Youngstown State presents matchup problems for the Vikings, perhaps more than any team in the Horizon League.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerAnton Grady (left) and the Vikings will need to pay attention to YSU's DuShawn Brooks (23), who scored 17 points in the Penguins' upset victory Dec. 31 at the Wolstein Center.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland State men's basketball team has only one game this week, but it's a big one as the Vikings play at Youngstown State on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The Penguins (11-8, 6-3 Horizon League) already own a 73-67 victory over CSU (17-4, 7-2). That came courtesy of what CSU coach Gary Waters called a "perfect storm." Youngstown State excelled at penetration, inside scoring and 3-point shooting; and the game included a few weird plays, such as the Vikings kicking the ball off their foot on back-to-back possessions late in the game.

That's not to say the Penguins were lucky. Waters also points out that last season it took 40 points from Norris Cole, now with the Miami Heat, to beat YSU in a close game. Youngstown State presents matchup problems, perhaps more than any team in the Horizon League.

They were clearly displayed on Dec. 31. CSU's leading defender, D'Aundray Brown, shadowed YSU's Ashen Ward the first 35 minutes and held him in check. But YSU forward DuShawn Brooks (17 points) got a hot hand and Waters switched Brown to Brooks down the stretch. Ward, a Villa Angela-St. Joseph grad, went on to score nine of his 15 points in the last three minutes.

Waters said then, and again at his weekly media session Tuesday afternoon, "D'Aundray can't guard them both."

Meanwhile both of YSU's guards average double figures in points, so CSU's Trevon Harmon and Jeremy Montgomery will have their hands full; and Youngstown's slinky center Damian Eargle (20 points) has been a thorn in CSU's side throughout his career.

In the Vikings' two conference losses (YSU, Valpo), the opposing center has scored at least 20 points.

"Our centers have to take this on as a challenge," Waters said. "Our problem is we can't give [our center double-team help inside]."

Around the league: Detroit (10-11, 4-5), preseason favorites to win the league, are building a head of steam for the stretch run.

The Titans have won three of their past four and get bottom feeders UIC (6-13, 2-7) and Loyola (5-14, 0-9) at home this week. It is unlikely the Titans will win the league title, but 6-10 Eli Holman (11.0 ppg), 6-6 Chase Simon (14.9 ppg) and 6-2 Ray McCallum Jr. (15.2 ppg) can decide who does.

Valparaiso (14-7, 7-2), tied for first with CSU, plays two on the road this week -- at Green Bay (7-12, 3-6) and Milwaukee (13-8, 6-3). Those are road games CSU will play next month -- Feb. 14 (Milwaukee) and Feb. 21 (Green Bay).

The Cavaliers are coming off back-to-back embarrassing losses. They travel to Miami to face LeBron James and the Heat tonight. Following an 8-1 start to the year, the Heat have lost 4 out of their last 7 games. Get Twitter updates from Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer @PDCavsInsider. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Cavaliers are coming off back-to-back embarrassing losses. They travel to Miami to face LeBron James and the Heat tonight. Following an 8-1 start to the year, the Heat have lost 4 out of their last 7 games. Get Twitter updates from Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer @PDCavsInsider in the box below. Check out the in-game box score here. Read on for a game preview. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

View full sizeAssociated PressLeBron James and the Miami Heat host the Cavaliers tonight.

While matchups in Cleveland bring out passionate Cavs fans eager to harass James, meetings in Miami have been far more subdued.

In a game that is generating significantly less buzz than last season, James and the Heat look to hand the struggling Cavaliers a fourth straight loss Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.

James and Miami took three of four from Cleveland in 2010-11 with the seven-time All-Star averaging 27.5 points, 8.3 assists and 8.0 rebounds against his former team. While the Heat would go on to reach the NBA finals before falling to Dallas, the Cavs ended the season with an Eastern Conference-worst 63 losses.

Miami (11-5) figures to contend for a title again, while Cleveland (6-9) has stumbled after a somewhat promising start.

The Heat are coming off a sluggish performance Sunday, however, losing to Milwaukee 91-82 to snap a three-game winning streak. James had 28 points and 13 rebounds, but Miami finished with season lows in points, field-goal percentage (37.3), field goals (25) and assists (nine).

The Heat were playing for the second straight night and third time in four days.

"We can't make no excuses for ourselves," James said. "But no one had energy from the start of the game to the end."

Chris Bosh scored 23 points - usually enough to help get Miami a victory - but the team lost for the first time in eight games this season when he reaches the 20-point mark.
The Heat also lost for the first time in seven games without Dwyane Wade, still nursing a sprained right ankle. Wade, who averaged 27.0 points on 54.7 percent shooting against the Cavs last season, has sat out the last four games and his status remains uncertain.

James has done a good job of carrying the Heat in Wade's absence. He is averaging 30.8 points on 55.4 percent shooting in the six games he has played that Wade has missed.

Since James left Cleveland, the Cavs have been looking for someone to heal the scar James left on the franchise, and it appears rookie guard Kyrie Irving could be up to the challenge.

Irving - Cleveland's first No. 1 overall pick in the draft since selecting James in 2003 - leads all rookies with 17.4 points per game and is shooting 42.5 percent from 3-point range and 50.0 percent from the floor. He has started every game and is playing with confidence, but the team is coming off a pair of embarrassing losses.

After falling 114-75 to a Chicago team playing without Derrick Rose on Friday, the Cavs lost 121-94 to Atlanta the following night.

"To come out (Friday) night and perform the way we did was disappointing," forward Antawn Jamison said. "But to come out again, after what we talked about, and pretty much give the same performance, is even worse.

"(Friday) night, we didn't compete at all. But (Saturday), we do stupid things."

Irving had seven of Cleveland's 20 turnovers Saturday along with a season-low two assists, and the team allowed the Hawks to shoot 55.4 percent.

