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Cleveland Indians non-tender right-hander Jeff Manship; eight others offered contracts

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The Indians did not offer right-hander Jeff Manship a contract for next season on Friday. He will become a free agent at midnight.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians had nine players eligible for arbitration and all but one of them was offered a contract for 2017 before Friday's deadline.

Right-hander Jeff Manship was the only player not tendered a contract. Manship, 31, went 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA in 53 games last season. In three appearances in the postseason, Manship threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

Manship will become a free agent Friday at midnight.

The eight players who were tendered contracts were Lonnie Chisenhall, Bryan Shaw, Cody Allen, Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer, Brandon Guyer, Zach McAllister and Dan Otero. The anticipated raises for the eight players, according to mlbtraderumors, could increase the Indians' payroll by just under $30 million.

The Indians signed Manship as a free agent on Dec. 30, 2014 after he appeared in 20 games for the Phillies that season. He had an excellent spring training with the Tribe, but opened the year at Class AAA Columbus.

Manship joined the Indians on June 18 and made history. He went 1-0 with a 0.92 ERA in 32 appearances. In was the lowest ERA in team history and the lowest in the big leagues in 2015 among pitchers who appeared in at least 30 games.

He struck out 33 and walked 10. The opposition hit .155 against him.

Manship spent the entire 2016 season in the big leagues with the Tribe. He didn't allow a run over his first 10 games, but struggled after that. He went on the disabled list from July 27 through Aug. 10 with tendinitis in his right wrist.

Rating chances of Tribe's non-tender candidates

After being nearly perfect in 2015, he allowed seven homers this year compared to one the year before. His hits allowed doubled from 20 to 40.

Manship made $760,000 this year and stood to make an estimated $1.2 million for 2017.

The Indians will go to the winter meetings on Sunday with 38 players on the 40-man roster.


LeBron James in Chicago Cubs uniform, makes good on bet with Dwyane Wade (video)

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LeBron James made good on his bet with Dwyane Wade Friday and wore a Chicago Cubs uniform to the United Center because the Indians lost the World Series. Watch video

CHICAGO -- LeBron James wore Chicago Cubs pinstripes and blue hat to the United Center Friday ahead of the Cavs' game against the Bulls, making good on his World Series bet with best friend Dwyane Wade.

The bet, of course, was the loser had to wear the winning city's baseball uniform into the next Cavs-Bulls game in the World-Series-winning town. James, naturally, was backing the Indians. Wade, a Chicago native in his first season with the Bulls, backed the Cubs.

Chicago won Game 7 in extra innings for its first World Series championship since 1908.

"I gotta wear it, I gotta wear it," James said Thursday night, in anticipation. "Last year I think I lost to Draymond in Ohio State-Michigan State. I sent my wine to him. I fill my bets. I lost to D-Wade (on) the World Series so now I gotta wear my Cubs uniform to the game tomorrow, so, don't make fun of me guys."

Wade was waiting for James when the Cavs' bus arrived at roughly 5 p.m. local time, laughing and hugging it out with his friend all the way to Cleveland's locker room. 

They waded (that's right) through a horde of local and national media awaiting James' arrival.

"Doesn't he look good everybody? Look at him, he looks great," Wade said as he took phone shots of the two.

"This s--- crazy, huh? We off the chain," James said.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls: Live updates and chat Game 18

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Get the latest updates and analysis from the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 18 against the Chicago Bulls.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Chicago Bulls on Friday in Game 18 of the 2016 NBA regular season.

Follow along in the comments section as Joe Vardon brings you observations and analysis throughout the game.

Make sure to follow Vardon on Twitter.

Game 18: Cavs (13-4) vs. Bulls (10-7)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. at United Center.

TV/radio: FoxSports Ohio, ESPN; WTAM 1100 AM; 87.7 FM (ESP)

Cavs probable starting lineup: LeBron James, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, Kyrie Irving.

Bulls probable starting lineup: Jimmy Butler, Taj Gobson, Robin Lopez, Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo.

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

Matteo Agriesti hits game-winning FG as Columbus Bishop Hartley beats Steubenville, 24-21, for back-to-back Division IV titles

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Columbus Bishop Hartley kicker Matteo Agriesti hit a 31-yard field goal as time expired to give the Hawks their second straight state football championship.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Matteo Agriesti’s 31-yard field goal as time expired capped a wild 91 seconds as Columbus Bishop Hartley football repeated as Division II state champions, defeating Steubenville, 24-21, on Friday at Ohio Stadium.

A 59-yard return off a missed Steubenville field goal by Bishop Hartley’s Cody Kirkbride helped set up Agriesti’s winning field goal. The Hawks (13-2) initially were set to kick a 26-yarder. But a false start backed them up five yards.


That didn’t throw off Agriesti, who kicked the game-winner through the uprights.


“We have a lot of crazy things that have happened through the years,” Columbus Bishop Hartley coach Brad Burchfield said.  


With 1:31 left, Steubenville’s Mark Smith attempted a 41-yard field goal. The kick went high and very short. Kirkbride, who was the only Hartley player to not try and block, caught the ball and ran up the Steubenville sideline 59 yards to the Big Red 23.


“I was just again, right place, right time, got the ball,” Kirkbride said. “I didn’t know the rules exactly. I just decided to run. What’s the worst thing that can happen?”


“We have never practiced that,” Burchfield said. “And I think that we have probably never practiced field-goal rush either to be honest.”


