"Some of the other colleagues in mine in other leagues are saying, 'No, it would just be the Big Ten,' and then I have to explain how that goes," Matta said. "It has been a nightmare. All of our coaches are dealing with it." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Because Ohio State had eight days between games, Thad Matta gave his players a few days to rest and recuperate. 

Those days off didn't extend to the coaching staff because, well, recruiting never stops. 

And while Matta and his staff were on the road this week they all encountered a major challenge - having to answer questions about the freshman readiness rule the Big Ten has been kicking around. 

"I'll tell you what - I am dealing with more issues on that in recruiting," Matta said. "We're getting crushed in this thing. It's not going to happen. Why they link the Big Ten to it, I don't know.

"I have been dealing with that the last couple days trying to explain that if it does happen, which it's not going to, but if it does, it's not just the Big Ten, it will be across college basketball."

Reports have indicated the Big Ten is circulating a document that explores the concept of "a year of readiness," which would make freshmen in football and men's basketball ineligible as they adjust to college life. 

While Matta doesn't know for sure that the rule will never get passed, Ohio State's coach just can't wrap his mind around how it would work. 

"I probably spoke a little out of turn there, but I am a little bit upset that I've been dealing with this through recruiting angles," Matta said. "I don't know enough about it. All I know is that they are saying the Big Ten freshmen aren't going to be able to play. So I have to explain that it would be across the country. There's no way they can do that. I just can't see that happening." 

If the rule were to pass, it wouldn't only be restricted to the Big Ten. Both Pac 12 commissioner Larry Scott and Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby have also been involved in the conversation. 

Regardless, Matta noted that other coaches from other conferences who are recruiting the same prospects have been trying to take advantage of the news. 

That has created extra challenges for Ohio State. 

"Some of the other colleagues in mine in other leagues are saying, 'No, it would just be the Big Ten,' and then I have to explain how that goes," Matta said. "It has been a nightmare. All of our coaches are dealing with it.

"It is one of those where the recruits parents are saying, 'What's going on. My son, if he comes to Ohio State isn't going to be able to play as a freshman.' And it's like, 'No, no, no, no, no. no. That's not going to happen and trying to explain that it wouldn't just be the Big Ten, it would be all the way across. Once you get that explained, it eases the tension.

"But a lot of guys are having fun with it." 

The St. Vincent-St. Mary and Villa Angela-St. Joseph boys basketball game has been postponed.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The highly anticipated boys basketball game between No. 1 St. Vincent-St. Mary and No. 2 Villa Angela-St. Joseph has been postponed due to weather.

Our game against Akron Saint V is off tonight due to weather. We are working on a make up date.

— Babe Kwasniak (@BabeKwas) February 21, 2015

Stay tuned to cleveland.com as we will have it updates as soon as a date has been decided on.

The sold out boys basketball game between No. 1 St. Vincent-St. Mary vs. No. 2 Villa Angela-St. Joseph postponed to Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and cleveland.com will air live video broadcast of game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The No. 1 St. Vincent-St. Mary vs. No. 2 Villa Angela-St. Joseph boys basketball game has been postponed to Sunday at 2:30 p.m. -- and cleveland.com will air a live video broadcast of the sold out game.

The video stream from VASJ will start around 2:15 p.m. with a short pregame show. (Exact time depends on what time the JV game ends). The varsity game is slated to start at 2:30 p.m.

You can watch the game live on cleveland.com with the broadcast team of Dan Labbe, Mark Kern and David Petkiewicz.

The nonleague game features two teams ranked in the Top 10 in the nation, as well as Nos. 1-2 in the cleveland.com Top 25.

SVSM (19-0) is ranked third in the country in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, while VASJ (17-2) is slotted at No. 9.

St. Vincent-St. Mary is ranked No. 1 by cleveland.com and VASJ is No. 2.

Future college players fans may be interested in watching are: Villa Angela-St. Joseph’s Carlton Bragg (Kansas), Dererk Pardon (Northwestern) and Brian Parker (Marist), as well as St. Vincent-St. Mary’s Jibri Blount (Cleveland State) and Josh Williams (Akron).

A new story will go live Sunday but you can also watch the game in this video player come Sunday afternoon.

Live streaming video by Ustream

Kendrick Perkins will sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a league source tells NEOMG.

NEW YORK - Veteran center Kendrick Perkins has completed his buyout with the Utah Jazz and will sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers upon clearing waivers, a league source informed Northeast Ohio Media Group.

Perkins, 30, is the "best available big" and gives the Cavs "things they don't have," such as a legitimate backup center, according to a source. He picked the Cavaliers over the Los Angeles Clippers.

By joining the Cavaliers before March 1, Perkins would be available to play for Cleveland in the playoffs. His addition would bring the Cavs' roster to 15 players -- the max allowed, but Cleveland "isn't ruling anything out" when it comes to the courtship of veteran free-agent shooting guard Ray Allen, a source said.

The 6-10 Perkins joined the Thunder during the 2010-11 season and immediately gave them some needed toughness. With their enforcer, the team reached the Western Conference Finals three times in four years. Perkins lost his starting job to second-year player Steven Adams this season.

The 12-year veteran is in the final year of a five-year deal. Most of Perkins' $9.6 million salary has been paid. He is due just over $3 million for the rest of this season. Perkins is averaging 4.0 and 5.5 rebounds in 19.2 minutes per game.

LeBron James welcomed Perkins via Twitter.

The Land welcome my bro as well as my muscle(LOL) @KendrickPerkins to the city with open arms! Happy and thrilled to have u aboard homie!!

-- LeBron James (@KingJames) February 21, 2015

Cleveland practiced on New York's upper east side Saturday in preparation for Sunday's 1 p.m. game at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks, one of the NBA's worst teams who have purged their roster for a rebuild.

The Cavs, meanwhile, have won 15 of 17.

"You know, this is the NBA and on any given day someone can come out and pay at the top of their game and beat you," Cleveland coach David Blatt said. "You have to constantly prepare mentally to play your best and to look at the game in front of you."

Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Joe Vardon contributed to this report.

Kent State bounces Ohio, 64-51, to keep share of first place in the MAC.

ATHENS, Ohio -- Devareaux Manley sank five 3-pointers and finished with 16 points to lead Kent State to a 64-51 win over Ohio on Saturday.

Kris Brewer added 11 points as Kent State (19-8, 10-4 Mid-American) won its third straight to remain tied atop the conference standings with four games remaining.

The Golden Flashes broke it open midway through the first half with a 13-2 run capped by 3-pointers from Manley and Derek Jackson to take a 36-25 advantage into the break. Early in the second, Ohio's Maurice Daly Ndour sparked a 9-0 burst that cut the gap to 41-39 before Kent State pulled away with a 12-2 run and protected the double-figure lead the rest of the way.

Ranked 12th in nation on 3-point defense, Kent State held Ohio to just 2 of 12 from long range.

Antonio Campbell led the Bobcats (9-16, 4-10) with 14 points, Stevie Taylor added 13 and Ndour 12.

Top quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota also impressive. Watch video

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota showed why they will be the top two quarterbacks selected in the NFL Draft on Saturday.

But the afternoon belonged to a West Virginia receiver who entered the day with questions surrounding his speed. Kevin White vowed to run a "very fast" 40-yard dash time and made good on his promise, solidifying his case to be the top wideout taken on April 30.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder, coming off a breakout season, unofficially clocked a 4.35 and 4.36 in his two sprints. That's bad news for Browns fans who hoped White might fall to them when they select No. 12 overall.

Here's what we learned from watching the NFL Network telecast of the quarterback-receiver-running back workouts:

QB stars sparkle

If Winston indeed has some weakness in his throwing shoulder as was reported Friday every Major League pitcher should have such weakness. The Florida State product demonstrated no ill effects in going through the drills.

Obviously, the biggest questions about Winston remain off the field with his conduct. On the Lucas Oil turf that Andrew Luck calls home he looked poised, loose and very much like a top choice. He made all the throws and delivered them with a deft touch.

View full sizeWest Virginia wide receiver Kevin White runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis.Julio Cortez, Associated Press 

Winston played in a pro-style offense, unlike many of the other top prospects, and remains the most NFL-ready quarterback. He's also got that swagger which comes with winning a national title and supplying so many fourth-quarter comebacks. Near the end of one drill, Winston stepped up and bellowed, "(they) always save the best for last" and produced an arrow on an out route.

Of course, these prospects are performing in shorts with no pass rush or defenders, but Winston was nonetheless impressive. Same goes for Mariota.

The knock on the Oregon passer is he's a system/spread quarterback. He didn't take snaps under center and rarely had to work through progressions. Talent evaluators aren't going to get a good read on his ability to do that until after he's drafted. Mariota is lauded, however, for his work ethic and ability to process the game. He exhibited good footwork and eye level for a quarterback unaccustomed to making five- and seven-step drops. Good stuff.

Revisionist history

Speaking of system quarterbacks, Baylor's Bryce Petty showed off his strong arm - or, as Mike Mayock calls it, a "live hose." It would be interesting to see how Petty turned out had he played in a pro-style offense starting from his days in high school.

Petty has been likened to former Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden and you can see the comparison. The quarterback is understandably struggling with his footwork. He faces a steep learning curve, but his career progression will be fascinating to track.

White is right

NFL Network analysts believe the battle for the No. 1 receiver in the draft comes down to White, Alabama's Amari Cooper and Louisville's DeVante Parker.

Nobody helped himself more than White on Saturday. The Mountaineers standout ran two blazing 40s to set the table for a great session. Like a figure skater who lands his toughest jump early in a routine, White looked at ease the rest of the way. He had a drop or two, but the Raiders - the team likely to draft a receiver first - had to be impressed.

Cooper and Parker also were solid and one of them would make a nice consolation prize for the Browns if they decide to take a wideout at No. 12. Another receiver who helped his cause was Arizona State's Jaelen Strong, who's been likened to Larry Fitzgerald.

The wildcard in the draft is 6-foot-5, 237-pound Dorial Green-Beckham. The Oklahoma product is a stud on the field and a mess off it. His rap sheet makes Johnny Manziel and Josh Gordon look as square as a Wendy's hamburger patty. "DGB" unofficially clocked a 4.49 and a 4.50 in his 40-yard dashes. He's an immense talent, but I can't believe the Browns would go there given the issues with Manziel, Gordon and Justin Gilbert.

When LeBron James comes to New York, it's almost always about more than just basketball.

NEW YORK -- It's been more than seven years since LeBron James hosted Saturday Night Live, and he said "hopefully someday maybe I can do it again."

"It's a long week, man, people don't understand how long that week is to go through, the process and things," James said Saturday, following the Cavaliers practice at an athletic club on New York's upper east side. Cleveland plays the Knicks at Madison Square Garden Sunday.

"And it's very serious, too," James said, speaking again about SNL - a New York staple. "Obviously it's funny, but it's serious as you go. ... But I had an unbelievable time."

There is nothing imminent (or announced, anyway) for James to host his first SNL since Sept. 29, 2007, though leading the Cavaliers to their first championship in June might help put a bug in Lorne Michaels' ear.

The point is, anytime James comes to New York, there's always a storyline or two outside of him and his teammates.

When James was here last weekend for the All-Star Game, he produced and co-starred in a fashion show, filmed a Kia commercial in about 90 seconds, hosted a party with GQ, was elected vice president of the players' union, and said he'd like to play 82 games a season at Madison Square Garden.

All of that was before he scored 30 points in the All-Star Game.

On Saturday, James talked a little SNL - which had its 40^th anniversary episode while the All-Star Game was played. He was sort of like a spokesman for friend and Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony to the New York media, which peppered James with questions about Anthony's season-ending knee surgery.

James spoke with Anthony Friday.