The Cavs have had trouble slowing down their opponents during their three-game skid, allowing an average of 113.3 points on 51.2 percent shooting, and that could lead to problems against Miami's high-octane offense.

Before going cold against the Bucks, the Heat were averaging 110.3 points on 52.2 percent shooting in their previous three games.

Brady had thrown 50 regular season touchdown passes, and the Patriots were 18-0 counting two playoff wins before being upset by the Giants in the 2007 season Super Bowl. More Patriots-Giants links.

Associated PressGiants defensive end Justin Tuck (left) forces a fumble by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady during New York's 17-14 upset win over New England in Super Bowl 42.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The New England Patriots and New York Giants are about to begin earnest preparation for their meeting in the 46th Super Bowl, on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis.

Earlier this season, on Nov. 6, the Giants won at New England, 24-20. Remarkably, the game was scoreless at halftime.

New York, which made the playoffs by winning the NFC East, is 12-7 counting its three playoff wins. New England, which won the AFC East and earned a first-round playoff bye, is 15-3, and on a 10-game winning streak since its loss to the Giants.

Patriots vs. Giants is a rematch of the 2007 season Super Bowl. New York earned a 17-14 win over New England, ruining what had been a perfect season for the Patriots. Tony Grossi covered the game, played on Feb. 3, 2008 in Glendale Ariz., for The Plain Dealer, and wrote the game story. A breakdown of the game statistics is on pro-football-reference.com.

That Super Bowl loss is a blemish on the remarkable career of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Dan Wetzel writes for Yahoo! Sports.

Wetzel writes that Brady is expert at finding motivation, and:

And when those Giants crushed that once-in-a-generation shot at true history, only the second perfect season in league history (the 1972 Miami Dolphins) and the only 19-0 campaign, the loss stung like no other.

Brady had thrown for 50 touchdowns that season, 23 of them to Randy Moss in a blast of offensive genius the league had never seen. In that Super Bowl against the Giants the Patriots managed just 14 points, overwhelmed by a pass rush that was equal parts violent and brilliant. The Giants won by three. Brady walked off despondent.

He’d always been focused. He’d always pushed and pushed and pushed, for more and greater glory, clearing hurdles real and imagined. This, some of his teammates say, was even more intense. If the other slights were more about perception, the loss to the Giants was both tangible and terrible.

This was the game that he’d take to his grave, especially if he never got back and won another Super Bowl.

Patriots vs. Giants links

The matchup of the Giants defense against Patriots tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. By Chris Burke for Sports Illustrated's SI.com.

Giants vs. Patriots is a Super Bowl 42 re-match in name only, Ryan Wilson writes for CBSSports.com.

Keeping the Giants' pass rush from Tom Brady is a key for the Patriots, Peter King writes for Sports Illustrated's SI.com.

Former Giants wide receiver David Tyree, who made a spectacular catch during New York's game-winning drive in the 2007 season Super Bowl, says the road toward this Giants-Patriots game is similar to that of four years ago. By Robert Klemko for USAToday.com.

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is nursing an ankle injury but will be ready for the Super Bowl. That and other Patriots notes by Ian R. Rapoport for the Boston Herald.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning talks to his team about getting ready. An Associated Press story by Tom Canavan on Yahoo! Sports.

This Patriots' team seems to be one of owner Robert Kraft's favorites. By James Walker for ESPN.com.

The Giants think they got things together at the right time. By Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

Wide receiver Victor Cruz is a key to victory for the Giants, writes Robert Neely for the National Football Authority.

Nothing has changed at the heart of the Indians bullpen, but that doesn't mean some pieces haven't been moved in preparation for the 2012 season. Watch video

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerChris Perez retains his status as the Indians' closer in 2012, with plenty of power arms behind him in the bullpen.

(Editor's note: This is the second of a four-part preview of the Indians with spring training looming next month. Previously: The starting rotation. Tomorrow: The infield.)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- GM Chris Antonetti went into the off-season after last year knowing he had relievers to trade. He did just that, but left the best part of the bullpen untouched.

Zach Putnam was sent to Colorado on Friday for right-handed starter Kevin Slowey. Cory Burns was traded to San Diego for outfielder Aaron Cunningham on Dec. 16. On Oct. 31, Chris Jones went to Atlanta for Derek Lowe, another right-handed starter. Josh Judy was lost when he was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Cunningham.

Putnam was the closest to making the Indians this year. Burns was still in Class AA Akron where he went 35-for-37 in save situations. Jones, a left-hander, was 7-1 with a 3.36 ERA in 43 appearances at Class A Kinston. Judy, up and down four times with the Tribe last year, was 6-2 with a 3.12 ERA and 23 saves at Class AAA Columbus.

A bit of the future might have been lost, but one of the goals of a farm system is to improve the big-league team for the present.

The core of the pen remains closer Chris Perez preceded by Tony Sipp, Vinnie Pestano, Joe Smith and Rafael Perez. There will be many hands raised for the last two spots in the seven-man pen. Frank Herrmann did a nice job as a long man last year. Hard-throwing lefty Nick Hagadone, with free agent Chad Durbin not returning, could win a job as well after making his big-league debut last year.

Then there's the outside agitators. Veteran relievers Jeremy Accardo, Chris Ray, Robinson Tejeda and Chris Seddon will be in camp on minor-league deals. Tribe minor-leaguers Hector Ambriz, Chen-Chang Lee and Tyler Sturdevant have been invited as well.

Manager Manny Acta likes his bullpen. He used it 482 times last year, the most in the American League, but he did so wisely. Indians relievers pitched 492 innings, fifth most in the league.

The pen went 27-21, with the fifth-best ERA in the league at 3.71. It was tied for third with Seattle, New York and Boston for the fewest blown saves with 16. The Indians converted 70 percent (38-for-54) of their save chances. AL Central champ Detroit led the league at 84 percent (52-for-62).