Three plays after Kirkbride’s return, Agriesti lined up to hit the game-winner from 26 yards out. A false start forced him to wait a few seconds. But Burchfield didn’t see his kicker feel any added pressure after the penalty.


“He’s really only kicked the last five weeks because he plays soccer. So we only see him on game days,” Burchfield said. “I guess we know how mentally tough he is.”


The Hawks raced out to a 21-7 lead after rushing touchdowns by Nick Onega and Marquette Dixon, and a passing touchdown from Jake Ruby to Jaden Manley. Dixon finished with 178 yards on 31 carries to lead Hartley.


Steubenville (13-2) added a touchdown with five seconds left in the first half, and tied the game with a Charles Reeves 21-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter.


The Big Red forced a 3-and-out and got the ball back with 3:48 left. Smith and Steubenville set up for the field goal seven plays later.


“This game really did have a little bit of everything,” Burchfield said. “I’m a believer that you win with your seniors. You’re going to be as good as your seniors are going to be, and that’s every year.”


Burchfield’s seniors, including Kirkbride and Dixon, leave Hartley as the first senior class in school history to win back-to-back state championship. They defeated Steubenville, 31-28, in last year’s Division IV state championship game.


“One of the goals we put out at the beginning of the year was, for me personally, to be one of the best classes to ever walk through Hartley,” Kirkbride said. “And we’re going to be the only ones who can say we won back-to-back titles. This is one of the biggest accomplishments in school history.”

St. Ignatius vs. Cincinnati St. Xavier: Follow live coverage of OHSAA Division I state football championship

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See big plays and receive updates of Friday night's OHSAA Division I state championship football game between St. Ignatius and Cincinnati St. Xavier.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Follow live coverage on cleveland.com of Friday night's OHSAA Division I state championship game between St. Ignatius (13-1) and Cincinnati St. Xavier (9-5).

Click here for a preview capsule of the game, then follow below for updates and video highlights throughout the game.


RELATED: After Jimmy Andrews' injury, Wildcats adapted for playoff run.


The Wildcats are playing for a 12th state championship in program history, looking to build on an OHSAA record. They beat St. Xavier, 31-14, in Week 9.


Come back Saturday for more live coverage of the state finals, plus stories, video highlights and reaction from the Division I state championship.


Here is Saturday's schedule:


10 a.m.: Division VII final, Minster (10-4) vs. Warren John F. Kennedy (13-1)


3 p.m.: Division III final, Trotwood-Madison (12-2) vs. Archbishop Hoban (13-1)


8 p.m.: Division V final, Canton Central Catholic (10-3) vs. Coldwater (13-1)

Should the NFL let players smoke marijuana?

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Currently, NFL players can be suspended if they are caught with traces of marijuana in their system.

People are calling on the NFL to catch up with the times and allow players to smoke marijuana. Currently, players can be suspended if they are caught with traces of marijuana in their system. Critics say that NFL players are role models and shouldn't set a bad example -- and besides, marijuana is still illegal under federal law. What do you think? Vote now!

PERSPECTIVES

Chris Simms lays out the case for allowing players to smoke in this video. He argues marijuana is a safer way to treat pain compared to the opiates the league already uses. Some players use marijuana to treat debilitating conditions like Crohn's disease -- it is extremely unfair to penalize them for that. Simms argues smoking marijuana is essentially the equivalent of drinking a beer after coming home from work. It is not something that should be penalized.

Not everyone agrees with Chris though. Critics say marijuana is illegal, and they don't want the NFL and its players to support drug use -- even with a less harmful drug like marijuana.

"Adults and adult players talking about their marijuana smoking and promoting it as medical is incredibly irresponsible given that these guys are role models for young people," Dr. Kevin Sabet, co-founder of the nonprofit group Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), told LifeZette. Sabet is also an assistant professor of psychiatry and director of the Drug Policy Institute at the University of Florida.

"And now, at a time when marijuana has reached record potencies and it's being delivered in things like candies and sodas and ice cream, particularly to get young people addicted, the last thing we need are our sports players talking about how this has been good for them," Sabet told LifeZette.

Here are some perspectives on why the NFL should let players smoke marijuana.

The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.

Cleveland Monsters trip up Milwaukee Admirals, 4-1

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The Cleveland Monsters jumped ahead early and held on for a 4-1 victory over the AHL Western Conference leading Milwaukee Admirals on Friday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Daniel Zaar scored two goals to lift the Cleveland Monsters to a 4-1 victory over the Milwaukee Admirals in an American Hockey League game on Friday at Quicken Loans Arena.

With the win, the Monsters improve to 8-10-1-1, while Milwaukee is now 12-3-2-1 and remains atop the Western Conference Central Division.

The Monsters jumped ahead on two goals by Zaar in the first period. He scored at 4:56 off an assist by T.J. Tynan, then scored on a power play at 18:22, with assists from Ryan Craig and Alex Broadhurst. The two goals give him five on the season.

Monsters defenseman Jaime Sifers made it 3-0 with his second goal of the season at 13:39 of the second period, assisted by Blake Siebenaler and Jordan Maletta.

Milwaukee finally got on the board when Adam Payerl scored with 7:44 remaining in the third period, but Oliver Bjorkstrand countered for the Monsters with an empty-netter with 2:10 remaining.

Monsters goalie Joonas Korpisalo stopped 21 of 22 shots to improve to 2-3-1. Milwaukee's Marek Mazanak faced 25 shots and stopped 22.