"I mean he's bummed that he's missing the rest of the season, but it was a successful surgery," James said of Anthony. "I thought he did what was best for the team and best for him. He was going to hurt himself even more, but he'll come back even stronger next year."

James, who has also begun to generate buzz from his cameo in Trainwreck, his first feature-length film that opens this summer, said he's able to separate from his expanding, off-court empire and focus on basketball.

"I understand what's important, I know what my No. 1 priority is, and that's being here and playing this game and being here for my teammates," James said. "That comes first, second, and third when it comes to that side of the game.

"But that's why I have a great team outside of basketball, to make sure they take care of everything, to shield things from me that either don't need to come to me, or some of the bigger stuff I hear about it. But, I've been in this league long enough that I know how to prioritize and I know what number one is."

The Cavaliers are coming off a 38-point bombing of the Washington Wizards Friday night, in which James scored 28 points in just 25 minutes. He's never been more bullish on this team's chances to win in June than he is right now, and Cleveland is only getting stronger with the addition of reserve center Kendrick Perkins.

"I don't know exactly when I got there, but I feel like us being out on the floor, and seeing the things we've been doing to help one another, that's what it's about. And I started to feel it," he said.

Trevor Bauer understands why MLB grounded his drone, but he's going to research the rules to see if he can find a wa to still take aerial pictures of the ballparks he plays in.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Trevor Bauer has no beef about MLB clipping the wings of his drone.

"Look if I flew my drone over MLB-affiliated land, then it's a precedent for any fan to fly it over," said Bauer after Saturday's practice. "The last thing you want is a fan flying it over during a game and interferring with a game or a player.

"Obviously, I'm not trying to break any rules here. I enjoy flying the thing. It's kind of cool and I figured it would take some cool pictures for the fans to see."

Early last week Bauer flew his remote-controlled drone, or quadcopter, over the Indians spring training site in Goodyear, Ariz. A video camera he installed took some picture of the complex and some fans watching practice.

Bauer posted the pictures on his Twitter account. MLB informed the Indians the Bauer should cease and desist any more flights over MLB-owned property.

"I'm still trying to investigate it to find out what the rules are so I can still fly it and get some shots," said Bauer. "I think it would be cool to get some shots of the stadiums I play at.

"I understand it, and I have to do a lot more research, but as long as I don't fly it over MLB-controlled property I think I should be all right."

Bauer, however, could not help himself from having some Twitter-directed fun at MLB's expense.

"I completely understand where they're coming from, but I had to have some fun with it," he said.

Here are some of his Tweets.

#BauerGroundage pic.twitter.com/Q4whXizNNf

-- Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) February 21, 2015

My new drone design pic.twitter.com/OKL6iXk2EO

-- Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) February 21, 2015

Ok last one last one. I promise. @indians @mlb pic.twitter.com/wcF8rKwRNs

-- Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) February 21, 2015

Loving these drone names being submitted. Keep em coming. Favorites include #BauDown #BauAir #SynDrone #BauerForceOne #FlyrieIrving #phoenix

-- Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) February 21, 2015

Michigan defensive end Frank Clark hopes to convince NFL teams that his domestic violence arrest was not of his true character. Watch video

INDIANAPOLIS - Indianapolis Colts rookie linebacker Jonathan Newsome knows the value of a second chance.

Newsome's transgressions led to his dismissal at Ohio State, a transfer to Ball State, and rebirth this past season in the NFL.

Now his former Glenville High School teammate, defensive lineman Frank Clark, hopes for the same. Clark was kicked off Michigan's football team last fall because of a domestic violence/assault charge.

Despite the seriousness, the NFL still granted Clark the opportunity to participate in this week's NFL combine. It's a position Newsome said Clark needs to take advantage of.

"The things he did was in the past, and he has to make sure these organizations see the person he has become," Newsome said. "The decisions you make affect your tomorrow, but it doesn't mean you can't overcome them. Frank has to learn from his mistakes and be happy that he can chase his dreams."

Former Glenville High School standout Frank Clark hopes his past does nor crush his NFL dreams.

Clark's situation transpired in November of 2014 at the Maui Sands Resort in Sandusky. Clark was arrested after he allegedly got into a physical confrontation with his girlfriend. He spent two days in jail and was dismissed from the team.

Clark's pretrial scheduled for Friday was postponed.

"I'm just saying it was a confrontation between me and one of my friends and the woman involved took it to another level that it shouldn't have been taken to," Clark said. "I'm not throwing her under the bus. I'm not saying she did anything wrong. A lot of things that happened in that room that night could have been avoided. I accept full responsibility for everything that happened, and I'm going to continue to grow from it."

Since the incident, Clark entered himself into counseling. He said the sessions have taught him about responsibility and to learn from negative and positive situations.

Glenville coach Ted Ginn Sr., an inspiration to many of his current and former players, is happy where Clark is headed.

"This is good for Frank," Ginn said. "We all need some type of counseling to help us stay in the right direction. Frank's a good kid. We all make mistakes and end up in situations we shouldn't be in, but when we do, we have to make the right decisions."

A decision was made for Clark to move from Los Angeles to Cleveland when he was 10 years old. He came to live with his grandmother for a better life. A few years later, he found himself at Glenville. He joined a fraternity of sorts that he can pull advice from.

"Especially Pierre Woods," Clark said. "He's also a Michigan guy. Pierre's always on me. I can feel I'm doing all the right things but he'll always tell me that I can do better."

Woods, a linebacker on the New England Patriots 2007 undefeated regular season team, said Clark has the ability to play on the next level. But that is not the issue with the majority of NFL teams.

"You can't teach effort and he goes hard all the time," Woods said. "But I've told him to be open and up front about everything during his interviews. He needs to tell them what happened, how he's changed and what are his plans for the future. Frank deserves a chance like everyone else in the NFL, from Richie Incognito, to Wes Welker, to Josh Gordon to Jim Irsay, the owner of the Colts."