From 2010-11, the pen increased its saves, wins and strikeouts and lowered its ERA, walks and batting average against.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerTony Sipp held opposing hitters to a .201 batting average with a 1.11 WHIP in 2011.

Here's a look at the Indians' options for the upcoming season.

• RHP Chris Perez, 26, 4-7, 3.32, 36-for-40 in saves: Finished fourth in the AL in saves with 90 percent conversion rate. Opposition hit .215 (46-for-214) against him. Strikeouts dropped from 61 in 63 innings in 2010 to 39 in 59 2/3 innings last year. Average velocity 93 mph.

• RHP Pestano, 26, 1-2, 2.32, 2-6 in saves: Opposition hit .184 with .305 slugging percentage and .272 on-base percentage. Needs to improve against lefties, who hit .280 (26-for-93). Average velocity 93 mph.

• LHP Rafael Perez, 29, 5-2, 3.00, 0-2 in saves: Perez and Joe Smith tied for second in the AL with 71 appearances. Strikeouts have dropped from a career-high 86 in 2008 to 33 last year. Allowed just seven of 44 inherited runners to score. Average velocity 89 mph.

• RHP Smith, 27, 3-3, 2.01, 0-3 in saves: The opposition hit .217 (52-for-240) -- .152 by lefties, .246 by righties. Fastball-slider mix. Average velocity 90 mph.

• LHP Sipp, 28, 6-3, 3.03, 0-1 in saves: Tied for sixth in AL with 24 holds. Never pitched earlier than the seventh inning last year. Allowed 10 homers, but opposition hit just .201. Average velocity 91 mph.

• RHP Herrmann, 27, 4-0, 5.11: Righties hit .223 (27-for-121), lefties .386 (44-for-114). Can pitch three to four innings at a pop. Lives on his fastball. Average velocity 94 mph.

• LHP Hagadone, 26, 1-0, 4.09: Struck out 53 in 48 1/3 innings at Class AAA Columbus. Opposition hit .118 (4-for-34), .071 (1-for-14) by lefties, in the big leagues. Fastball and slider are his best pitches. Average velocity 94 mph.

• RHP Accardo, 30, 3-3, 5.73, 0-1 in saves: Pitched with Baltimore last year and had control problems. Saved 30 games for Toronto (4-4, 2.14 ERA) in 2007. Average velocity 92 mph.

• RHP Ray, 30, 3-2, 4.68, 0-2 in saves: Made 29 appearances with Seattle last year. Throws fastball, slider, split. Saved 33 games for Baltimore (4-4, 2.73) in 2006. Average velocity 94 mph.

• RHP Tejeda, 29, 0-1, 6.14 ERA: Made only nine appearances for Kansas City last year. Spent the rest of the time in the minors after being slowed by sore right shoulder. Average velocity 90 mph.

• LHP Seddon, 28, 9-7, 6.27 Class AAA Tacoma: Career minor-league starter who has not pitched in the big leagues since 2010 when he made 14 relief appearances with Seattle. Possible swing man.

• RHP Ambriz, 27: The Indians selected Ambriz in the Rule 5 draft in 2009. He did not pitch last year following Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Made 34 appearances for the Tribe in 2010.

• RHP Lee, 25, 6-1, 2.40 at Columbus and Akron: Lee struck out 99 batters in 71 1/3 innings in 44 appearances last year. He walked 23.

• RHP Sturdevant, 26, 7-3, 2.89 ERA at Columbus, Akron and Kinston: The 27th round pick in 2009 jumped three levels last year. Struck out 82 and walked 19 in 47 2/3 innings.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

 CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Glenville senior defensive lineman Alex Pace has given Cincinnati his oral commmitment.    The 6-1, 285-pounder received offers from North Carolina, Pitt, Syracuse, Iowa, Vanderbilt and West Virginia after accounting for 54 tackles and four sacks.  

 CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Glenville senior defensive lineman Alex Pace has given Cincinnati his oral commmitment.
 

 The 6-1, 285-pounder received offers from North Carolina, Pitt, Syracuse, Iowa, Vanderbilt and West Virginia after accounting for 54 tackles and four sacks.
 

 "Cincinnati is going to give me a chance to start next year and that was the deciding factor,'' said Pace. "I'm going to play either defensive tackle or end.''
 

 He plans on majoring in civil engineering.

The Cavs entered Tuesday committing the league's third most turnovers, averaging 18.6 per game.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain Dealer"When you want to run you have to accept a certain amount of turnovers," Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said of the 3.6 turnovers that rookie point guard Kyrie Irving is averaging so far this season. "But when it's not there you've got to be smart enough to just bring it out and run the offense."

MIAMI -- Kyrie Irving finds himself among the NBA leaders in several offensive categories for rookies and point guards. There's one statistical ranking, however, where Cavaliers coach Byron Scott would like to see Irving's name removed. He is ninth among all players in turnovers per game (3.6) and fifth among point guards.

Irving had committed a combined 15 giveaways during the three-game losing streak heading into Tuesday's game against the Miami Heat. There are several contributing factors: Irving is 19-year-old, he handles the ball so frequently and he's expected to push the pace whenever possible.

"When you want to run you have to accept a certain amount of turnovers," Scott said. "But when it's not there you've got to be smart enough to just bring it out and run the offense.

"[Irving] is well aware of it. It's just a matter of making him more comfortable out there so he knows where everybody is so these turnovers don't happen so quickly."

The Cavs entered Tuesday committing the league's third most turnovers, averaging 18.6 per game.

Irving, who leads all rookies in scoring (17.4), has some good company in the turnover department. LeBron James (3.8), Kevin Durant (3.71) and Kobe Bryant (3.67) are all ahead of him. Deron Williams leads the league at 4.29.

Thompson sits: Rookie Tristan Thompson missed Tuesday's game with a sprained ankle suffered Saturday in Atlanta. He participated in Tuesday's shoot-around, but the club wanted to give him at least another day before returning him to the lineup.

