Eli Manning can make good on his preseason claim that he's in the elite class with Tom Brady with a victory in Super Bowl XLVI.

View full sizeEric Gay, Associated Press"I'm not worried about my legacy," says Giants QB Eli Manning, seeking his second Super Bowl title on Sunday. "I'm worried about winning a championship for the New York Giants, for my teammates and coaches."

INDIANAPOLIS -- Giants quarterback Eli Manning kicked off the 2011 season by declaring himself an elite NFL quarterback, right up there with the likes of big brother Peyton and three-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady.

It was so out of character for the humble Manning and put such a bull's-eye on his back that his dad, Archie, urged him to clarify the statement, which was made on a radio show in August. But Eli thought the better of it. Shouldn't he consider himself one of the NFL's elite? After all, he was a Super Bowl MVP, just like Peyton and Brady.

Still, snickers were heard 'round the league. But heading into Sunday's Super Bowl, no one's laughing anymore. If Manning knocks off the Patriots for the second time this season -- and second time in two Super Bowl matchups -- he'll have more rings than his brother and catapult himself into Hall of Fame conversation. Manning was MVP of Super Bowl XLII in 2007 when his Giants spoiled the Patriots' perfect season.

"For Eli, it would be a great endorsement of the quality of football player he is, what kind of football season he has had and what he means to our team," said coach Tom Coughlin. "He's never been anything less than No. 1 to me and that's all I care about. He's an elite quarterback, period."

For Manning to silence all doubters, he'll have to once again top future Hall of Famer Brady, who can tie Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana with a league-high four Super Bowl victories.

"Tom Brady is a terrific quarterback," said Manning. "He's a Hall of Famer, obviously, going into his fifth Super Bowl. Just saying that says enough about him and his performance and the career he's had."

Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who with Brady owns more victories than any other coach-QB combo (124), never underestimates his man's impact. With a victory, Belichick can match Chuck Noll's NFL-best four Super Bowl victories as a head coach.

"There's no quarterback I'd rather have than Tom Brady," Belichick said Friday. "He's a tremendous player and competitor. It's been a real privilege for me to coach him during his career with the New England Patriots. ... Looking back and putting it into some kind of historical perspective ... we'll leave that to another time and focus on our game with the Giants."

Manning says the last thing on his mind this week has been his reputation.

"I'm not worried about my legacy," he said. "I'm worried about winning a championship for the New York Giants, for my teammates and coaches. We've all worked hard. This is a team game."

View full sizeMarcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press"Eli believes in us," says New York receiver Victor Cruz, "and as long as Eli believes in us, we know we can get the job done."

Manning arrives as the hotter of the two quarterbacks. After leading the NFL with 15 fourth-quarter TDs, Manning has thrown eight touchdowns and one interception in his three playoff games. He's on a roll with his trio of young receivers, Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham.

"He's confident and he gets the job done," said Nicks. "Everything kicks in in a clutch situation. Eli believes in us and as long as Eli believes in us, we know we can get the job done."

The Giants stumbled at midseason, losing four straight games. But Manning led playoff victories over the top-seeded Packers in the divisional round and the 49ers in the NFC championship. If he wins Sunday, he'll be the only quarterback to lead a 9-7 team to a Super Bowl victory.

"We finished our regular season very strong, winning three of our last four," said Manning. "We took that momentum into the playoffs. Now, we'll have the last game of our season, and hopefully we'll finish that strong."

Conversely, Brady's poor performance in the AFC championship victory over the Ravens prompted him to admit he "sucked" and to apologize to owner Bob Kraft. Star tight end Rob Gronkowski -- who caught 17 touchdown passes during the season -- suffered a high ankle sprain vs. Baltimore. Gronkowski is questionable for the game.

"Hopefully Rob can play," said Brady. "We'll see how he does. Nobody can really predict that."

Brady has led the Patriots to 10 straight wins, but still endured some trash-talking this week. Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul claimed the Giants didn't even pressure Brady the way they're capable of in their 24-20 victory in Week 9, but believe they got in his head.

"He reacted to pressure that didn't exist," said Pierre-Paul. "He was throwing the ball places where there wasn't even a receiver there. Imagine us getting there even faster and actually doing or jobs and getting hits on him."

Of course, it would take a lot more than that to shake the player many consider the greatest quarterback of all time.

"They're a confident team and they should be confident," said Brady. "They're a damn good football team that's won some pretty tough games down the stretch. We're pretty confident too. That's why we're going to show up Sunday and give it our best."

You can bet Manning will do the same.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

The Indians were ravaged by injuries last season. To safeguard against that his year, GM Chris Antonetti has invited several big-league players to camp on minor-league deals to improve the team's depth.

View full sizeAP photoInjuries to Shin-Soo Choo (above after breaking a thumb after being hit by a pitch from San Francisco's Jonathan Sanchez) and other prominent Indians in 2011 undid the team's good start. Has the team done enough to safeguard against similar mishaps in 2012?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Manny Acta went down the check list. It was easy to tell that he wasn't doing it for the first time.

• Center fielder Grady Sizemore: "Grady has been throwing and hitting in Arizona. He's been doing baseball activities."

• Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo: "He's fine. He's 100 percent. He's completed his rehab."

• Left fielder Michael Brantley: "His hand is OK. He just started hitting."