Rookie honors: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman and former Monster Zach Werenski was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for November. Werenski, 19, had three goals and seven assists for 10 points with 35 shots on goal, a +4 plus/minus rating in 14 November games.

Columbus' first-round pick, eighth overall, in the 2015 NHL Draft, Werenski made his professional debut with the Lake Erie Monsters at the end of last season and helped capture the Calder Cup after setting AHL records for assists and points by an 18-year old in a single playoff with 5-9-14 in 17 contests.

Up next: The Monsters and Admirals face off again Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Q. ... The Monsters play host to the Grand Rapids Griffins on Tuesday at 7, then go to Manitoba next weekend for games against the Moose on Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. 

Five-star LB, Ohio State commit Baron Browning taunted with "OH-IO" hand signal during playoff game

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About 24 hours later, Browning's team had a playoff game. And when the opposing team scored a touchdown, a player taunted Browning by flashing the "OH-IO" signal. Video inside.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Five-star linebacker Baron Browning of Kennedale, Texas committed to Ohio State on Thursday evening. 

Is Baron Browning's Ohio State commitment the beginning of a historical recruiting finish?

About 24 hours later, Browning's team had a playoff game. And when the opposing team scored a touchdown, a player taunted Browning by flashing the "OH-IO" signal. The video is below: 

Rated the No. 2 outside linebacker in the 2017 recruiting class, Browning took an official visit to Ohio State last weekend to see the Buckeyes' dramatic win over Michigan. Five days later he was committed. 

Before being taunted, Browning, who was playing cornerback for his team, had a pick-six. You can watch that highlight below: 

 


Western Michigan survives to win MAC Championship, 29-23, over Ohio University

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Western Michigan's Robert Spillane picked off an Ohio University pass with 51 seconds to play to seal the Broncos 29-23 victory in the MAC Championship game on Friday.

DETROIT, Michigan -- No. 13 Western Michigan remained undefeated and won the 2016 Mid-American Conference Championship by defeating Ohio University, 29-26, Friday night in Ford Field in front of a record crowd of 45,615.

It took a Robert Spillane interception with 51 seconds remaining to seal the deal. He snatched Ohio's Greg Windham's pass, took a knee and raised his index finger to the air as the WMU crowd roared. The Broncos were able to escape and hopefully look forward to a Jan. 2 appearance in the Cotton Bowl.

"We played well, but obviously not quite well enough,'' OU coach Frank Solich said.

Bobcat receiver Jordan Reid, with two touchdown passes, was more succinct.

"It comes down to finishing and we didn't do it,'' he said.

Ohio's strong defense forced the Broncos to settle for five Butch Hampton field goals instead of touchdowns to help the East champion Bobcats stay in contact. Windham (14-of-30, 214 yards, 3 TD) came off the bench to throw three touchdown passes to keep the pressure on the Broncos.

Western got the first break of the game, recovering a fumble on the Bobcats first possession at the OU 33. But the Bobcats defense held and forced a punt. On Western's second possession the Bobcats strong run defense once again stuffed the Broncos on the Ohio side of the field, leading to a 42-yard field goal by Hampton and a 3-0 lead for Western Michigan with 6:35 to play in the first quarter.

The Broncos got a second break on the following kickoff as the Bobcats fumbled with WMU recovering at the 17. But once again Ohio's defense held, forcing a 27-yard field goal for a 6-0 first quarter lead.

On four straight possessions to start the game the Broncos got the ball into scoring territory, but the scenario played out the same. On a night when WMU gained 404 yards of total offense and spent much of the game on the Bobcats side of the field, it was still tough to get touchdowns.

Ohio's defense stood up when it needed to and the Broncos were forced to take field goals, going ahead 9-0 with 9:37 to play in the second quarter when a 77-yard WMU drive was stuffed at the two-yard-line.

The Broncos ultimately earned a 23-7 halftime lead, but it was a struggle that would last all game. WMU quarterback Zach Terrell (19-of-31, 290-yards 2 TD), who threw only one interception all season, threw two in the second half to aid OU's cause.

Hampton proved to be the offensive saviour.

"He is a phenomenal kicker,'' receiver Corey Davis (8 receptions, 144 yards 1 TD) said. "I'm so proud of his poise. It was his game today."

By the numbers: Western Michigan entered the game averaging 44.8 points a game while allowing 19.2. Ohio entered the game scoring 26.8 points a game while allowing 21.7. Western Michigan averaged 504.4 yards per game of total offense.

Ohio averaged 404.0 yards per game of total offense. Defensively, Ohio entered the game allowing 105.1 yards per game rushing while Western allowed 160.8. Ohio allowed 360.2 yards a game of total offense. Western allowed 361.5 yards of total offense.

What's ahead: Postseason bowl announcements will be made Sunday with the four finalists for the national championship playoffs announced at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN. The traditional New Year's bowl game pairings (this year played on Dec. 31 and Jan 2) will be announced at 2:30 p.m. The remaining bowl pairings will announced at 3:30 p.m.

The MAC has six bowl eligible teams: Western Michigan, Toledo, Ohio, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Miami. There is also the outside possibility Northern Illinois, even with a 5-7 record, could get in the mix as well.

Tiger Woods returns at Hero World Challenge 2016: Live leaderboard for 3rd round, updates

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Tiger Woods shot 7-under 65 in the second round of Hero World Challenge on Friday in the Bahamas.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama were tied for the lead at the halfway mark of Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. Tiger Woods was tied for ninth, six shots back.