Scott called him questionable for Wednesday's home game against New York.

They see CP3 too: Scott often likens Irving to a young Chris Paul. He's hardly alone in that assessment. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and James are the latest to make the comparison.

Spoelstra was effusive in his praise of the front runner for NBA rookie of the year honors. He loves the way the 19-year-old processes the game.

"You can see his skill set, his ball handling is above what you would normally see," Spoelstra said. "[His] speed and quickness are elite, but it's the mind that you notice when you get into the film."

Irving's ability to look past his defender and through the second and third "layers of defense" is what most impresses Spoelstra.

"He's quick, but he never looks like he's in a hurry," the coach said. "You see on film he's going by people and making plays, but on film it doesn't look like he's going 100 percent full speed. You realize that's when he's making a lot of reads like Chris Paul makes with his mind."

James, who won rookie of the year honors with the Cavaliers in 2004, has served as a mentor for Irving. He doesn't believe the point guard should feel pressured in any way in being a budding star. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player said Irving's maturity level stands out.

"He doesn't carry himself or play like a rookie," James said.

Baron update: There's an outside chance former Cavs point guard Baron Davis could make his season debut for the Knicks on Wednesday. Davis began practicing this week while recovering from a herniated disk in his back. But reports Tuesday night listed Davis as doubtful.

The Cavaliers jettisoned the injured Davis through the amnesty clause on Dec. 19. At the time, it was believed Davis would be out for three months.

"I was happy to see that [Davis returned to practice] and happy to hear that," said Scott, who coached Davis in Cleveland and New Orleans. "When Baron is right he's still one of the best point guards in this league. I'm happy for him and I hope he does well."

The Cavs still owe Davis $24 million in salary.

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Cavs return home Wednesday to face the New York Knicks.

MIAMI -- The only ones the Cavaliers frustrated more than LeBron James on Tuesday night were themselves.

They hounded and harassed their former teammate and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player into his worst shooting night of the season. The combination of Anthony Parker and Alonzo Gee limited James to 18 points and helped force five turnovers.

On this night, James was not as much a nemesis as the one that has bedeviled them throughout the young season. The Cavaliers (6-10) committed 22 turnovers en route to falling, 92-85, to the Heat. It marked the seventh time in 16 games the Cavaliers were guilty of at least 20 giveaways.

"It was a really good, hard fought effort," said rookie Kyrie Irving, who finished with a team-high 17 points and four assists. "We beat ourselves tonight. We had 22 turnovers and we lost by seven points. That's the difference maker. We aren't getting shots on 22 possessions. We have to limit that, but I feel we're in a good spot."

The Cavaliers' losing streak reached a season-high four games. But the outcome hardly resembled the ones from this weekend in which they lost by a combined 66 points to Chicago and Atlanta.

They pushed the defending Eastern Conference champions to the limit and were within three points with 9.1 seconds remaining after Irving converted a driving layup. They forced 18 Heat turnovers and didn't surrender an offensive rebound until early in the third quarter.

The Cavaliers simply had no answer for Chris Bosh, who finished with 35 points on 10-of-16 shooting. The power forward was also a perfect 14-of-14 at the free-throw line. The absence of reserve forward Tristan Thompson (sprained ankle) was quite noticeable. His athleticism could have given Bosh more trouble.

Of course, the Heat were without All-Star guard Dwyane Wade.

"That was more like us as a basketball team," Cavaliers coach Byron Scott said "Good solid defense, stayed in the game for 48 minutes. The only thing I'm disappointed in was the 22 turnovers tonight again. And that's killing our damn team because it's hard to overcome those mistakes when you are playing great basketball teams."

Turnovers were a big fear of Scott's entering the night. The Cavs have committed the league's third most, averaging 16.8 per game. The Heat were second best at forcing them, averaging 18.6.

But many of Tuesday's errors were unforced. Some of their passes looked as if they were launched from the Scream Team's T-shirt shooting, air-compression guns. Balls went into the stands, slammed off backboards. Scott joked that Samardo Samuels, who played a fine game with 15 points, nearly threw one errant pass to Heat president Pat Riley.

The Heat, however, generated just four fast-break points and never led by more than eight points.

Parker and Gee deserve lots of credit. They took turns at guarding James. They were so effective that the Cavaliers rarely had to double-team him. James finished the night 8-of-21 from the field. His 18 points marked a low for him in five games against the Cavs.

"They competed," Scott said. "That's a match-up that's a nightmare for a lot of guys. I thought our guys came out aggressive from the get-go. Obviously AP knows LeBron pretty well and Alonzo's quickness and athleticism was something he had to deal with as well."

The Cavs had no such success against Bosh. He had 17 points in the fourth quarter and hit many of their crucial shots down the stretch. Bosh was 5-of-7 from the field in the final quarter and converted all six of his free throws. He had nine points in the final 2:36.

Quincy Diggs and Brian Walsh scored 16 points each as Akron won for the sixth time in seven games.

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Quincy Diggs and Brian Walsh scored 16 points each as Akron won for the sixth time in seven games with a 70-58 victory over Ball State on Tuesday night.

Alex Abreu added 12 points, all on 3-pointers, and seven assists for the Zips (13-7, 5-1 Mid-American), who lead the MAC East. Demetrius Treadwell scored 11.

Jarrod Jones had 25 points and nine rebounds for the Cardinals (12-6, 4-2), whose two-game winning streak ended. Randy Davis scored 11.

Jones scored the first nine points of the game before Abreu got Akron on the board with 16:02 left in the first half.

The Cardinals led, 30-27, at intermission, but the Zips gained control by breaking away from a 36-36 tie with a 6-0 run.

Diggs hit a basket and two free throws before Treadwell scored for a 42-36 edge with 12:24 left. Akron led the rest of the way.