Clark, a 6-2 and 277 pound lineman, will certainly get his chance this week during the NFL combine. Following interviews with individual teams, Clark will participate in drills from the 40-yard dash to the 60-yard shuttle on Sunday.

Scouts consider Clark a steal in the draft for a team if his arrest is overlooked. He's quick with long arms and athletic enough to get by offensive linemen.

"He's the most explosive athlete in that position with his size and athletic ability," Ginn said. "You don't find kids like that. With the right coaching, I believe he's going to be one of those solid players."

A good showing during the NFL combine could open the door to another chapter in Clark's life, or become a footnote in what could have been.

"When I got that letter [invitation to the combine] it was a shock," Clark said. "I broke down and cried because I was full of joy. It hurt me when [football] was taken away from me. It was like I lost my best friend. I don't want that to happen again."

On the second day of offical workouts for Indians pitchers and catchers, Bryan Shaw, Corey Kluber and Josh Tomlin got their work in. Watch video

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Under a bright sun, with a cool wind blowing, Bryan Shaw, Corey Kluber and Josh Tomlin threw their first official bullpen sessions of spring training Saturday morning at the Indians training facility in Goodyear.

Shaw led the big leagues in 80 appearances last year. Kluber won the AL Cy Young award and Tomlin did a little bit of everything for the Tribe. He made 16 starts and nine relief appearances.

Jobs are already guaranteed for Shaw and Kluber. Tomlin finds himself in some of the stiffest competion in camp. He'll be pitching against Danny Salazar, Zach McAllister, T.J. House and Bruce Chen for the fifth spot.

Tomlin can pitch out of the pen as well, but he has two minor league options left so the Indians might want to keep him in the rotation at Class AAA Columbus to protect themselves against injury.

Shaw and Tomlin worked fast. Kluber took his time.

They each threw for eight minutes.

Reporters always ask managers what they thought about this pitcher or that based on the first bullpen sessions of the spring. Managers always evade giving specific answers.

Manager Terry Francona was no different Saturday.

"The one thing that jumps out at me is the way the guys work," said Francona. "The way they're throwing the ball without trying to do too much, is pretty impressive. I think that bodes well for us moving forward.

"You can tell they put a lot of time in. You don't come out and throw the ball like they did without being prepared."

The Browns are searching for a quality defensive lineman. Is the Texas product a good fit? Watch video

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - Defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin likely won't be back with the Browns next season.

The club could, however, add a Big Rube doppelanger in the draft.

Close your eyes and listen to Texas defensive lineman Malcom Brown and he sounds like the eight-year veteran who served the franchise so well for so long before injuries took their toll the past two seasons.

Same voice. Same talk of versatility. Same level of maturity.

"Well, when I was growing up, I was just always around older folks," Brown said Friday at the NFL scouting combine. "Everybody said I was young but an old soul. That's just how I grew up. When I play, I know when it's time to get serious and I know how to switch it on and off. I know how to get serious and take on responsibility."

Character concerns are not an issue for this husband and father of two small daughters. Brown volunteers time to an organization dedicated to families who have children with cancer.

But is the 6-foot-2, 319-pounder a good fit for Cleveland, which likely would need to use its second first-round pick to get him?

The Browns need help on the defensive line, especially against the run, where they finished last in the NFL a year ago allowing 141.6 yards per game.

In his latest mock draft, CBS Sports draft analyst Dane Brugler has the Browns taking the Longhorns product at No. 19 overall.

"I love his versatility," Brugler said Friday. "(Brown) can literally play anywhere (on the line). He's got a good mix of speed and power. I like how he's proactive, not reactive. He can put stress on an offensive line and he can disrupt a backfield.

"He's not a niche guy where he's good at one thing and you have to teach him the rest. He's very well rounded."

Brown, who models his game after Ndamukong Suh, registered 70 tackles (13 for loss) and 6.5 sacks a season ago. He's played nose tackle and end in the Longhorns' 3-4 scheme.

He declared for the draft after his junior season in part to support his family, which includes a six-month old girl and 4-year-old step daughter.

"It just gives me more (motivation)," Brown said. "I'm not just playing for myself anymore. I'm playing to support my family. I can't just think about myself when I make decisions. I have to think about my daughters and my wife being supportive, so I have to give it my all."

Brown is a high-effort lineman similar to Rubin, who the Browns plucked from Iowa State in the sixth round (2008). The franchise would have to make a much steeper initial investment in Brown.  

Is he the type of defender who would trouble opposing offensive coordinators? The Browns defense, while sound against the pass, lacks a front-seven playmaker with that capacity.  

"Malcom Brown to me is a first-round guy all day long," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said in a conference call. "Love his size. He's stout versus the run. He can push the edge, push the pocket . . . He's a low-risk investment and a really good football player."

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - It was a familiar story.  Ohio State got down big early, fought back in the second half, and when it was all over, lost another game on the road.  The No. 23 Buckeyes fell at Michigan 64-57 on Sunday after an eight-day break since last weekend's loss at Michigan State. Ohio State has now lost...

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - It was a familiar story. 

Ohio State got down big early, fought back in the second half, and when it was all over, lost another game on the road. 

The No. 23 Buckeyes fell at Michigan 64-57 on Sunday after an eight-day break since last weekend's loss at Michigan State. Ohio State has now lost three of its last five games. 

When it was over: When Marc Loving air-balled a three-pointer and then turned over the offensive rebound in the game's final two minutes with the Buckeyes trailing by six. 

Michigan guard Zak Irvin scored a layup in transition on the ensuing possession, Ohio State turned it over again and Wolverines' guard Spike Albrecht hit two free throws to extend the lead to 10 with less than a minute remaining. 

What it means: Ohio State had eight days off to recuperate from its loss at Michigan State last weekend and the Wolverines came into the game having lost five in a row.

This wasn't the type of game the Buckeyes should be losing in late February. Ohio State played slow and sloppy defense, freshman guard D'Angelo Russell didn't get going until the second half and the Buckeyes' seniors struggled. 