• Right-hander Justin Masterson: "All the reports we've gotten on his left [non-throwing] shoulder are fine. ... No issues."

Acta is starting his third year as manager of the Indians. In the first two, he repeatedly made one point. His best players needed to stay healthy because the Indians didn't have similar talent behind them and the probability of going outside the organization to acquire such talent was remote.

Never were truer words spoken in regard to the 2011 season. The Indians used the disabled list 22 times. The Twins were the only American League team to use it more (25). Acta's top four hitters, Sizemore, Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera and Travis Hafner, were in the same lineup only 17 times.

On May 23, the Indians were 30-15 and in first place by seven games in the AL Central. They were the talk of baseball, but dark forces were already afoot. On May 16, Sizemore went on the disabled list with a bruised right knee. Sizemore, who opened the year on the DL following microfracture surgery on his left knee in 2010, was hitting .282 (22-for-78) with 10 doubles, six homers and 11 RBI in 18 games. He returned May 27, but never hit the same way and was back on the DL in July.

On May 18, Hafner strained his right oblique during batting practice in Chicago. He went on the DL May 20. Hafner was hitting .345 (39-for-113) with five homers and 22 RBI. He returned in June only to go back on the DL in August with a right foot injury, although he managed to finish the season healthy.

By the time Choo was placed on the DL on June 25 with a broken left thumb, the Indians were 40-35 and tied for first. They never did stop the long slow slide.

When Brantley went on the disabled list Aug. 23 with a broken hamate bone in his right hand, it meant the Indians' top three outfielders would end the season unable to play. Brantley and Choo were on the disabled list and Sizemore's sore right knee required surgery at the end of the year.

"In terms of days lost to the disabled list, 21 teams lost more days than we did last year," said Indians head athletic trainer Lonnie Soloff. "Our issue was that we had a few guys like Choo, Hafner and Grady go on and off the DL a couple of times.

"We were in the thick of the race and our whole outfield went down. The injuries hurt us and in our market we have to be perfect in every factor of baseball operations."

Soloff and his staff have been in Goodyear, Ariz., working with Sizemore, Choo and other players since mid-January.

View full sizeAP fileThe addition of veteran right-hander Derek Lowe will be expected to help counter the loss of Carlos Carrasco to Tommy John surgery.

Masterson, the Tribe's No.1 starter, had surgery on his left shoulder after the season. Masterson, said Soloff, has been throwing without restriction in preparation for pitchers and catchers reporting to Goodyear on Feb. 20.

After the season, GM Chris Antonetti and Acta formulated three goals to strengthen the Indians for 2012: improve the starting rotation and the offense at the corner positions and create more depth for protection against injuries and poor performances.

Starting pitchers Derek Lowe and Kevin Slowey were acquired in trades. Free agent first baseman Casey Kotchman just signed a one-year deal and outfielder Aaron Cunningham and INF/OF Russ Canzler were acquired in trades.

Regarding depth, the Indians went with one of the battle scenes from "Braveheart" by inviting 20 non-roster players to camp. Fifteen have big-league experience.

Relievers Robinson Tejeda, Jeremy Accardo, Hector Ambriz, Chris Ray, Chris Seddon and Dan Wheeler all have been in the show. Ditto for outfielders Ryan Spilborghs, Felix Pie, Fred Lewis and Chad Huffman, catchers Luke Carlin, Michel Hernandez and Matt Pagnozzi and infielders Jose Lopez, Andy LaRoche and Gregorio Petit.

"We spent a lot of time trying to identify guys that we felt could come in and win spots," said Antonetti. "If they didn't win spots, they could provide quality alternatives for us."

Antonetti said last year's injuries forced the Indians to use several players from the minor-league system who weren't ready for the big leagues. But inviting big-league players to camp on minor-league deals has a catch. Most of their contracts have out clauses which allow them to become free agents if they don't make the club out of camp or aren't in the big leagues by a certain date.

Accardo and Lewis, for instance, can request their release on June 1. Ray has an April 3 out clause.

"A number of these guys have outs ... but I think there will also be guys who understand that while there may not be an opportunity to start the season, those opportunities could be a week away," said Antonetti. "We expect some of these guys to come in and compete for spots on the major-league team. It's not just about building depth."

Finally: The Indians sent Tampa Bay $100,000 to acquire Canzler last week. He was the International League MVP at Class AAA Durham last year.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Lee is feeling only confidence as the Vikings (19-4, 9-2) prep for their Super Bowl Sunday matchup with the Flames (7-15, 3-9).

View full sizeThomas Ondrey, The Plain DealerAveraging a little more than 15 minutes a game, freshman Vikings guard Charlie Lee is scoring 3.4 points and growing into a bigger role in the Cleveland State offense.

CHICAGO -- Outside of local product Anton Grady, no Cleveland State freshman had as much hype around his arrival as diminutive guard Charlie Lee. As the season has progressed Lee has not produced quite as Grady has. But going into Sunday's 2 p.m. game with Illinois-Chicago, Lee has been improving almost daily.

The 5-9, 160-pound native of Milwaukee has proven to be a solid backup at point guard, even if he has yet to match the offensive force of former Cleveland Central Catholic sharpshooter Earl Boykins, of whom head coach Gary Waters has compared Lee. But that does not mean Waters is overly concerned.