Gerald Coleman made 37 saves in his first start in Cleveland as a Monster. He had been 1-1 in two road starts since signing a player-tryout contract Jan. 11.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Entering the week, Monsters coach David Quinn set a goal of a .500 record by the All-Star break. To get there, his club needed to go 3-0 by the end of play Saturday.

The Monsters took care of the first third Tuesday night, riding superb goaltending by newcomer Gerald Coleman to a 4-1 victory over Hamilton at The Q. Lake Erie (19-21-2-1) snapped a three-game slide and pulled even in points with Hamilton (18-18-1-4). Both are on the outside of the Western Conference playoff pool but have plenty of time to gain the necessary ground, especially given the conference's relative parity.

The regular season consists of 76 games.

The Monsters have won four straight over Hamilton and are 4-1 in the eight-game season series. The previous two meetings, both at Hamilton, ended in shootouts.

Coleman made 37 saves in his first start in Cleveland as a Monster. He had been 1-1 in two road starts since signing a player-tryout contract Jan. 11. Coleman, a pro since 2005, began this season with the Alaska Aces of the ECHL. He was 17-4-2 in 23 games after going 30-15-1 in 47 games the previous season for the Aces.

When Coleman joined Lake Erie, he was scheduled to split time with Trevor Cann while No. 1 goalie Cedrick Desjardins rehabbed from a lower-body injury. With Cann now also injured, Coleman assumes the lead role and James Reid is back as the reserve.

"With the injuries to our goalies, this is my chance," Coleman said. "This could be my last chance, so I want to make the most of it."

Shots from Hamilton skaters repeatedly disappeared into Coleman's body, which should come as no surprise: Listed at 6-5, 215, Coleman can make a cage appear quite small.

"I love the fact that he uses his size to his advantage," Quinn said. "He understands that the net's not moving. He takes up a lot of space, even if he's out of position."

Coleman stopped 19 shots in the second period. He was particularly stingy late in the second, then again early in the third.

"He made some huge saves when we really needed them," Quinn said.

Coleman played in parts of five AHL seasons from 2005-06 until 2009-10. He said he never had played at The Q.

The Monsters took a 1-0 lead late in the first period on Patrick Rissmiller's third goal of the season. Moments earlier, Rissmiller had hit the pipe.

Early in the second, an opportunistic Hugh Jessiman cleaned up the mess in front of the net and beat goalie Robert Mayer. Jessiman leads Lake Erie with 20 goals.

Hamilton finally broke through against Coleman at 11:30 of the second, but Evan Brophey answered on the power play at 13:35. Jessiman and Brophey (12) are the only Monsters with double-digit goal totals.

At 15:27 of the third, Ryan Stoa imposed his will in front for his ninth.

Earlier Tuesday, Monsters defenseman Tyson Barrie was added to the Western Conference All-Star Team. Barrie became the Monsters' lone representative after it was announced that Desjardins will not play.

Barrie, a rookie, entered the night leading the Monsters in points (26) and assists (21). He is one of four Monsters to have appeared in every game this season.

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

Tomasello scored a 93.46 on his free-skate at HP Pavilion, and combined with his short program Sunday, his total score was 147.36.

View full sizeLonnie Timmons III, The Plain DealerUsing a shark theme with music from "Jaws," Troy Tomasello from Parma competed in Tuesday's free skate at the Junior Men's competition in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, Calif.

Parma resident and Normandy High senior Troy Tomasello finished eighth Tuesday night among Junior Men at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, Calif.

The Pavilion Skating Club of Cleveland Heights put two novice dance teams on the podium. Holly Moore and Daniel Klaber placed first, and Hannah Rosinski and Jacob Jaffe were third.

Tomasello scored a 93.46 on his free-skate at HP Pavilion, and combined with his short program Sunday, his total score was 147.36.

In an arena nicknamed the "Shark Tank,'' Tomasello skated to the theme from the movie "Jaws" wearing a gray costume studded with white shark teeth on rows of red. He began with a fairly clean program, starting with a double Axel landing two triple-jump combinations early, but he fell on a late triple flip and touched the ice again late.

Tomasello, out of Strongsville Skating Club, entered the final event seventh after the short program, and he was the first of 12 skaters to take the ice Tuesday. He failed to make up ground, skating the eighth-best long program.

The winner was Nathan Chen, a 13-year-old sensation from Salt Lake City. However, he is too young to qualify for the world championships. Placing second and third were Timothy Dolensky and Philip Warren.

Chen totaled 190.93 points, including a 130.75 free skate that bumped him from second to first. Standing just 4-foot-7, he skated an intense and clean program to the "Godfather" theme. Chen was Novice champion the last two years.

Irving ranks 47th in minutes for all guards this season, but ninth in scoring

View full sizeCavaliers reserve Alonzo Gee had a pair of monster dunks and played superb defense in a 92-85 loss to the Miami Heat.

Ohio State has been blowing out teams all season, with most of their wins by at least 20 points. Thad Matta does his best to keep his players on task for all 40 minutes, regardless.

View full sizeAnna Reed, The World Herald"The major goal of every game is trying to get our guys to understand possession by possession, for 40 minutes, do your job," OSU basketball coach Thad Matta says of keeping his players focused in lopsided games. "But human nature is also to relax. With who we have remaining on our schedule, if you relax, you could be in trouble."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Last season, Ohio State coach Thad Matta had some game-ending film he wanted to show his team. It wasn't a critical in-bounds play or a defensive breakdown as an opponent got off a game-winning shot.

The game wasn't even close.

"One of our guys was not handling dribbling out the clock the right way," Matta said Tuesday. "That was not a pleasant thing for him as we showed it. We watch [the games] all the way through in that regard."

Dealing with blowouts has become an even greater specialty of the No. 4 Buckeyes this season, with 14 of their 17 wins coming by at least 20 points, eight by at least 30. Their average scoring margin of plus-22 leads the nation.