Crucial run: It happened right out of the gate. Michigan scored 31 of the first 42 points over the course of the game's first 13:24 as Ohio State struggled to stop the Wolverines from taking whatever they wanted on offense. 

Crucial run No. 2: Ohio State countered Michigan's fast start when it went on a 14-0 run that lasted a little more than five minutes late in the second half. The run cut a a 17-point deficit to three with 7:42 remaining in the game. Russell accounted for eight of the 14 points during the run. However, it wasn't enough to fully overcome the lead Michigan built. 

Play of the game: Albrecht drove to the basket with his left hand and drew Ohio State center Amir Williams, who attempted to block the shot. At the last second, Albrecht flipped it to Max Bielfeldt for the easy dunk. That basket put Michigan up 47-32 with 14:35 remaining in the game. 

What's next: Ohio State just finished the brutal stretch of its schedule that had eight of its last 12 games on the road. The Buckeyes have four games remaining in the regular season and three of those games are in Value City Arena starting on Thursday vs. Nebraska. 

Always a star at Madison Square Garden, LeBron James was pretty good in limited minutes because of another Cavaliers' blowout.

NEW YORK -- LeBron James' love of playing at Madison Square Garden is well known.

Watching from the bench while his team has a 30-point fourth-quarter lead isn't bad, either.

James made a little more history at the Garden while the Cavaliers cruised past the lowly New York Knicks, 101-83. He finished with 18 points in 28 minutes and is now the NBA's 22nd all-time leading scorer, surpassing Allen Iverson (24,368 points) early in the first quarter.

James added seven rebounds and seven assists, and might've made a run at his first triple double had the Knicks offered any resistance. He didn't play in the fourth quarter for the second consecutive game.

It wasn't until Cleveland's entire first (and most of its second) string was out that New York pulled a little closer.

At the NBA All-Star Game here last weekend, James scored 30 and barely missed passing Kobe Bryant as the all-time leading scorer in ASG history.

Here is an instant, quarter-by-quarter briefing on James' performance against the Knicks.

1^st Quarter

Stats: 12 PTS, 1 RB, 4 AST, 5-6 FG, 1-2 FT

Highlight: Capping off a sparkling opening quarter, James drilled a three-pointer with 0.8 seconds left to put Cleveland up by 19.

Briefing: Oh boy. Two things were apparent early -- only a lack of interest by the Cavs could save the Knicks, and James was focused. He had two steals-turned-dunks, fed Kevin Love with three assists, and knocked in one of those tough, turnaround jumpers as he faded backwards with 7:43 left. He moved past Iverson on the all-time scoring list with a layup at 10:27.

2^nd Quarter

Stats: 4 PTS, 3 RBS, 2 AST, 1-6 FG, 2-2 FT

Highlight: Hounded by a defender, James drove to the hoop and threw one overhand off the glass and into the hoop as he drifted backwards at 1:26.

Briefing: If you want to get technical, this was not one of James' better quarters. He missed some shots and committed two turnovers -- one on a ridiculous, behind-the-back pass to no one that former Cav Lou Amundson intercepted and took in for a dunk. Focused or not, this one's over. The Knicks went on a "run" at period's end to cut Cleveland's lead to 24.

3^rd Quarter

Stats: 2 PTS, 3 RBS, 1 AST, 1-5 FG, 0-1 FT

Highlight: James rocketed ahead for a dunk at 2:22. Jose Calderon was in front of him, Tim Hardaway Jr. behind him. Calderon was called for the foul, but James didn't like that Hardaway nearly undercut him from behind. No harm, though.

Briefing: Earlier in the quarter, Calderon was pressing James and the Cavaliers' star wasn't impressed. Finally, James buried his shoulder and forearm into Calderon and flattened him, and was called for the foul. James was pestered on the perimeter with 7:35 left, and shoved the defender out of the way before rifling a two-handed bullet across the court to J.R. Smith for a three. James raised his hand to come out with 30.9 seconds left. Might as well have been a wave farewell to the Madison Square Garden crowd.

4th Quarter

Stats: 0 PTS, 0 RBS, 0 AST, 0-0 FG, 0-0 FT

Highlight: Former Knicks Iman Shumpert and Smith connected on a dazzling alley-oop at 9:14, with Smith catching the pass and double-pumping in midair pre-dunk. New York called timeout and James jumped from the bench to the three-point line like a ninja in celebration.

Briefing: James has yet to play in a fourth quarter since the All-Star break. All it's costing him is his first triple double this season. His body, though, is appreciative of the rest. And so are the Cavs.

Totals:18 PTS, 7 RBS, 7 AST, 7-17 FG, 3-5 FT, 28 MIN

The Indians are in good hands with their catchers. Watch video

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Big league teams are always looking for catchers because it's a difficult position to fill.

Organizations expect a lot out of catchers and the position puts them in harm's way.

The Indians are fortunate to have two good catchers in the big leagues with Yan Gomes and backup Roberto Perez. They also have Tony Wolters, who converted from infielder to catcher, in the pipeline.

Over the weekend Gomes, Perez, Wolters and every other catcher in camp caught bullpen sessions as the Indians 30 pitchers began their throwing programs.

First base coach Sandy Alomar, a former six-time All-Star catcher, is the Tribe's catching coach. One of the drills he uses has catchers squatting behind the plate and catching softly thrown baseballs barehanded with their glove hand.

"I helps your glove hand," said Perez, who made his big-league debut last year. "It helps keep your hand under the ball and softens it up to receive it."

The Cavs have scored 97-plus in 19 straight games.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Knicks, 101-83, Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Here is a capsule look at the game after a dvr review of the Fox Sports Ohio telecast:

Sizzling: The Cavs (35-22) have won 16 of 18.

Reeling: The rebuilding Knicks (NBA-worst 10-45) have lost seven straight. They fell to 0-15 without Carmelo Anthony, who is sidelined for the remainder of the season because of knee surgery.

Consistent offense: The Cavs have scored 97-plus in 19 straight games -- longest such streak in the NBA.