Hero World Challenge is sanctioned by the PGA Tour but not an official event. The winner does not get credit for a PGA Tour victory, and the field's earnings only matter at the bank. World ranking points are available, though.

Johnson, 2016 U.S. Open champion, shot 66 on Thursday and 66 on Friday for 12-under 132. Matsuyama went 65-67.

Matt Kuchar and Louis Oosthuizen were tied for third at 10-under.

Woods, who was 17th in the 18-player field after a 73 on Thursday, carded seven birdies and zero bogeys on Friday.

Woods, 40, had not played in an event that mattered since finishing tied for 10th at the PGA Tour's Wyndham Championship in August 2015.

Woods owns 79 official PGA Tour titles. He is host of the HWC, which he has won five times, most recently in 2011. Bubba Watson is defending champion, Jordan Spieth won in 2014 and Zach Johnson in 2013.

Woods, plagued by back issues for years and sidelined by multiple procedures/surgeries, had hoped to return at the PGA Tour Safeway Open in October. He decided that his game was not where it needed to be.

HERO WORLD CHALLENGE

Site: Nassau, Bahamas.

Course: Albany GC. Yardage: 7,267. Par: 72.

Purse: $3.5 million (First prize: $1 million).

Television: NBC Sports (Saturday, 2:30-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-4 p.m.); Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 1:30-4:30 p.m.; Saturday, noon-2:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

Defending champion: Bubba Watson.

Last week: Denmark won the World Cup of Golf behind Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen.

Notes: Tiger Woods returns to competition for the first time since he tied for 10th in the Wyndham Championship on Aug. 23, 2015. ... Woods was No. 257 in the world ranking after his last official tournament. He returns at No. 898. ... Woods will be paired in the opening round with Patrick Reed. ... The 18-man field includes four players who were in Australia last week for the World Cup of Golf: Hideki Matsuyama, Rickie Fowler, Jimmy Walker and Russell Knox. ... Spieth won the Hero World Challenge by 10 shots two years ago at Isleworth after winning the Australian Open the previous week. ... Knox, Brooks Koepka and Emiliano Grillo are playing the tournament for the first time. ... Adam Scott, who lives at Albany, is not playing this year because he is at the Australian PGA. ... The two sponsor exemptions were given to Woods (tournament host) and Zach Johnson, who beat Woods in a playoff in 2013 the last time it was held at Sherwood Country Club in California. ... Justin Rose has not played a 72-hole tournament of stroke play since the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick in September.

Next week: Franklin Templeton Shootout.

Online: www.pgatour.com

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Washington's blowout of Colorado, the Big Ten and the College Football Playoff: Who's in?

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The Big Ten is going to have to find another route to get two teams in the playoff, which rests solely on the ACC Championship between Clemson and Virginia Tech on Saturday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Big Ten's door to getting two teams in the College Football Playoff closed halfway when Washington blew out Colorado 41-10 in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Friday night. 

Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan were all watching the game closely hoping for a Huskies loss, which would have been the Big Ten's best route to getting two teams in the playoff's final four. 

The Big Ten is going to have to find another route, which rests solely on the ACC Championship between Clemson and Virginia Tech on Saturday.  

The Huskies ranked No. 4 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings -- one spot ahead of Michigan -- and with a blowout of No. 8 Colorado, it's hard to imagine a scenario where they get hopped. Blowouts matter. 

This is all assuming that Ohio State, which ranks No. 2 and is idle this week, already has a spot in the field locked up despite the fact it won't play in Saturday night's Big Ten Championship Game. 

Why is Ohio State likely in?

No. 6 Wisconsin and No. 7 Penn State -- both of which have two losses -- will battle for the Big Ten title instead, and the winner will have a strong playoff case. However, it seems unlikely that either of those two teams could close the large gap with the Buckeyes, which held a huge lead Tuesday because they only have one loss and three wins over top 10 opponents. 

Even if Clemson loses, it's unclear who the second Big Ten team could be. Would the winner of the Penn State-Wisconsin game jump Michigan and get into the field? That's all still unclear. 

But as things stand now after Washington's win, below are our up-to-date projections for the playoff. 

Ari Wasserman's projection: 

1. Alabama vs. 4. Washington: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Semifinal Game

2. Ohio State vs. 3. Clemson: PlayStation Fiesta Bowl Semifinal Game

Bill Landis' projections: 

1. Alabama vs. 4. Washington: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Semifinal Game

2. Ohio State vs. 3. Clemson: PlayStation Fiesta Bowl Semifinal Game

Cleveland Cavaliers pounded in the paint again and bench remains a work in progress: Fedor's five observations

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Only the Cavs know what's truly going on and whether there's any correlation. But James said losing three games in a row gives everyone the green light to start asking questions, talking about any potential issues.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Things were going great for the Cleveland Cavaliers, enjoying all the spoils of being NBA champions.

They went to Indians playoff games, including the World Series. They enjoyed a Kanye West concert and trip to the White House. All of it earned after rallying from a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors in June and ending a 52-year title drought in Cleveland.

And even with the numerous potential distractions, the Cavaliers didn't seem bothered, getting off to a fast start and rising quickly to the top of the Eastern Conference.

As November closed, they were in the midst of a three-game winning streak, all by double figures, and it appeared their best basketball was coming. 

But then with a rare break in the schedule and perfect timing, the Cavs went to Columbus for the Ohio State-Michigan game. Since then, they've looked...different.