This isn't an indictment of Penn State (10-10, 2-5 Big Ten), currently tied for last in conference play, but if Wednesday night's game at Value City Arena goes the way most of this season has gone, Ohio State is going to blow the Lions out of the building.

If that happens, Matta will expect his Buckeyes (17-3, 5-2 Big Ten) to go for 40 minutes, do as he says, stay in their defensive stances, run the offense and know that he's got his eye on them for 2,400 seconds.

Certainly, that trend could change over the final 11 games of the regular season, with six against currently ranked teams. But so far, the Buckeyes have grown accustomed to easy wins, not that Matta admits to being aware of the blowouts.

"Through the course of a game someone will say something and I'm kind of like, 'I don't know what you're talking about,'" Matta said. "And then we look at the scoreboard and it makes perfect sense what they're saying. My mindset is that we're playing the right way and we're doing the things we need to do."

Though the Big Ten race is cluttered, with Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State with two conference losses, Wisconsin and Illinois with three, and Purdue, Indiana, Minnesota and Iowa with four, how they are winning separates the Buckeyes.

They have 14 victories by at least 20 points. Next is Wisconsin with 10, then Michigan State and Indiana with eight. No other conference teams have more than five blowouts of that magnitude, and the Wolverines, for instance, have just two.

Certainly, the schedule is part of that. That Buckeyes handled lots of lesser opponents and haven't yet faced the Spartans, Wolverines or Badgers. But, according to Statsheet.com, Ohio State's schedule strength ranks No. 37 in the country, which is seventh among Big Ten teams. Only Michigan State (No. 3) and Northwestern (No. 6) have a strength of schedule higher than 20.

The Buckeyes have thrashed teams before. Still, this season has been unusually lopsided. The 14 wins of at least 20 points is already more than all but one of the previous seven Matta seasons at Ohio State.

"You have to come in each game and go above the intensity of the other team," sophomore guard Lenzelle Smith Jr. said. "Sometimes it's easy for a team to come in and think just because they won their last game, they're going to show up and win. It doesn't work like that."

Now Matta said the Buckeyes are trying to "ride that wave of winning," with the coach happy with how his team had played in its last two wins since a loss at Illinois two weeks ago. As they continue the wave, he's watching.

"The major goal of every game is trying to get our guys to understand possession by possession, for 40 minutes, do your job," Matta said. "But human nature is also to relax. "With who we have remaining on our schedule, if you relax, you could be in trouble."

Here's today's sports listings on TV and the radio for the Cleveland area

Marvin Fong, The Plain DealerCavaliers guard Ramon Sessions drives to the basket against Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony during the Cavs' 115-109 win over New York last Feb. 25. The Cavaliers host the Knicks tonight at 7 in a game televised by Fox Sports Ohio and broadcast by WTAM 1100/AM.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today on the air

(Click on to links for more team or event information)

GOLF

4 a.m. (Thursday) Abu Dhabi Championship, Golf Channel

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL

7 p.m. Bay at Keystone, AM/1320

7 p.m. Maple Heights at Lorain, AM/1380

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

6:30 p.m. OHIO STATE vs. Penn State, Big Ten Network; AM/850 (Game preview)

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage)

7 p.m. Villanova at Louisville, ESPN

7 p.m. Western Michigan at Ohio, SportsTime Ohio

7 p.m. West Virginia at St. John’s, ESPNU

7:30 p.m. Missouri at Oklahoma State, ESPN2 (Game preview)

8 p.m. UCF at Tulsa, CBS Sports Network

8:30 p.m. Minnesota at Michigan State, Big Ten Network

9 p.m. Duke at Maryland, ESPN (Game preview)

9 p.m. Kansas State at Texas Tech, ESPNU (Game preview)

NBA

7 p.m. CAVALIERS vs. New York, Fox Sports Ohio; AM/1100

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage)

8 p.m. Indiana at Chicago, NBATV

10:30 p.m. L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers, NBATV (Game preview)

NHL

7:30 p.m. Detroit at Montreal, NBC Sports Network* (Game preview)

(*Formerly Versus)

TENNIS

7 p.m. Australian Open, match TBD, Tennis Channel

9:30 p.m. Australian Open, women’s semis, ESPN2

3:30 a.m. (Thursday) Australian Open, men’s semi, ESPN2

It’s not quite baseball season, but some of the top prospects in the Indians’ organization are in town now for the 15th edition of the team’s winter development program. Watch video

It’s not quite baseball season, but some of the top prospects in the Indians’ organization are in town now for the 15th edition of the team’s winter development program. The program runs Jan. 16-27 in Cleveland and in Goodyear, Ariz., and is designed to help acclimate the players to Progressive Field and Cleveland. Along with various workouts, they hear speakers such as Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant, Browns coach Pat Shurmur, former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona, former Indians pitcher Jason Bere, Peter Gammons of the MLB Network, St. Ignatius football coach Chuck Kyle and Vanderbilt baseball coach Tim Corbin.

Players participating are: right-hander Austin Adams, right-hander Rob Bryson, catcher Chun Chen, outfielder Aaron Cunningham, infielder Juan Diaz, outfielder Tim Fedroff, outfielder Jordan Henry, left-hander T.J. McFarland, outfielder Thomas Neal, catcher Roberto Perez and right-hander Tyler Sturdevant.

Plain Dealer photographer Chuck Crow spent Thursday with the prospects. On this day, they started with yoga and stretching followed by a session with a speaker. The prospects then traveled to Case Western Reserve University for fundamental, agility and conditioning work, including a throwing session. After lunch, they heard two more speakers before calling it a day.

Coughlin doesn't have the national profile of Patriots coach Bill Belichick. His teams, though, have a history of winning games they're not expected to - like the Giants in Super Bowl 42 over New England. Links to more Super Bowl stories.