"Understand this, Norris Cole was about the same kind of player at this point in his freshman year," Waters said.

So Lee is feeling only confidence as the Vikings (19-4, 9-2) prep for their Super Bowl Sunday matchup with the Flames (7-15, 3-9).

"Everything is going a lot better the second half of the season than the first half," Lee said. "Coach doesn't consider us freshmen any more."

In Cleveland State's last three games, Lee has averaged about 22 minutes, scoring a total of 15 points with 12 assists off the bench. His seven turnovers, four coming in CSU's 65-47 Friday night victory over Loyola, is the only blemish.

Lee is so anxious to please that he may over-do it at times.

"Knowing the speed of the game is something I have to get used to," Lee said. "That's the biggest thing, staying under control."

As the season winds down through its final third, Lee becomes more and more important. Fatigue and nagging injuries hamper starters. In Friday's game, point guard Jeremy Montgomery suffered leg cramps late and was forced to the sidelines. Moments later, starting wing D'Aundray Brown tweaked his groin and limped off the court.

That means more minutes for Lee.

"I like being in down the stretch," he said. "I feel like I can finish the game out."

Fading fast, coming on: That appears to reflect Butler and Detroit.

Butler (13-12, 7-6) and the Titans (13-12, 7-6) are tied in the middle of the Horizon League standings Saturday as Detroit beat the Bulldogs on their home court, 65-61. That's the third loss for Butler in its last four games and the second homecourt league loss. Only two of the final five league games are at home, forcing the Bulldogs into a spoiler's role with road games at Cleveland State (Feb. 11) and Valparaiso (Feb. 24).

The Titans, preseason favorites to win the HL, have won four of their last five games, and could still finish as high as third in the conference standings.

The Cavaliers come back home tonight to face the Dallas Mavericks. Get Twitter updates from Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer @PDCavsInsider. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.

The Cavaliers are back home tonight to face the defending champions Dallas Mavericks. 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 7:00 p.m.

View full sizeDavid J. Phillip / Associated PressThe Cavaliers are home tonight against Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks.

Welcome to the post-lockout NBA, where all the Blake Griffin dunk highlights in the world cannot cover for the overall poor quality of play.

View full sizeJack Dempsey, Associated PressThe Lakers' Andrew Bynum is hardly the lone NBA star who has struggled to get a handle on the ball or his best game during this compressed 2011-12 season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scoring is down, turnovers are up. Big-name players continue to nurse strains and pulls, while the reigning NBA Finals' Most Valuable Player recently took a week's sabbatical to locate his game and fitness level.

Welcome to the post-lockout NBA, where all the Blake Griffin dunk highlights in the world cannot cover for the overall poor quality of play.

TNT analyst and former player Charles Barkley has railed about it, telling a Chicago radio station: "I'm embarrassed about the product we're putting out there." ESPN analyst and former coach Jeff Van Gundy told The Plain Dealer the compressed schedule has made for "horrible" basketball.

None of it should come as a surprise -- the injuries, the poor shooting, the low scoring. We saw it all during the lockout-shortened, 50-game season of 1998-99. Everyone shares in the blame. When the league and its players union reached a truce in late November, they should have opted for a more manageable schedule instead of cramming 66 games into 123 days. But everybody wanted their money.

The result? Average scoring (188.8 points) is down by nearly 11 points from last season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Field-goal percentage (.443) is off by 16 percent, while turnovers (30.3) are up by nearly two per game. All of the aforementioned stats -- complied through Wednesday -- were lower than at the end of any of the previous five seasons.

Dallas Mavericks star forward Dirk Nowitzki, who visited The Q Saturday night, has played so poorly he missed three games to participate in a one-man training camp in late January.

One league executive said he's witnessed improved play in the past two weeks as teams are starting to find their rhythms. The good news is the television ratings are strong and fans appear willing to overlook some errant passes and missed jumpers. But as the Super Bowl ends and the casual fan prepares to return, you hope that so many games played in so littlecalendar space don't turn the NBA postseason into an endless series of 81-76 games.

That's the gamble, however, the league and its players took when they tried to recoup their lost wages.

These rankings reflect which rookies had the best week.

View full sizeChuck Burton, Associated PressCharlotte's Kemba Walker (1) has been inconsistent with his shooting, but he's been a source of optimism for a woeful Charlotte team this season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In the early months of this shortened season, these rankings reflect which rookies had the best week. That means the rankings could swing wildly. At the All-Star break on Feb. 26, with two months under their belts, we'll start ranking the leaders for the Rookie of the Year award.

Statistics through Friday's games.

1. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland, G

Stats: 18.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists

Comment: Game winner vs. Boston boosted his stock even higher.

Rank last week: 3

2. Kemba Walker, Charlotte, G

Stats: 11.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists

Comment: First member of this rookie class to record triple double with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists in loss to Washington.

Rank last week: 7

3. Ricky Rubio, Minnesota, G

Stats: 11.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.8 assists

Comment: Western Conference Rookie of the Month.

Rank last week: 1

4. Brandon Knight, Detroit, G

Stats: 12.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists

Comment: Career-high 26 points in victory over Milwaukee.

Rank last week: 6

5. Lavoy Allen, Philadelphia, F

Stats: 6.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists

Comment: Career-high 15 points in big victory over Chicago.

