cut ties with Manziel, Gordon and Farmer.
Here's a recap of the week and a chance for you to weigh in:
MondayNews breaks that quarterback Johnny Manziel is headed to rehab for alcohol treatment.
Multiple sources tell Northeast Ohio Media Group that those close to Manziel were proud of him for taking such a big and difficult step:
Not many 22-year-olds volunteer for inpatient rehab, but Manziel was ready, which is why his friends and family members are optimistic that he'll take it seriously and do the work needed to get well.
Tuesday
Josh Gordon is suspended by the NFL for at least a year for failing a drug test again. After news of the suspension, Browns GM Ray Farmer puts out a statement that has some tough words for the standout receiver:
"Throughout his career, we have tried to assist him in getting support like we would with any member of our organization. Unfortunately our efforts have not resonated with him. It is evident that Josh needs to make some substantial strides to live up to the positive culture we are trying to build this football team upon.
Our hope is that this suspension affords Josh the opportunity to gain some clarity in determining what he wants to accomplish moving forward and if he wants a career in the National Football League.
Wednesday
NEOMG breaks the story that Farmer could be facing up to a four-game suspension and the Browns may lose a draft pick for texting during games, in violation of NFL rules:
Multiple league sources have told NEOMG that Farmer was the high-ranking personnel member who violated the NFL's electronic device policy by the impermissible texting. Those messages were then apparently relayed to the coaches. One source told NEOMG that the texts occurred in multiple games.
What are you hoping to hear from Haslam when he ultimately addresses these serious issues?
Post your thoughts in the comments below.
In a public appearance over the weekend, Brian Hoyer sounded hesitant (to say the least) about his future with the Cleveland Browns. Even if you don't believe Hoyer is the answer for the Browns, you have to admit he has reasons to be concerned about the plan for 2015. (Photo gallery of Hoyer's 2014 season.) Watch video
CLEVELAND, Ohio - No need to read between the lines to understand Brian Hoyer's hesitation in fully embracing a return in 2015. The lines will do just fine.
"I'm going to make the best decision possible," Hoyer told reporters Saturday. " To read the stories and see what's going on, I'm just as interested as you guys are to see where (the texting investigation) comes out, especially because when you read it, it has to deal with the quarterback situation and play calling."
Whether the Browns' (alleged) texting warrants a league fine, suspension of GM Ray Farmer or the loss of a draft pick, shouldn't be Hoyer's concern as much as what it says about the organization and the dynamics between coaching staff and front office.
Kyle Shanahan had experience in the coordinator role and a brought a system that fit Mike Pettine's philosophy. So if Shanahan felt pressure to start Johnny Manziel or heard in-game criticisms about his play calling, what are the chances the front office or ownership would back off and give more room to untested coordinator John DeFilippo.
No wonder Hoyer has concerns. Since the day Hoyer signed with his hometown team, we've seen:
* Hoyer buried on the training camp depth chart behind Brandon Weeden and Jason Campbell.
* Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi, who brought Hoyer to town, get fired.
* Hoyer suffer a season-ending knee injury.
* The Browns draft Johnny Manziel.
* Dowell Loggains giddily talk up Manziel, starting with stupidly sharing the "wreck this league" text (There's that texting problem again).
* Farmer pass on drafting a top receiver.
* Josh Gordon get suspended. Twice.
* Manziel get forced into the lineup against Cincinnati.
* Farmer make a case that Manziel can still be a solid NFL starting quarterback.
* Shanahan book out of town after presenting a case for making a lateral move after one season.
* Farmer reiterate he's not a big believer in spending a high pick on a wideout.
* A league investigation into texting.
* The hiring of DeFilippo.
* The hiring of O'Connell, whose only real "coaching" experience was helping Manziel get ready for the NFL draft.
(That's my 14-point presentation -- only 18 fewer than the bulleted items believed to be included in Shanahan's list of why he wanted out.)
Am I missing anything?
Obviously, not all of those are pertinent to 2015. But the organization's plans for Manziel and the dynamics between the coaching staff and front office/ownership are huge considerations.
You can argue Hoyer isn't the quarterback to take the Browns to the Super Bowl. So what if he doesn't come back.
You can point out his poor completion percentage and make the case that his own ineffectiveness led to the Manziel Experiment against Cincinnati.
You can say the Browns need to upgrade the position. You'll get no debate here.
But I'd say with one quarterback in a treatment program and with Connor Shaw the surest thing at QB they need Hoyer more than he needs them.
That could change if the free agent market goes dry on him. For now, if he seems less than enthused about returning, who could blame him.
You'd hope for everyone's sake -- not just Hoyer's -- that the slogan for 2015 isn't "Rinse and Repeat."
East Tech has won back-to-back city titles.
East Tech has won back-to-back city titles.
The Rebels jumped from No. 22 to No. 12 this week.
The Rebels jumped from No. 22 to No. 12 this week.
Check out the latest we learned from the girls basketball action this weekend.
Check out the latest we learned from the girls basketball action this weekend.