They are 28-4 when scoring 100-plus.

Reset the body clocks: For the first time this season, the Cavs played a game with a scheduled 1 p.m. tipoff. (The start ended up being approximately 1:11.)

Globetrotters vs. Generals: Based on the teams' records and directions, this game was over before it started. But they needed to play to make the outcome official.

Soon after opening tip, it became clear that the Cavs encounter better competition in practice. They never trailed.

Bench busy: Eleven Cavs played, each for at least six minutes. No starter logged more than 29 minutes.

Ten Cavs scored at least three; Brendan Haywood had zero.

Play of the game: Early in the fourth quarter, Cavs guards Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith combined for an electrifying highlight against their former employer.

Shumpert dribbled on the right wing and made eye contact with Smith on the right sideline. Smith darted backdoor, leaving New York's Cleanthony Early flat-footed. Smith elevated, caught the lob from Shumpert with his back to the basket, and continued to elevate. After sitting in an imaginary chair in mid-air, Smith pulled the ball from his knees and executed a two-handed slam that everybody in the building could appreciate.

The Knicks called timeout, trailing, 89-59, with 9:15 left. Upon his return to the bench, Smith was greeted with a bear hug from LeBron James and hearty congrats from other teammates. Everybody wanted to see the replay as soon as possible.

After the game, Cavs forward Kevin Love told Fox Sports Ohio reporter Allie Clifton: "I've seen J.R. throw down some pretty impressive dunks, and that one was right up there with the best. That was impressive....definitely a 10.''    

Smith exited in favor of Joe Harris having scored 17  on 7-of-11 shooting in 29 minutes. He was a plus-26.

Dominant opening act: The Cavs scored on nine of their first 12 possessions and finished the first quarter with a 36-17 lead. Their main objective for the remaining 36 minutes was for each player to avoid injury.

The Cavs went 15-of-21 (71.4 percent) from the field in the first. Eleven of the baskets originated in the paint. Meanwhile, the Knicks shot 8-of-29, including 0-of-6 from 3-point range.

Ho-hum: LeBron had 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 28 minutes.

In nine minutes of the first quarter, LeBron went 5-of-6 from the field and scored 12. During two Knicks possessions, LeBron stepped into the passing lane to intercept a pass and cruised in for a slam.

On one Cleveland possession, LeBron controlled against Langston Galloway on the left wing. LeBron methodically backed the smaller Galloway into the key, turned and drilled a fadeaway 17-footer with 1.2 seconds on the shot clock. He made a difficult shot seem routine.

Fox Sports Ohio analyst Austin Carr said: "Not much you can do about that except stand there and watch it.''

Keeping him fresh: LeBron's minutes per game in February are 36, 28, 39, 30, 31, 34, 32, 25 and 28. 

Milestone men: LeBron's second basket of the first quarter, a layup off a pass from  Love, gave him career points 24,368 and 24,369. LeBron moved past Allen Iverson into 22nd place on the NBA's all-time list.

LeBron is now at 24,383. Ray Allen ranks No. 21 at 24,505.

Love's second rebound of the first quarter was No. 5,000 of his career. He finished with 16 rebounds and 16 points in 29 minutes.

Piling on: The Cavs led, 62-38, at halftime -- and that was with the Knicks scoring the final five. Eight Cavs had at least three points, led by LeBron with 16.

Woeful: The Cavs' previous 17 opponents had combined to shoot 42 percent from the field. The Knicks shot 37.4 percent (37-of-99), but the Cavs need to place an asterisk next to their defense in this case because the Knicks are so bad.

J.R. Smith's double-pump, reverse alley-oop in his Madison Square Garden return was a sight to see.

NEW YORK -- "Beautiful."

"Special."

"One for the books."

That's how the Cavaliers described the Iman Shumpert-to-J.R. Smith alley-oop in the fourth quarter of Cleveland's 101-83 win over the New York Knicks.

Shumpert and Smith, of course, are former Knicks, acquired by the Cavs in a trade on Jan. 5. And in their Madison Square Garden return, they pulled off a whopper with 9:16 left in the fourth quarter.

As you can see, Shumpert lobbed one to Smith, who completed the double-pump, reverse dunk off the alley-oop.

"The way we ended it, I think it was one for the books," Smith said.

Shumpert added: "They kind of cheated to cut him off, so he went back door. Just playing basketball, man. It was fun though."

Cavaliers coach David Blatt said he told Smith "thank you for the price of admission."

LeBron James, who was on the bench at the time and leaped to the three-point line in celebration, said "that was beautiful.

"That was special," James said. I was planning on not getting up too many times and starting my treatment session. But that was special."

Man that boy good!! Jumped onto the floor when @teamswish did this today. Whoa!!!! Shump with the perfect delivery. Love having these two around.

A video posted by LeBron James (@kingjames) on Feb 22, 2015 at 1:43pm PST

Smith scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Shumpert added four points, seven assists, and five rebounds.

The Cavaliers have won 16 out of 18 and both games at the Garden this season.

The Irish are off to a 20-0 start this season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The boys basketball game of the year didn't exactly live up to the billing, as St. Vincent-St. Mary held a comfortable lead for most of the afternoon in a 89-76 road win over Villa Angela-St. Joseph on Sunday.

Junior Henry Baddley led the way with 29 points as St. Vincent-St. Mary (20-0) stayed perfect with the nonconference win over Villa Angela-St. Joseph (15-3).

Check back around 5:45 p.m. for a full game recap with stats, reaction, pictures and video. And look for an archived video of all the game action later tonight.

The highly anticipated game pitted the top two teams (No. 1 St. Vincent-St. Mary, No. 2 Villa Angela-St. Joseph) in the cleveland.com Top 25 against each other. Both teams are also ranked within the top 10 nationally in the MaxPreps Top 25.

A fast start to the game had the Irish leading by as many as 17 points in the first half. Eventually, St. Vincent-St. Mary hit halftime with a 41-27 lead, which was partially fueled by 13 points from Baddley.