Rank last week: Unranked

6. Andrew Goudelock, Lakers, G

Stats: 4.6 points, .7 rebounds, .7 assists

Comment: Averaged more than 11 points in four games last week.

Rank last week: Unranked

7. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio, G-F

Stats: 6.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, .8 assists

Comment: 12 points, 10 rebounds in victory at Memphis.

Rank last week: Unranked

8. Shelvin Mack, Washington, G

Stats: 3.5 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists

Comment: Career-high 12 points in loss at Orlando.

Rank last week: Unranked

9. Jordan Williams, New Jersey, F

Stats: 2.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, .4 assists

Comment: Career highs of nine points, eight rebounds for injury-ravaged Nets in win over Detroit.

Rank last week: Unranked

10. JaJuan Johnson, Boston, F

Stats: 2.8 points, .8 rebounds, 0 assists

Comment: Career-high 11 points and good defense in win over Toronto.

Rank last week: Unranked

Dropped out: Boston's E'Twaun Moore, Minnesota's Derrick Williams, Sacramento's Jimmer Fredette, Miami's Norris Cole, Milwaukee's Jon Leuer, New Orleans' Gustavo Ayon.

Just missed: Ayon, Chicago's Jimmy Butler, Portland's Elliot Williams.

Some observations on Saturday's victory by the Buckeyes.

View full sizeAndy Manis, Associated PressAaron Craft couldn't keep the ball away from Wisconsin's Ryan Evans in this first half play Saturday in Madison, Wis.

MADISON, Wis. -- Some observations on Saturday's victory by the Buckeyes.

1. William Buford is going to take the big shot. You just never know if he's going to make it. But he ... is ... going ... to ... take ... it. Accept the reality.

Saturday he made it, draining Ohio State's only 3-pointer to increase the lead to 54-50 with 2:27 to play. At the moment he released the shot, Buford was 3 for 14. Afterward, on his own, Buford referenced two recent 3-point misses: with two seconds left, and down one, against Kentucky in the Sweet 16 last season, and with nine seconds left, and down one, at Indiana on New Year's Eve.

"I had two times like that when I missed the shots, and I wanted to have the toughness to knock it down," Buford said. "If my teammates and coaches have faith in me, that gives me all the confidence in the world."

Jared Sullinger believes Saturday's shot showed that Buford has guts. If he had missed it, and Wisconsin had rebounded, taken the lead and won, OSU fans would have called it something else. But, in the end, taking the shot requires the same gumption -- the difference of a few inches determines how it is characterized.

2. Ohio State got lucky that Wisconsin was so cold. The Badgers made just five of 27 3-pointers, the fourth time this season they've made fewer than 20 percent from long range. Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan liked the looks and said, "When we're hitting them, we can look pretty good on the offensive end." When they're not, they're in trouble. The Badgers were just 3-of-28 from beyond the arc in a stunning home loss to Iowa on Dec. 31.

Some of the shots were so open, it maybe looked like the Buckeyes were leaving them on purpose, daring the Badgers to make something outside. OSU coach Thad Matta said that wasn't the case. Ryan said Ohio State did a good job cutting off Wisconsin's lanes to the basket, but if the Badgers had an average shooting day, this would have been a different game.

3. Sullinger had 24 points on 16 shots, Deshaun Thomas 16 points on 15 shots and William Buford 11 points on 15 shots. The rest of the Buckeyes scored seven points on five shots. Some might see a scary scoring imbalance. It doesn't seem like a problem to me. Why would anyone demand that Ohio State's less effective scorers shoot more?

4. Clearly, Lenzelle Smith Jr. and Aaron Craft aren't consistent scoring threats. But both are very good defensively. Smith with his rebounding and Craft with his passing make serious offensive contributions without shooting.

Ryan said some teams that have double-teamed Sullinger "have paid big-time." Then he mentioned Buford and Thomas and Smith as guys who can hurt you if open. Smith has proven that in two other games this season. But if Sullinger is effective inside, five total shots for Smith and Craft is just right.

Dirk Nowitzki proved in the last NBA Finals that loyalty matters. In Cleveland, that and his MVP Finals performance made him the most popular visiting player in the NBA.

View full sizeAP fileThe emotions may not have matched riding in a victory parade in Dallas last June, but Dirk Nowitzki discovered that he has plenty of admirers in Cleveland before Saturday night's game at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Saturday's guest of honor came off the practice floor, the very large object of even larger civic affection.

Suddenly, Dirk Nowitzki -- 7 feet tall, of German heritage, the 2011 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, a man in the employ of the opposing Dallas Mavericks for 14 years now -- was besieged for autographs. Fans at the Cavaliers-Dallas game thrust programs and photos and Dallas jerseys at Nowitzki, who signed a couple dozen in all, each with a scrawled "Dirk."

"Dirk! Dirk!" they cried. Fans want autographs everywhere, but the dynamic was different here. More fans, more warmth.

"When you're caught up in the Finals, you really don't know about these things," said Nowitzki afterward.

The cries were fading as he walked through the tunnel to the locker room. "But we heard how people were pulling for us here. We heard about Dan Gilbert's tweet," said Nowitzki.

"Mavs NEVER stopped & now entire franchise gets rings. Old lesson for all: There are NO SHORTCUTS. NONE," Gilbert, the Cavaliers' owner, tweeted after Dallas beat Miami.