Associated PressGiants coach Tom Coughlin led the Jacksonville Jaguars to two playoff wins and a berth in the AFC championship game in their second season as a franchise, 1996.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The New York Giants and New England Patriots will play the 46th Super Bowl on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis.

Earlier this season, on Nov. 6, the Giants won at New England, 24-20. Remarkably, the game was scoreless at halftime.

New York, which made the playoffs by winning the NFC East, is 12-7 counting its three playoff wins. New England, which won the AFC East and earned a first-round playoff bye, is 15-3, and on a 10-game winning streak since its loss to the Giants.

Patriots vs. Giants is a rematch of the 2007 season Super Bowl. New York earned a 17-14 win over New England, ruining what had been a perfect season for the Patriots. A breakdown of the game statistics and plays is on pro-football-reference.com.

The Patriots and Giants have the same coaches as they did four years ago. New England coach Bill Belichick, the former Cleveland Browns coach who has three Super Bowl wins with the Patriots, has the higher national profile.

The Giants' Tom Coughlin, though, is building a reputation as a coach who leads his teams to unexpected victories.

Kerry J. Byrne writes about the Giants coach for Sports Illustrated's SI.com:

Tom Coughlin, the crusty, often vilified, old coach of the New York Giants, is the team's secret weapon -- a coach with a remarkable ability to win unwinnable games against superior foes, and often on the road.

Sure, quarterback Eli Manning gets plenty of credit, and deservedly so, for clutch play down the stretch, both in 2007 and here in the 2011 postseason.

But Coughlin has a very long and perhaps underappreciated history as football's great big-game assassin.

The coach will always be remembered as the leader of the seemingly humble 10-6 Giants team of 2007 that turned it on in the playoffs, beating the NFC's top two seeds on the road before taking down the supposedly unbeatable 18-0 Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. His 2011 Giants, just 7-7 heading into the last two weeks of the season, added to the legend by toppling the 15-1 Packers in Green Bay two weekends ago, then the No. 2 49ers last Sunday.

In both seasons, even Giants fans were ready to run the coach out of town.

(Continue to check The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com for coverage of the Cleveland Browns and of the NFL)

Giants vs. Patriots

A key Super Bowl matchup: Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork vs. the Giants offensive line. With game video analysis. By Chris Burke for Sports Illustrated's SI.com.

Super Bowl storylines. A FoxSports.com slideshow.

The Patriots continue to emphasize special teams. By Dan Duggan for the Boston Herald.

The Giants' special teams are playing special in the postseason. By Nick Fierro for The Morning Call in Allentown, Pa.

Ranking all 45 Super Bowls. A FoxSports.com slideshow.

The Giants' improved defense could again prove troublesome for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. By Clark Judge for CBSSports.com.

Patriots vs. Giants matchups. By Vinnie Iyer for SportingNews.com.

Do the Giants have an edge over Patriots quarterback Tom Brady? By Dan Graziano for ESPN.com.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning advises his team how to prepare for the Super Bowl. By Paul Schwartz for the New York Post. 

Tom Brady is among a group of players whom former NFL stars say would be great in any era. By James Walker for ESPN.com.

"The Tribe once complained about the Yankees and Red Sox when talking about competitive imbalance. But now, 3 of the 4 teams in their division are seriously outspending Cleveland. Only the Royals and Tribe are the "penny pinchers". It's now clear that we're one of the few major league teams that simply cannot spend with our peers. This is a wake up call for the Dolans. They either need to step up, or step out." - lspisak

View full sizeSome Tribe fans are upset that the Dolans have not opened up their pocketbooks to bring a big-time free agent to Cleveland.

"The Tribe once complained about the Yankees and Red Sox when talking about competitive imbalance. But now, 3 of the 4 teams in their division are seriously outspending Cleveland. Only the Royals and Tribe are the "penny pinchers". It's now clear that we're one of the few major league teams that simply cannot spend with our peers. This is a wake up call for the Dolans. They either need to step up, or step out."

"Your observation is pretty much what I see every game. Jamison will have one good game and five lousy ones. To me, he looks pretty unhappy playing here with a bunch of kids instead of being on a top contender nearing the end of his career. I know he was upset at the team-play after those two big losses, but then I read the box score and he wasn't any better than the rest of the team. Anyone can see he doesn't defend anymore. It seems like it would be good to have Gee playing more minutes and maturing than having Jamison play no defense and toss up 20 some shots a night." - nvillecavsfan

View full sizeSome cleveland.com readers are not too pleased with the latest play of Cavaliers' forward Antawn Jamison.

"Your observation is pretty much what I see every game. Jamison will have one good game and five lousy ones. To me, he looks pretty unhappy playing here with a bunch of kids instead of being on a top contender nearing the end of his career. I know he was upset at the team-play after those two big losses, but then I read the box score and he wasn't any better than the rest of the team. Anyone can see he doesn't defend anymore. It seems like it would be good to have Gee playing more minutes and maturing than having Jamison play no defense and toss up 20 some shots a night."

League Park, at East 66th Street and Lexington Avenue, hosted its first baseball game in 1891, with pitching legend Cy Young on the mound for the Cleveland Spiders. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland is finally set to restore League Park, at least two decades after city officials first discussed returning the piece of hallowed baseball ground to glory.

The old ballpark, once home of the Cleveland Indians and the 1945 Negro League champion Cleveland Buckeyes, and adjacent parkland will undergo $5 million in renovations, said Ken Silliman, chief of staff for Mayor Frank Jackson. Silliman said work will begin late this spring or in early summer and be finished in about a year.

View full size

League Park, at East 66th Street and Lexington Avenue in the Hough neighborhood, hosted its first baseball game in 1891, with pitching legend Cy Young on the mound for the Cleveland Spiders. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places.