St. Vincent-St. Mary is now two wins away from a perfect regular season and will host North Canton Hoover on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Villa Angela-St. Joseph will be back in conference play on Tuesday at Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas at 7:30 p.m.

Contact high school sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

Reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick finished second and was followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., the defending race winner.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Joey Logano, the driver who has spent seven years trying to live up to impossible expectations, raced to his first career Daytona 500 victory Sunday as he continued to reward Roger Penske for catapulting him into one of NASCAR's top stars.

Nicknamed "Sliced Bread" when he broke into the Sprint Cup Series at 18 because so many predicted him to be the next big thing, Logano found himself searching for a new job after four underwhelming seasons.

He was snatched up by Penske for the 2013 season after being dropped by Joe Gibbs Racing, a move that jumpstarted his career. His victory in "The Great American Race" on Sunday gave "The Captain" his second Daytona 500 title. Penske, one of the most respected team owners in motorsports, also has a record 15 Indianapolis 500 wins.

"Daytona 500, oh my God! Are you kidding me?" Logano yelled in victory lane. "I was so nervous the whole race."

The 24-year-old from Connecticut was quiet for most of the race, which was dominated by four-time champion Jeff Gordon.

Making the final Daytona 500 start of his career, Gordon won the pole and led the field to green in the first race of his last Sprint Cup season. Gordon kept his Chevrolet out front for 77 of the first 100 laps, and led a race-high 87 laps.

But when the slicing and dicing for the win began, Gordon was mired in traffic and Logano suddenly found himself in contention. He had reason to fret, though, after Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski went to the garage with an engine failure.

Then Ryan Blaney, another Ford driver, also lost an engine, and Logano was in danger of the same fate.

But after Blaney's engine failure set up a restart with 19 laps remaining, Logano buckled down for white-knuckle, three-wide racing throughout the field. He surged to the front and seemed to have the race under control, but a caution with three laps remaining forced him to fight for the win one last time.

NASCAR needed nearly seven minutes of stoppage to clean the track, and it set up a two-lap sprint to the finish.

Logano sat in his car thinking about a strategy, which wasn't the most comforting feeling.

"You got a red flag, and they give you the opportunity to think of everything," he said.

And even though Penske and a committee of team executives watch from the roof and offer advice, there was nothing in his ear with the win on the line.

"It's funny because the whole team gets pretty quiet when you're about to win the Daytona 500," Logano said.

He got a terrific jump on the field, and as Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. mounted their push for the lead, a wreck further back in the field brought out the yellow flag.

It froze the field and Logano won under caution.

Reigning Sprint Cup champion Kevin Harvick finished second and was followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., the defending race winner.

Denny Hamlin finished fourth in a Toyota and was followed by six-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, Casey Mears, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr., Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle.

Gordon was involved in the final accident and finished 33rd.

Tony Stewart's drought at Daytona extended to 0-for-17 when he was involved in a multi-car accident on an early restart.

Stewart seemed to drift up the track into rookie Ryan Blaney, and the contact sent Stewart into the outside wall. Stewart took his car to the garage, returned to the race down 64 laps, and eventually called it a day and accepted his 42nd-place finish.

"There's an attitude adjustment that needs to be made," Thompson said. "Obviously when you come out and play like we just played, we need an attitude adjustment." Watch video

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Thad Matta was a little blindsided by the question. It was out of place. 

Ohio State just suffered a loss on a buzzer-beater, but it was an aesthetically pleasing game between two of the traditional Big Ten powers. There were runs, lead-changes, hard fouls, pretty jumpers and a whole lot of things the opposing teams watching should fear.

Already with 19 wins despite the loss, Ohio State's NCAA Tournament resume wasn't in jeopardy. Then the final question of the postgame press conference came - "Were these two NCAA Tournament teams?"

Matta paused - an appropriate response given the misplaced timing of the question - then responded with this: 

"I would say probably 98 percent of college basketball who watched this game today, the coach is saying, 'I wouldn't want to play either one of those teams,' " Matta said. "If us and Michigan State aren't NCAA Tournament teams, I'm not sure who is." 

Matta said that eight days ago about an hour Northwest of Ann Arbor. Ohio State had just lost to Michigan State after Denzel Valentine - on Valentine's Day - buried a three in the game's final seconds to lift the Spartans. 

It's the Big Ten. Losses happen. You move on. You survive. You live. You learn. That was the reality of that snowy day in East Lansing last Saturday. Matta could live with that loss. 

Now in Ann Arbor, No. 23 Ohio State (19-8, 8-6 Big Ten), not so far away geographically and only eight days into the future, has seen things change dramatically after a 64-57 loss to Michigan in the Crisler Center. 

NCAA Tournament questions aren't so ridiculous. Ohio State is trending downward, and maybe in another eight days, if things continue on this track, March will be here and the Buckeyes will be in an uncomfortable spot. 

"Thinking about that stuff doesn't do a damn thing for you," Matta said. 

Eight days later. Completely different tone.

There was less to defend this time. 

Ohio State's NCAA Tournament resume is still solid enough to help the Buckeyes avoid fretting, but the loss to the Wolverines was filled with red flags. It was sloppy, defensive effort seemingly lacked at times, Ohio State's star player was held to three points in the first half and Michigan scored 31 of the first 42 points. 

View full sizeOhio State freshman D'Angelo Russell managed only three points in the first half of Ohio State's 64-57 loss at Michigan on Sunday. He finished with 16. Tony Ding, AP 

The loss was ugly, especially in the first half. And though D'Angelo Russell scored 13 in the second half - eight of which came during a five-minute, 14-0 run that brought Ohio State back within three with seven minutes to play - there was no rationalization this time. 

March Madness is far too close for Ohio State to being playing like this if it expects to make a tournament run. 

"We know we've got work to do," said senior Sam Thompson, who scored 11 points. "Worrying ain't going to do nothing for us. We're going to strap it on and we're going to come out and play these next few games like our postseason depends on it. ...  Because it does." 