Nowitzki said it wasn't simply that he stayed in Dallas, even though he was a free agent before last season. It wasn't even that LeBron James left here because, as a free agent, he had that right.

"I think this whole city and this whole region were hurt by the way LeBron left," said Nowitzki.

Just before Nowitzki ducked into the cramped visiting locker room, Brian Cardinal, an Illinois native who played at Purdue, walked past. This was his kind of town, too, and for more reasons than his Midwestern background.

"The Cavericks are here," he said.

He says Cavericks, others say Mavaliers. The fans cheered for the Cavs' 91-88 victory Saturday night. But while the scoreboard swords shouldn't -- and didn't -- belch flames for the visitors, I wonder how many children born in Cleveland after the NBA Finals were named Dirk?

OK, and now how many boys?

"Dallas just healed my heart," tweeted former Cavalier Mo Williams after the Finals.

Nowitzki sank a memorable, spinning, left-handed layup with a metal splint taped to the middle finger of the hand, protecting a torn tendon, to win the second game of the Finals. It was hailed as proof of the "new," more aggressive, tougher Nowitzki, who until then seemingly had been the epitome of the "soft" European player.

In the 2006-07 season, Nowitzki became the first international player to be named NBA MVP. But Dallas was eliminated in the first playoff round by a Golden State team that finished 25 games behind in the standings and played a glorified brand of streetball. Nowitzki's reliance on 3-pointers and jumpers seemed craven, as was written here.

Certainly, it looked weak-kneed and lily-livered, compared to James, whose epic 48-point fifth game of the Eastern Conference finals against Detroit that spring helped put an overmatched Cleveland team in the Finals against San Antonio. Career arcs and reputations can change, though. "Witness" (to choose a word at random) how last June Nowitzki became the tough-minded deliverer and James "died down in the moment" (to choose a phrase at random).

The real truth is that for Nowitzki nothing much changed, as Deadspin.com's Luke O'Brien pointed out in a perceptive essay soon after the Finals. Nowitzki still scored much more often on jump shots than drives. He is no threat to make a highlight show by dunking. He became more of a low-post presence, although not in the usual back-to-the-basket way. He didn't seize the moment. He caressed it softly.

Facing up or stepping back, with his height and reach, with his habit of jumping into fadeaways off one leg, with his other knee crooked to create more space, with his body canted far backward, with his high-arching, soft shot -- Nowitzki was simply unstoppable.

After the Finals, Ohio Governor John Kasich proclaimed the Mavs "Ohioans for a day." "Wasn't that something?" said a grinning Nowitzki.

He showed up out of shape after the lockout and is down in most offensive categories, including a ghastly 18.4 percent from the three-point arc entering Saturday's game. Doesn't matter.

In a compressed season, an aging team like Dallas is a long shot to repeat, too. Doesn't matter.

What mattered is that Nowitzki stuck with his game and his self-belief, Dallas stuck with Nowitzki, and a heart-sore city 1,183 miles away came to cherish any memento at all with his name on it.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Kyrie Irving scores 20 and Anderson Varejao has 17 points and 17 rebounds in triumph over defending NBA champs.

View full sizeTony Dejak, Associated PressKyrie Irving spins in his final basket of the game -- despite the efforts of Dallas' Brandan Wright -- to give the Cavaliers a three-point lead in the final seconds of Saturday's victory over the Mavericks at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Seven months ago, Cavaliers fans adopted Dirk Nowitzki as a hero for denying LeBron James a title in the NBA Finals. His parade of off-balance jumpers and clutch 3-pointers was all they had to celebrate in a season of anguish and suffering for the home side.

But as the Dallas Mavericks star could attest Saturday night, Cavaliers faithful have a new-look team and a 19-year-old rookie who can make a moment his own.

The Cavaliers rallied from an early deficit to stun the Mavericks, 91-88, at The Q as their new closer, Kyrie Irving, punctuated the victory with a pair of spectacular driving layups.

Nowitzki might have received a nice ovation before tipoff, but it was Irving and the Cavs who were bathed in the applause of 17,443 fans at the end as they beat their first opponent with an above-.500 record.

Anderson Varejao contributed 17 points and 17 rebounds and Antawn Jamison recovered from a dreadful start to finish with 19 points. But at winning time it was Irving who delivered the pair of twisting, turning, knifing drives that have become his signature move.

He put them ahead for good, 87-86, with 2:34 left. Irving supplied the dagger with 15 seconds remaining on an equally impressive drive.

Fans could not revel in victory until the Mavs' Jason Terry and Brandan Wright each missed 3-point attempts. When the final horn sounded, however, Irving was being interviewed on the court, the culmination of a remarkable week that began with his game-winning layup in Boston on Sunday.

"He's got that unique ability to get to the basket," coach Byron Scott said. "And when he gets there he has a great way of finishing. Once he gets around guys, he's just a great little finisher."

Irving was 9-of-17 from the field with a team-high 20 points and seven assists in just under 36 minutes. He showed terrific stamina after playing nearly 40 minutes in Friday's loss in Orlando.

"He's a terrific young player and we didn't guard him very well," said Nowitzki, who finished with a game-high 24 points. "He's a very good penetrator and he made big plays.