City Architecture is wrapping up plans that include restoring the ticket house and a bleacher wall and creating a Major League-size diamond in the same place as the original. Home plate will go in the exact spot where it rested the day that Babe Ruth whacked his 500th career home run in 1929.

Plans also call for a community building with a museum, a youth baseball diamond and a field for football and soccer. If bids are low enough, the city could add a pavilion and splash park.

Fans from around the world have expressed interest in visiting after the restoration is finished, said Russ Haslage, director of the League Park Society, a nonprofit group of preservation advocates.

The Indians used League Park from 1900 through 1946, continuing to play some games there for 15 years after Municipal Stadium opened. It was the team's home field during the 1920 World Series.

Besides Young and Ruth, greats such as Bob Feller, Ty Cobb, Napoleon Lajoie, Tris Speaker and Shoeless Joe Jackson passed through the park.

Indians second-baseman Bill Wambsganss executed his famous unassisted triple play at League Park in the 1920 World Series. Yankee Joe DiMaggio stroked the last hit in his 56-game streak at the park in 1941. Alta Weiss, a teenage girl, pitched there for a men's semi-pro team in the early 1900s.

Tim Wiles, director of research for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., was in Cleveland about 10 years ago for a conference sponsored by the then-Cleveland-based Society for American Baseball Research. He and about 20 other baseball historians took a side trip to League Park and stood on what remained of the diamond.

"I just got out there and felt a very powerful historical-slash-archaeological presence," Wiles said in a telephone interview. "There was a vibe."

The old Cleveland Rams played professional football games at League Park in the 1940s, and it served as a practice field for the Browns until 1951, when the city bought the property and converted it into a community park. The park eventually disintegrated.

Talk of restoration dates to at least the early 1990s. Then-Councilwoman Fannie Lewis envisioned League Park as a catalyst for a Hough renaissance and championed the cause until she died in 2008.

Silliman, who also worked for former Mayor Michael R. White, said White presented a $2 million plan in 2000. Jane Campbell, who succeeded White two years later, offered a proposal costing $18 million, a figure that Silliman said was "never doable."

After Jackson took office in 2006, he instructed Silliman to reconfigure the project. Money will come from bonds issued over three years.

Paula Gist heads the League Park Heritage Committee, a neighborhood group that Councilman T.J. Dow, Lewis' successor, formed to lobby for improvements. The committee is to help raise another $1.7 million for a track and other work.

Gist grew up in Hough and fondly remembers a vibrant middle-class neighborhood that existed prior to riots in the summer of 1966. Her father, now 94, attended Negro League games at League Park.

She said the project will provide a focus for an area that has seen dozens of new houses built in recent years. She hopes League Park also will become a regional attraction, hosting minor league baseball games and other special events.

"This is important to us, to our neighborhood," Gist said. "We don't want just a ballpark; we want a revitalization."

Plain Dealer News Researcher JoEllen Corrigan contributed to this story. 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tott@plaind.com, 216-999-5739

On Twitter: @thomasott1.

Cecil Fielder -- who played briefly for the Cleveland Indians at the end of his career -- slugged 245 of his 319 career home runs for the Tigers.

Associated PressCecil Fielder twice finished second in the American League MVP voting whlie he was with the Detroit Tigers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cecil Fielder is surprised that his son, Prince, has signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers -- the team Dad slugged 245 of his 319 major league home runs for.

Prince Fielder, a first baseman and one of the game's top sluggers, inked a nine-year/$214 millon deal with Detroit, leaving the Milwaukee Brewers as a free agent.

The Tigers had been in the background, at least publicly, as Prince Fielder went through the free agent process.

Steve Schrader of the Detroit Free Press writes for USAToday.com about what Cecil Fielder thinks of Prince joining the Tigers. Quoting Cecil Fielder, and referring to Tigers owner Mike Ilitch: 

"That just shocked me," Cecil Fielder told MLB Radio on SiriusXM. "I just landed in New York… and I got that call -- that's crazy! He's going to come full circle. You know, he's been there in Detroit most of his young life, so I think he'll be comfortable in that place.

"I know Mr. (Mike) Ilitch is probably pretty excited, because he's been wanting that kid since he was a little kid, so he finally got his wish.

"I didn't even see Detroit in the picture. I didn't even see that happening with all the talk about the Nationals and Texas Rangers and Seattle. … I never saw Detroit making a move like this."

Cecil Fielder finished his career in 1998 with 35 at bats for the Cleveland Indians. As a Tiger, he led the American League in home runs in 1990 (51) and 1991 (44), and in RBI from 1990-92 (132, 133, 124).

APPrince Fielder

Prince Fielder, 27, has played all seven of his big league seasons with Milwaukee, clouting 230 homers. He was first in the National League in homers in 2007 (50) and in RBI in 2009 (141).

According to Schrader's story, the Fielders are apparently working on healing their relationship. Schrader writes:

His relationship with Prince (father and son have been estranged the past few years): "We're having a few chats. We're doing a lot better than we were. Time heals all wounds, man. Everybody has to come back together at some point.

"I'm just happy for him. I think everybody was anxious for him to get signed."

Phil Dawson deserves whatever he wants from the Browns. The Browns have been awful since '99, but they'd be even worse without him. How many game winners has he kicked? What is his career field goal percentage at 50+ yards? He is Mr. Consistent. He will give you points when you desperately need them (just imagine the numbers he'd put up on a good team). - 1oldrocker

View full sizeAP Photo/Mike RoemerKeeping Phil Dawson in a Browns uniform would make this Cleveland.com reader very happy.

"Phil Dawson deserves whatever he wants from the Browns. The Browns have been awful since '99, but they'd be even worse without him. How many game winners has he kicked? What is his career field goal percentage at 50+ yards? He is Mr. Consistent. He will give you points when you desperately need them (just imagine the numbers he'd put up on a good team).

Pay the man, Holmgren. PAY THE MAN!"