This isn't like Ohio State. Matta has preached for years about the importance of ascending as March approaches, and his teams have won at least five games in February in each of the past five seasons, posting an overall 28-11 record. 

This season the Buckeyes are 2-3 in February with only one game remaining against Nebraska on Thursday, kicking off the final four-game stretch of the regular season that features three home games.

"There's an attitude adjustment that needs to be made," Thompson said. "Obviously when you come out and play like we just played, we need an attitude adjustment."

The Buckeyes are an NCAA Tournament team right now. ESPN's Joe Lunardi, an NCAA Tournament bracket specialist, projected Ohio State a No. 7 seed at the beginning of a week. Perhaps Ohio State will drop a spot. Regardless, Ohio State's still in. 

But all of a sudden Ohio State's last four regular season games matter a little more, even if the Big Ten title is out of reach. Big Ten Tournament seeding is important, sure, but the NCAA Tournament committee is watching. 

That this ugly version of Ohio State exists this late in the season, though, has to be the most troublesome part for the Buckeyes. Because it's unusual. 

"We have a lot of work to do," Russell said. "We can't fool anybody. We can't fool ourselves. We can't lie to ourselves. We can't blame it on anybody but ourselves. As you've seen in all the games we've lost, we have a lot of work to do." 

The Cleveland Cavaliers won their second straight game since the All-Star break on Sunday, cruising past the New York Knicks, 101-83.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers won their second straight game since the All-Star break on Sunday, cruising past the New York Knicks, 101-83.

It was another wire-to-wire win for the Cavs, who were led by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving's 18 points apiece. Kevin Love added 16 points and 16 rebounds for his 29^th double-double of the season. J.R. Smith scored 17 points on 7of-11 shooting in his return to New York.

The Cavaliers have won 16 of their last 18 games and will wrap up their three-game road trip on Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons.

Here are five observations on the Cavs' most recent win:

Offense continues to roll - Jan. 11, 2015 in Sacramento. That's the last game the Cavaliers have been held below 97 points. It's a streak that reached 19 games after the Cavs dropped 101 against the Knicks on Sunday.

The Cavs have come a long way since that January night in Sacramento when the team lost and dropped to .500 on the year.

Since then, thanks to the additions of Smith, Timofey Mozgov and Iman Shumpert as well as the return of James from a two-week hiatus, the offense has been on a roll, averaging 108.1 points.

To put that number in perspective, the Golden State Warriors, the highest scoring team in the league, are averaging 110.6 points. The second-highest scoring team, the Los Angeles Clippers, are averaging 107.3 points. It's been about ball movement, spacing, playing faster and knocking down open shots, which the Cavs did again on Sunday. They shot 50 percent from the field, reaching 50 percent for the fourth time in the last five games.

The Return - Smith and Shumpert returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time since the midseason trade that transformed the Cavaliers into a title contender.

Smith, who spent three-and-a-half years in New York with mixed results, scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting while his father, Earl, cheered on from the stands. Smith hit three triples, grabbed three rebounds, dished out four assists, had a pair of blocks and punctuated his return with a highlight-reel dunk in the fourth quarter.

It was the second time one of his dunks sent the Cavs' bench into frenzy.

Smith was the subject of plenty of criticism during the last few years in New York, building a negative reputation around the league. He had become known more for his antics and poor shot selection, but he has helped take the Cavs to another level and Blatt referred to him as a godsend recently. It was an enjoyable return.

Shumpert's return to the "Big Apple" was more subdued. He played 30 minutes, scoring just four points. But the value of Shumpert goes beyond his scoring ability, which can be sporadic. He dished out seven assists and grabbed five rebounds while also making an impact on defense.

Eliminating the three-pointer - The Knicks shot just 3-of-19 (15.8 percent) from three-point range. The Washington Wizards were 1-of-16 (6.3 percent) from beyond the arc on Friday night.

While the Cavs have used the three-pointer as an ally (averaging 9.2 three-pointers made per game), they have also taken it away from the opponent. The Knicks (9^th in the NBA in three-point percentage) and Wizards (5^th in the NBA) couldn't get open looks, which has been a trend recently.

Minnesota is the last team to shoot 40 percent or better from three-point range and that was Jan. 31. On the season, the Cavs are holding opponents to 34 percent from distance.

Relaxing late - Playing against the shorthanded Knicks, boasting a lineup of castoffs, the Cavs needed to get off to a good start, keeping the Knicks from gaining any early confidence. Mission accomplished.

The Cavs scored on nine of their first 12 possessions and they didn't miss their first basket until three minutes into the game. They finished the first quarter 15-of-21 (71.4 percent) from the field and by the time the quarter ended the Cavs were leading 36-17.

It didn't get much closer.

The Cavs led by as many as 30 points and cruised to victory as the starters were resting in the fourth quarter. No player on the first unit reached 30 minutes, including James, who needed to play extended minutes earlier in the season just to keep the Cavaliers competitive.

Cavs head coach David Blatt has talked about trying to limit minutes, hoping to keep some of his key players rested for the postseason. That will continue to be possible as long as the Cavs continue to blow out lesser teams.

James played 40 minutes or more in 16 of the Cavs' first 39 games and that might've contributed to his knee and back soreness. And while he is still top 5 in minutes per game, James hasn't reached the 40-minute mark in the month of February, which is eight games in a row.

Love finding the range - Love is having a rough shooting season with the Cavs, especially from beyond the arc. He is averaging 34 percent overall, which is down from 37 percent last year in Minnesota, and shot just 30 percent in the month of January with the Cavs. Things have gotten much better in February. In seven games, Love is averaging 44 percent from distance.

He made 2-of-5 from three-point range on Sunday and consistently spaced the floor, leaving the Knicks with no choice but to scramble on defense.

Miami's Chris Bosh, who was once in Love's shoes trying to adjust from being the go-to offensive option, mentioned Love's best play being on the horizon. It could be starting as he begins to learn where many of his shots will be coming from.