"He was a great draft choice and he's going to be a foundation piece here for more than a decade."

Both the Cavs (9-13) and the Mavs (14-11) were playing their second game in as many nights. The Mavericks had been 6-2 in the back ends of those games, the Cavs just 1-4. But the hosts appeared the fresher side, particularly down the stretch. The Mavericks did not convert another field goal after Terry hit a 3-point with 4:14 remaining.

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, grabbed 17 offensive rebounds, forced 21 Dallas turnovers and registered 26 more shots. They won despite shooting just 39.8 percent.

They struggled mightily from the field before halftime. Irving missed his first five shots. Jamison missed his first six. Both Jamison and Luke Haragody launched perimeter scuds that caromed off the glass without drawing rim. The Cavs trailed by as many as 15 points.

But third quarter was one of the Cavs' best this season. They outscored the defending champions, 27-13, in a period that included a 13-0 run. Rookie shooting guard Mychel Thompson ignited the rally with a pair of 3-point shots.

"I thought that was big because it got us off to a good start in the third quarter," Scott said.

The Cavs led, 70-64, to open the final quarter, but it looked like Nowitzki -- mired in a season-long shooting slump -- was going to return to his Finals form. He scored seven quick points.

But the Cavs hung tough behind Irving and Varejao, who has 51 rebounds in the last four games. The Brazilian became the first Cav since Brad Daugherty to collect 15 or more boards in three straight games.

"I don't consider them fans, I consider them my friends," West said of Cavaliers supporters.

View full sizeTony Dejak, Associated PressDelonte West was called for an offensive foul as Mychel Thompson absorbed the charge in the first quarter Saturday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mavericks guard Delonte West has good memories of his time with the Cavaliers and their fans. Judging by the warm pre-game ovation he received Saturday night, Cleveland shares the sentiment.

West returned to The Q for the first time since he was a member of the Cavaliers during the fateful 2010 playoffs. He spoke to the media prior to game, saying he feels good physically and mentally and enjoys his new role with the defending NBA champions.

"Everything is great, I'm enjoying Dallas," said West, averaging 8.1 points, 3.3 points and 22 minutes. "It's just a great atmosphere. Like Cleveland, it's just another one of those owners [in Mark Cuban] that just gets it."

West suffers from bipolar disorder. In 2009, he was arrested on weapons and traffic charges in Maryland. He eventually plead to two misdemeanor weapons charges. Despite his medical condition, he has been a solid contributor at almost every stop -- including Cleveland, where he played from 2007-10. He spoke fondly of his days with the franchise.

"I don't consider them fans, I consider them my friends," West said. "We had such a close bond. It's good to see the same faces. And that speaks to what Cleveland sports is about. Even though the things that went on."

West was asked why he thought the heavily-favored Cavaliers were eliminated by Boston in the 2010 playoffs.

"I know what happened," he said. "We ran into a fierce Boston team. [Rajon] Rondo was playing the best basketball of his career. [Shaquille O'Neal] went down with the injury. And we had no answer for them. That's all it was. You can't take credit from a great Boston team."

He spent last season with the Celtics, playing just 24 games, before signing as a free agent with the Mavericks.

West said he likes the new-look Cavaliers. "They have a great coaching staff and one of the best owners in the NBA here," he said. "I think they have a nice group of young guys here. This organization is heading in the right direction."

Injury update: Anthony Parker (back), Tristan Thompson (ankle) and Daniel Gibson (neck infection) remain out. The club still has offered no insight to how Gibson developed the infection.

The guard has not spoken to the media since Sunday. Scott said Gibson wants to return to working out and practicing, but is still waiting for medical clearance.

Injury update II: Public address announcer Olivier Sedra was taken from the arena on a stretcher and transported to the Cleveland Clinic before the start of the game. The team provided no further update. Carl Manteau served as the PA announcer.

The last word: Byron Scott is picking the New York Giants over the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, 27-21. Added the former Los Angeles Laker: "I don't like anything from Boston: Celtics, Red Sox or Patriots."

Cleveland.com Glenn Moore contributed to this report.

Irving's terrific start is beginning to generate national attention for himself and the Cavaliers.

View full sizeAmy Sancetta, Associated PressKyrie Irving's emergence in the first half of the NBA season is catching the attention of national media. He's a "very good player who's going to be fun to watch for years to come," says former Cavaliers coach and TV analyst Mike Fratello.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kyrie Irving believes the dry humor of ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy might make him the funniest person he has met.

Van Gundy takes issue with the 19-year-old point guard's assessment.

"Clearly, he has not met enough people," the former NBA coach said.

Van Gundy was part of the "NBA on ESPN" commercial that featured Irving being exhumed from between RV seat cushions like lost money. Although the rookie has yet to record his first double-double, the ad's punch line, "I think we just found Kyrie Irving" supplies a double entendre.

The joke behind the joke: Irving and the Cavaliers are not scheduled to appear on ESPN, ABC or TNT telecasts this season. But Irving's terrific start is beginning to generate national attention for himself and the Cavaliers. On the night the spot originally aired, Jan. 27, the point guard scored 21 fourth-quarter points against New Jersey, the first of three consecutive fantastic finishes from Irving.