The Cavs beat Philadelphia the next day thanks to late-game heroics by Kyrie Irving and LeBron James. Still, that was hardly a performance expected from the conference's elite squad. That's been followed by three consecutive losses, the longest losing streak in the Tyronn Lue era.

Only the Cavs know what's truly going on. Only they know whether their focus is where it needs to be. However, James said losing three games in a row gives everyone the green light to start asking questions, talking about any potential issues.

Well, here we are.

Here are five observations:

Telling stat - It started with 50 against the 76ers. Then the Bucks scored a whopping 68 followed by 30 from the Clippers.

On Friday, it hit a low point, as the Chicago Bulls tallied 78, the most in the NBA this season. Those aren't future lottery numbers. It's the massive points-in-the-paint totals given up by the Cavs' suddenly generous interior defense the last four games.

"Giving up 78 points is ridiculous," James told reporters after the 111-105 loss. "We've got to man up. Everybody."

One-on-one challenge - It starts with something that is often written on the Cavs' white board before the game, one of the customary points of emphasis: Taking the one-on-one challenge.

Lue even mentioned this during his on-court interview at the end of the first quarter.

Whether it's Matthew Dellavedova, Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo, point guards are getting where they want with little resistance. That's on Irving to keep dribble penetration to a minimum, to "cut off the head of the snake." When he doesn't, it puts added pressure on the not-as-imposing frontline.

When Jimmy Butler scoring 26 points and Dwyane Wade going for 24 follows up a 23-point night for J.J. Redick, it's easy to see that J.R. Smith's defensive focus is waning, not at the same level as last year when he was labeled the team's best defensive player.

Taking the one-on-one challenge also means James not allowing Wade to fly past him off the bounce, which happened late in the fourth quarter to end any Cavs' comeback attempt.

"They shouldn't feel good at all, you're playing a team, you've lost 2 games in a row, I'm not saying the effort was not there," Lue said. "We've got to do a better job of guarding, we've got to do a better job of defending and that's on me. I've got to come up with some better schemes or something. It's not just schemes, it's better one-on-one defense."

Size matters - Tristan Thompson is a terrific pick-and-roll defender, able to use his quickness and athleticism to switch onto guards and hold his own on the perimeter.

However, Thompson, along with Channing Frye and Love, can be outmuscled in the paint, something Taj Gibson proved repeatedly Friday night.

Gibson scored 23 points on 10-of-13 from the field to go with 11 rebounds. Robin Lopez added 10 points in 26 minutes.

This comes on the heels of DeAndre Jordan dominating his matchup, scoring nine points to go with 15 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end. Even Greg Monroe took advantage of the Cavs' lack of size, bullying his way to a 14-point, six-rebound night on Tuesday in Milwaukee.

"I mean we're that last line of defense (as the big men)," Love said. "I think myself, I was bad tonight. I mean, just getting to those different rotations and being locked in. We needed to be more in tune with what we're trying to do and have that next man up mentality."

Here are some other troubling numbers in the last three games:

Total rebounding:

Opponents - 150

Cavs - 116

Offensive rebounding:

Opponents - 40

Cavs - 19

Blocks:

Opponents - 13

Cavs - 10

New rotation - James hinted at some lineup changes following Thursday's loss against the Clippers. Lue expressed frustration with his second unit after the Cavs' fizzled following the first quarter in their second straight game.

They were outscored, 28-22, in the second quarter against Milwaukee. The same happened against Los Angeles, losing the second frame, 34-22.

Recently that has been a James-led lineup, being flanked by a few backups.

On Friday, Lue subbed out Irving earlier than usual in the first, allowing him to start the second period alongside James, hoping that would give Cleveland more firepower and keep them from throwing away a good start. It seemed to work.

Opening the quarter on a 10-2 spurt, the Cavs forced Chicago to call timeout. Despite losing the quarter -- just two this time -- the Cavs took a one-point lead into the half.

Then came another problem area: the third quarter. The Cavs have been outscored, 90-55, in the last three third quarters.

Bench woes - No matter what the numbers indicate -- and in this case they aren't favorable -- the Cavs' bench isn't providing much of a reason for Lue to put his faith in that group.

Ranked 27th in the NBA in scoring, averaging 28.5 points, Lue was forced to shorten his rotation against Chicago, using just three players -- Frye, Richard Jefferson and Iman Shumpert.

That trio totaled 23 points in 55 combined minutes. Lue talked about this way back in training camp. He wanted to use the early portion of the regular season to build trust in that group, find effective lineups and rotations and see if the bench could develop its own identity.

It was always going to be a work in progress, especially after the losses of Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov. But this unreliable?

Chris Andersen hasn't provided much. Mike Dunleavy, who missed his second straight game in the concussion protocol, is off to a rough start in his first season with the Cavs. Kay Felder doesn't look ready.

There aren't many options for Lue. And against Chicago, that led to a high usage rate and minute total (45) for James playing the second of a back-to-back.

The good news? There's lots of time to work out the issues. 

Cavs coach suffers first three-game losing streak with 111-105 loss to Bulls

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LeBron James scored 27 points and wore a Cubs uniform to the arena, but neither could save the Cavs in a loss to the Bulls.

CHICAGO -- This is officially no man's land for Cavs coach Tyronn Lue, the reigning Eastern Conference coach of the month.

He'd never lost three in a row as a head coach, until now.

Lue's team simply cannot protect the paint or hang onto the ball, and those problems cost the Cavs in a 111-105 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Cleveland (13-5) remains in first in the East, but has indeed lost three straight for the first time in a year, since Dec. 1-5 of 2015. Lue's first game as coach was Jan. 23.

What started as a lack of focus Tuesday in Milwaukee has morphed into multiple, gaping, vulnerable holes in the Cavs' machinery. The Bulls crushed them inside, outscoring Cleveland in the paint 78-60 and winning the rebounding battle 49-33. Yes, it was even worse than when the Milwaukee Bucks hit them up for 68 points in the paint Tuesday.

It's not just a numbers game. Chicago got to the rim with virtually no resistance; there was even less defense when it came to pushing its way into the paint.

And the turnovers. My, oh my, the turnovers. The Bulls outscored the Cavs 18-9 in points off turnovers, capitalizing on Cleveland's 19 giveaways.

Something else has to be addressed: the third quarters. For reasons not yet known, the Cavs have come out for the start of the second during this losing streak in a deep sleep. They've been outscored 90-55 in their last three third quarters, losing this one 29-20. The Cavs led 60-59 at halftime, and the game felt like it was only close because the Bulls had scored 14 points off turnovers to the Cavs' none.

LeBron James, who showed up at United Center in head-to-toe Cubs gear to make good on his bet with Dwyane Wade from the World Series, paced the Cavs with 27 points and 13 assists. But he set a new season-high with eight turnovers, and has turned it over 20 times in his last three games.

James said after Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Clippers that a third consecutive loss, "that's something to talk about." It's time to talk.

Kyrie Irving added 20 points and eight assists. Kevin Love contributed 15 points and nine rebounds, but was 5-of-14 from the field.

Love's counterpart, Chicago's Taj Gibson, scored 23 points to go with 11 boards. He shot 10-of-13 from the field -- leading the Bulls' paint invasion.

Rajon Rondo also had his way in the lane and posted a triple-double with 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds. Jimmy Butler and Wade -- 26 points and 24 points, respectively -- were actually Chicago's leading scorers, but again it was the ease with which Rondo and Gibson made their way into the lane and scored that burned the Cavs.

J.R. Smith made his first three 3-pointers, but missed his last five and was stuck on nine points. That makes him 7-of-40 shooting over his last five games.

Lue confirmed before the game that Cleveland was monitoring Smith's sore left knee.

"If he gets worse and not better then we definitely have to (sit him)," Lue said. "The training staff is looking into it, see how he feels. We're going to go off of his feel. He's moving pretty good but you can tell he's favoring it at times. If it becomes a problem or it gets worse, we gotta sit him.

Channing Frye was strong off the bench with 11 points.

NEXT: The Cavs play in Toronto on Monday night.

Mount Union advances to the semifinal round with victory over Alfred: D3 Football Playoffs

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Mount Union defeats Alfred University 70-45 in the quarterfinal round on Saturday.

The Mount Union Purple Raiders continued their postseason run behind a 70-45 victory over Alfred University on Saturday in a Division III playoff game at Yunevich Stadium.

The Raiders (12-1) advanced to the semifinal round against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on Dec. 10.

The two teams combined for 1,144 yards of total offense (573 for Mount Union and 571 for Alfred). The Raiders had the more balanced attack, with 322 of those yards on the ground. Most of Alfred's offense came from its passing game, with 534 yards.

The Raiders shot out to a 28-7 lead, only to see the Saxsons (12-1) rally and cut the Raiders' lead to 35-33 late in the third quarter.

But the Raiders came right back with a score of their own on an eight-play drive and 2-yard touchdown by B.J. Mitchell. The Raiders followed with another score behind Dom Davis' 8-yard TD pass to Braeden Friss for a 49-33 lead late in the fourth quarter.

The Saxons came within 10 with 9:06 left, but consecutive touchdowns that extended the Raiders' lead to 63-39, with 5:04 to play, were too much for Alfred to overcome.

Mitchell led Mount Union with 123 rushing yards and three touchdowns followed by Davis with 108 rushing yards and a touchdown. Davis also finished with 251 passing yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Tim Kennedy caught 11 passes for 105 yards.

This was the 10th road game of the season for Mount Union.

Prior to Alfred, the Raiders defeated Hobart and Johns Hopkins in the first two games.  

John Carroll defeats Wisconsin-Whitewater for semifinal berth: D3 Football Playoffs

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John Carroll is in the semifinal round for the first time since 2002.

John Carroll continues to buck the odds in its quest to win a national football title,  defeating No.1-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater, 31-14, in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs on Saturday afternoon at Perkins Stadium.

It was the second time this season that the Blue Streaks have defeated a No. 1 team. They beat Mount Union in the final regular season game to not only win the Ohio Athletic Conference title but also end Mount Union's 112-game winning streak.

The Blue Streaks were at it again on Saturday. Their latest victory propelled them into the semifinals for the first time in 14 years, and it also stopped Wisconsin-Whitewater's home winning streak at 33 games.

John Carroll next will play University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh on Saturday in semifinal action. It's the same UW-Oshkosh that gave the Blue Streaks their only loss this season, a 33-14 beating in the season opener.

The Blue Streaks (12-1) have not lost since.

"I've said this 100 times and I'll say it 100 more times this week that we would not be where we are right now had we not gone to play Wisconsin-Oshkosh in week one," said John Carroll coach Tom Arth. "It didn't work out how we had all hoped, but we learned so much from that game. We got a real good picture of where we were and where we needed to go. But the exciting thing is that we knew we could get better."