This past week, Sports Illustrated was in Cleveland gathering material for an upcoming article on the heels of his first game-winning shot against the Celtics in Boston on Jan. 29. What America will learn about Irving, said Van Gundy, is he's not just a point guard on the come, but a player who possesses the character and humility of a Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant.

"He has that similar mindset and it's refreshing," Van Gundy said. "Sometimes when guys go through AAU basketball and have early success they don't retain it. I think that bodes very well for Cleveland and the league in general."

CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell said Irving's visibility was seriously impacted by the five-month lockout which virtually shut down the league days after the No. 1 overall draft pick shook hands with NBA Commissioner David Stern on June 23.

It didn't help that Irving played just 11 times at Duke due to a foot injury. Former Cavaliers coach and TNT analyst Mike Fratello believes the league no longer has the built-in marketing of the college game for its rookies because players often declare for the draft so early.

Fratello has seen Irving twice while broadcasting New Jersey Nets' games for the YES Network and described him as a "very good player who's going to be fun to watch for years to come." He added, however, that Irving's play alone won't make the Cavaliers a lock to return to national television.

"In his second year if the team is terrible, I'm not sure," said Fratello, who understandably didn't want to speak for the networks.

The Cavaliers were the NBA's worst road draw among 30 teams a season after LeBron James left for the Miami Heat. They rank 11th this season, averaging 17,284 fans -- an improvement of more than 1,000 spectators. While Irving's appeal might be a factor, the club has played in cities such as Los Angeles, Boston and Portland, where the home teams attract sellouts regardless of the opponent.

The Cavaliers acknowledge they are starting to get more requests for Irving, although nothing approaching the James years. This season has been a fresh start for a franchise that even a season ago endured its share of autopsies from the national media.

Van Gundy believes the press can create too much hype for a player based on a super-sized personality. He doesn't see this as an issue for Irving.

Fans are drawn to Rose and Durant, Van Gundy said, in part because they share the burden of being their team's best players without lobbying management for more help. He thinks Irving will take a similar approach in Cleveland.

"These kind of players are humble enough to prepare and confident enough to perform," Van Gundy said.

Irving said he's comfortable with the growing attention, especially if it reflects well on the city and organization.

"I don't care about all the extra accolades," he said. "At the end of the day all I care about is winning and continuing to grow with these guys. The attitude going forward is to continue to prove [the critics] wrong."

Plucked from between the seat cushions, Irving likely will see more of Van Gundy, Fratello and their networks as the Cavaliers improve.

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

The Zips seem poised to make a serious bid for their third NCAA appearance in four years.

View full sizeKaren Schiely, Akron Beacon-JournalAkron's Chauncey Gilliam delivers two of his 13 points in the Zips' easy victory over Eastern Michigan Saturday night at Rhodes Arena.

AKRON, Ohio -- It's too early to know if this will be Keith Dambrot's best basketball team at Akron, but it may be his most talented.

They have it all from a 7-foot shot-blocking center (Zeke Marshall) to a little guard who can handle the ball (Alex Abreu) to several wing players who are so physically gifted they really do seem to fly all over the floor.

This team doesn't just defend. It traps. It swarms. It can make it seem as if there's a dozen players on the court. They also lead the Mid-American Conference in 3-point shooting. On certain nights, they can deliver a monster game, as they did in Saturday's 77-47 victory over Eastern Michigan.

That brought smiles to the 1972 Zips, who assembled to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Akron's trip to the NCAA Division II national finals. Seeing Len Paul, Larry Jenkins, Harvey Glover and so many others on the floor during a timeout produced a standing ovation from the crowd of 4,234.

Eastern arrived in town leading the MAC West with a 5-3 record and allowing a conference-low 59 points a game. Coach Rob Murphy (a Kent State assistant from 2002-04) has 7-foot Syracuse transfer Da'Shonte Riley at center.

The Zips' Marshall outscored Riley, 11-0 and outrebounded him, 5-1. Marshall had four more blocks and ranks No. 10 in the nation in that category. Riley was on the court for 27 minutes for little effect. As Akron's Chauncey Gilliam (13 points) said, when Marshall faces another 7-footer, he seems to rise to the occasion. It's safe to say that Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim is not staying awake after losing Riley, who entered the game averaging only 5.3 points.

"Zeke is playing better than people give him credit for," said Dambrot. "He tries hard. He's coachable. He can do a better job rebounding, but he's really improving."

EMU also has Quintin Dailey Jr, son of the former NBA player. The senior from Las Vegas by way of Sheridan (Wyoming) Junior College is averaging 3.7 points. Euclid's Jamell Harris had five points in 18 minutes for the losers.

The game seemed over after nine minutes, when the Zips led 23-9. Akron's eight field goals were scored by eight different players. By the half, it was 39-16. No wonder why the Zips are a MAC-best 8-1, 16-7 overall. Not bad for a team that started 3-5.

"I think we're pretty good," said Dambrot. "A little spurty, a little erratic, and we're not always smart. But we do share the ball."

No one averages more than 10 points -- but there are seven players with at least seven points a game. Dambrot kept pushing his team, as the Zips forced 18 turnovers and transformed them into 26 points.

A fun player to watch is Demetrius Treadwell, who played only one season at Euclid before enrolling at Akron. He sat out last season to put his academics in order, and is emerging as a "ferocious" rebounder coming off the bench, according to Dambrot. He's 6-7, 225 pounds with hands like meat hooks. If he gets a finger on a ball, it sticks with him. He had nine rebounds in this game and leads the MAC in offensive rebounding.