Their latest victory began with an 8-yard run for a TD by Ro Golphin in the first quarter. Wisconsin-Whitewater tied the score in the second quarter, but the Blue Streaks took control behind a 10-yard scoring strike from QB Anthony Moeglin to Nico James. A 1-yard run by Sam Kukura, followed by Matt Danko's 31-yard field goal, made it 24-7, John Carroll, with 1:17 left in the third quarter.

Wisconsin-Whitewater cut John Carroll's lead to 24-14 with 10:51 left, but a late defensive stand that stopped Wisconsin-Whitewater on fourth down sealed the victory.

It was another solid defensive effort by John Carroll, which held the opposition to 228 yards of total offense and collected two interceptions.

Kukura scored two touchdowns. Moeglin passed for 159 yards and one score. Defensive back Jovon Dawson led the Blue Streaks with eight tackles.

John Carroll began the postseason with a 37-12 victory over Olivet in the opening round, followed by a 20-17 victory over Wesley in double overtime.


Archbishop Hoban tops Trotwood-Madison, 30-0 to repeat as Division III state champions

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Senior QB Danny Clark and RB Todd Sibley combined to lead Archbishop Hoban to their second straight Division III state football championship.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Led by strong performances from Kentucky commit Danny Clark and Pittsburgh commit Todd Sibley, Archbishop Hoban repeated as Division III state football champions after beating Trotwood-Madison, 30-0 on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.

Clark threw for 165 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for a touchdown to lead the Knights' offense to their third 30-point game in the playoffs.


He had 105 yards passing and two touchdowns in the second quarter alone. Clark threw a 10-yard TD pass to younger brother Caden Clark and later hit Garrett Houser for a 60-yard touchdown to give Hoban (14-1) a 20-0 lead going into halftime.


Clark added a 34-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter for the game's final points.




Sibley’s second carry of the game was a 49-yard touchdown to get Hoban on the board in the first quarter, 6-0, after a failed extra point. He finished his final game with 151 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown.


Defensively, Matt Salopek had two of Hoban’s three interceptions off Trotwood-Madison QB Markell Stephens-Peppers. The Rams (12-3) had just 200 yards of total offense after having 116 in the first quarter.


The Knights defeated Toledo Central Catholic, 33-20, to win the Division III state championship last year.

Ohio State basketball: Sluggish Buckeyes hold off Fairleigh Dickinson 70-62

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The Buckeyes moved to 7-1 with a win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday night.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Thad Matta did something a little out of character at the start of Saturday's second half against Fairleigh Dickinson.

He put Ohio State center Trevor Thompson in to start the half, even though Thompson didn't start the game. Matta usually rolls with his starters at the beginning of the half no matter what.

Thompson proved to be the right call when he blocked a shot on the first possession that led to a bucket inside for Jae'Sean Tate and a more inspired offensive effort in the second half. The Buckeyes won, 70-62, bouncing back from a loss on Wednesday to Virginia, and a sluggish first half on Saturday against the Knights.

That Tate score ignited 13-2 run to start the second half for the Buckeyes, who lead by just one at the half. 

Thompson finished with 10 points, a career-high 13 rebounds and five blocked shots. Tate also had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Kam Williams lead Ohio State with 17 points, while JaQuan Lyle had seven points and five assists.

Lyle, who was scoreless in the first half with three turnovers, helped spark Ohio State's offense early in the second half when he found Andre Wesson on the baseline for a bucket that gave Ohio State a 17-point lead -- its largest of the game -- with 14:34 left.

Fairleigh Dickinson got back into it, cutting Ohio State's lead to nine on a put-back dunk from Kaleb Bishop over Thompson. That cut the Buckeyes' lead to 57-48 with 8:17 left and forced an Ohio State timeout.

That little run came during rare second-half scoring drought for Ohio State. The Buckeyes went without a field goal for just three minutes before Thompson scored inside on a feed from Williams.

Fairleigh Dickinson again cut into the lead, inside of one minute to play when a Tyrone O'Garro dunk cut the deficit to 68-62 with 40 seconds left. Lyle hit a pair of free throws on the next possession to ice the game.

What it means

Ohio State (7-1) keeps winning the games it's supposed to win, which isn't flashy but needed. The Buckeyes cut down on turnovers, from nine in the first half to just five in the second half, and kept enough of a cushion in the second half even when things got a little dicey in the end.

Putting together a complete game remains a struggle. In almost every game this season, the Buckeyes have been much better in one half than in the other. On Saturday it was the second half effort that kept them from suffering what would have been a terrible loss.

Sluggish start

The Buckeyes had exactly the kind of start to the game they were trying to avoid coming off a tight game against Virginia on Wednesday night. Unforced errors prevented a signature win then, and there was a hangover at the start of Saturday's game. 

Ohio State turned the ball over nine times in the opening half, which led to 12 points for Fairleigh Dickinson. The Knights led for a long stretch of the first half with the Buckeyes struggling for offensive consistency.

A Thompson outlet pass to Williams for a dunk finally pulled the Buckeyes even at 23 with three minutes left in the half. The teams traded 3-pointers from there, and Ohio State led 33-32 at the break.

No Bates-Diop

Junior forward Keita Bates-Diop missed his fifth straight game with a high ankle sprain. For the second game in a row, he was dressed and went through warmups but did not play. He's officially day-to-day.

What's next?

Ohio State is back home on Tuesday night against Florida Atlantic. Tip-off from Value City Arena is set for 7 p.m. The game will be streamed online on ESPN3.

Coldwater vs. Canton Central Catholic: Follow live coverage of OHSAA Division V state football championship

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Central Catholic has met Coldwater in the football state championship game for the last three years and in each of those meetings Coldwater has won a state title.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Follow live coverage on cleveland.com of Saturday night's OHSAA Division V state championship game between Canton Central Catholic (10-3) and Coldwater (13-1).

Click here for a preview capsule of the game, then follow below for updates and highlights throughout the game.


Coldwater is going for their fifth state title after 14 final four appearances in 22 playoff bids. The Cavs come into Columbus with six state titles. As for Central Catholic, the Crusaders are making their third straight finals trip in 14 playoff appearances. Central Catholic has won two state titles in 1998 and 2000.


Game stories from Friday and Saturday:


Division I: St. Xavier 27, St. Ignatius 20


Division II: La Salle 14, Massillon Perry 7


Division III: Archbishop Hoban 30, Trotwood-Madison 0


Division IV: Bishop Hartley 24, Steubenville 21


Division VI: Maria Stein Marion Local 21, Cuyahoga Heights 17


Division VII: Warren JFK 24, Minster 6

Alabama rolls to SEC championship with 54-16 rout of Florida

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Alabama was favored by 24 points over Florida, and the Crimson Tide delivered.

ATLANTA -- It was a weird first quarter at the Georgia Dome, one that started with Alabama allowing a touchdown for the first time since Oct. 22 and that ended with the Crimson Tide leading 16-9 despite having minus-7 yards of total offense and despite Alabama not having a single first down.

From there, the game went as originally expected.

The Tide was favored by 24 points and ended up beating Florida, 54-16, securing its third straight SEC championship and essentially locking up the top seed in the College Football Playoffs.

After four games without a non-offensive touchdown, Alabama got two in the first quarter on Saturday.

First was a Minkah Fitzpatrick pick-six that tied the score at seven. Shortly after that, Josh Jacobs became the first player in the SEC title game history to return a blocked punt for a touchdown.

Alabama is up to 14 non-offensive touchdowns for the year. This was the fourth time in the last 11 games that the Tide has scored multiple non-offensive touchdowns in a single game.

Florida's offense is heavily dependent on its run game.

That running game had a total of five yards on 23 carries against Alabama's defense through three-and-a-half quarters.

That's an average of 0.2 yards per carry.

During the third quarter, the Gators had a first-and-goal at the Tide 2-yard line and didn't score.

They were stopped on three straight runs. A fourth down pass was incomplete.

With more than nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, Alabama's top three running backs had already run for a combined 212 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 8.5 yards per carry.

Bo Scarbrough ran for a team-high 91 yards on 11 carries.

Archbishop Hoban's state championship shutout signature moment, sign of what's to come

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Archbishop Hoban’s defense again proved vital for the Knights’ OHSAA Division III state football championship run. Will it be their identity in 2017.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Tim Tyrrell promised his wife no football for the next month.

That might be a difficult proposition for the coach, who just oversaw Archbishop Hoban’s second straight OHSAA Division III state football championship with Saturday’s 30-0 win against Trotwood-Madison.


Tyrrell sat afterward with four of his players, including two defensive stalwarts to his right, under the bleachers at Ohio Stadium. The coach didn’t hold back his belief in them.


“I think we had the best defense in the state of Ohio in any division,” Tyrrell said of his 14-1 team. “No one scored on our defense the whole second half of any (playoff) game.”



Such a distinction came with last year’s defense, which propelled Hoban to the school’s first state football crown. It was experienced with 10 returning starters. This one didn’t have that luxury. It might next year.


Seven players who started on the defense that shut out Trotwood-Madison (12-3) on Saturday are slated to return. A few will be returning starters, including lineman Daeshon Martin and defensive back Nate Bauer. Then there’s freshman Deamonte Tayanum, who factored into last week’s second-half shutout and comeback against Columbus St. Francis DeSales.


Tyrrell said the anticipation for him must wait until January. He promised his wife.


“She’s home taking care of a 2-week old baby and 2-year-old and by herself,” he said. “I promised her 'til at least through Christmas.”


An exhausting fall peaked on the field, but included valleys with an OHSAA investigation centered around a self-reported recruiting violation with Tyrrell. The OHSAA first banned Tyrrell for the entire playoffs. A successful appeal reduced that suspension to two games, which ended with the Knights’ second victory of the season against rival St. Vincent-St. Mary in the regional playoffs.


Hoban buoyed two weeks without Tyrrell on the sideline by suiting up 23 seniors. Last year’s state title team had just nine.


And that’s where Hoban’s challenge come January begins.


Quarterback Danny Clark, who transferred to the school two years ago from Massillon, will be at the University of Kentucky. Running back Todd Sibley, who marched into the top five of Ohio’s all-time state rushing leaders, will head to Pittsburgh.



The defense will lose its leaders, including linebacker Arison Sanders and a versatile force up front in Jabari Taylor.


Clark doesn’t think it will matter too much.


“It doesn’t matter if you’re a senior or true freshman starting,” he said. “Anyone’s a leader. The people on this team, they know what they have to do.”


Just as Tyrrell boasted about his defense, Clark left Ohio State on Saturday with one more prediction about who will emerge after he graduates. He singled out Will Collier, the junior running back who spelled Sibley during the last two years.


“That kid is a beast,” Clark said.


The outgoing quarterback quickly added Martin on the defense to his watch list.


Martin and his teammates said in August they worried about replacing who graduated the previous season. They are used to this.



Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com). Or log in and leave a message below in the comments section.

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