"His work ethic has improved dramatically in practice," said Dambrot. "He plays hard every game. It helps that he's starting to trust his coaches, and we're getting to know each other."

The Zips seem poised to make a serious bid for their third NCAA appearance in four years.

Dambrot shrugged.

"We're going to have our lapses. It depends how I handle that and they handle it. But athletically, this is the best team we've had here. So we'll see."

Justin Greene led all scorers with 19 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots.

KENT, Ohio -- No team in the Mid-American Conference seems to consistently take Kent State to the brink like Western Michigan, and Saturday night was no exception as the Golden Flashes held on to get a tough overtime win, 78-73, over the Broncos.

"I know it's getting old," WMU head coach Steve Hawks said, fully aware KSU won the two previous matchups on its last possession of each game, then this one in overtime. "It would be great if we got one or two of these. Going through the line [at the end of the game] Justin Greene whispered in my ear, 'it's always a good one.'"

Perhaps for the first time this season, Kent's seniors made an collective impact. Justin Greene led all scorers with 19 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots. Carlton Guyton showed signs of emerging from a season-long funk with 14 points and six assists. Mike Porrini had five points, five assists, four steals and eight rebounds.

Finally, much-maligned Justin Manns had 10 rebounds, five points, a pair of blocked shots and two clutch free throws in OT that gave Kent a 76-70 lead with 24 seconds to play. Add in 18 points, three blocks and three steals from junior Chris Evans plus 13 points, four assists, a block and a pair of steals from junior Randal Holt, and it was barely enough.

"I was, in particular, proud of how JManns played," head coach Rob Senderoff said of Kent's 6-10 power forward. "I was happy he made those free throws. He deserved that for how he played. They were big. With how the game ended, if he misses one of two it might be a different game."

WMU hit a 3-pointer right after Mann's two charities, then sent Evans to the line with 8.4 seconds to play where he uncharacteristically missed a pair. The loose ball rebound headed out of bounds, sure to be WMU's ball. But Porrini hustled and bounced the ball off Demetrius Ward. Evans was fouled again, but this time he hit both, lifting Kent to 16-6, 6-3 on the season while WMU fell to 10-13, 4-5.

Kent opened the game briskly. But after building a 12-6 lead, the Broncos turned to a zone defense that slowed the Flashes, and earned WMU a 33-32 lead at halftime. Midway through the second half, Kent stormed back for a 47-42 edge, but the Broncos answered with a 12-2 run to put Kent on the ropes.

WMU led, 61-58, with 2:06 to play when a slumbering Holt emerged. He scored eight of his 13 points the rest of the way, including back-to-back 3-pointers that tied the game then gave Kent a brief 64-61 lead.

"I shot them like I was shooting them in the first half," Holt said. "I wasn't going to miss them all night."

WMU's Matt Stainbrook (St. Edward High) sent the game into OT with a power move inside and free throw for the last of his 11 points, but the Flashes would not have gotten there without the sudden hot hand by the guard out of Glenville High.

"That's Randal for you," Senderoff said. "One thing he never lacks is confidence. And he never hesitates to shoot them. They were obviously huge threes. We wouldn't have won without them."

Overtime was all Kent. Porrini's blocked shot led to Evans' rebound basket for a 66-64 lead the Flashes would not lose.

This week's mailbag asks about an on-again, off-again outfielder with the Tribe, and other roster moves.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerTrevor Crowe is facing an uphill challenge in chasing a spot on the Indians' big-league roster in 2012.

Hey, Hoynsie: I like your articles about the makeup of the Indians and the upcoming season, but I noticed one name missing from the outfielders. Where's Trevor Crowe? -- John Zajacz, Strongsville

Hey, John: Crowe is still in the organization, but he's not on the 40-man roster and has yet to be invited to big-league camp. I'd say his status with the Tribe would be classified as "to be determined."

Hey, Hoynsie: Apparently, the Indians have adopted the "pasta al dente" philosophy, hoping they can throw a bunch of misfits against the wall and someone will stick. Isn't it about time to bring back Joe Inglett and Bill Selby? -- Burt Laderman, Aurora

Hey, Burt: Why is it that utility players, be they Mike Fischlin, Jamey Carroll, Inglett or Selby, are almost always the nicest guys on the team?

Hey, Hoynsie: In your opinion, why can't the Tribe attract a quality free agent? Back in the Dick Jacobs/John Hart era, the Tribe was a respected organization, weren't we? -- Nick Brody, Washington, D.C.

Hey, Nick: It's easy to attract big-name free agents. All you have to do is win a lot of games, go deep into the postseason, and pay more than the other guy. And you have to do it every year. Yet even the Indians under Jacobs and Hart had trouble landing every free agent they set their heart on. Roger Clemens, Alex Fernandez and David Wells all said no to Jacobs and Hart.

Cleveland isn't Hollywood or New York. Whoever owns the club isn't going to break the bank of player salaries.

Hey, Hoynsie: I should know this, but when does a player's pay actually start? Is it the day they show up for spring training and when does it end? Obviously, I ask because these dates would affect the amount we pay Fausto Carmona/Roberto Hernandez Heredia. If he does not make it back to the team until mid-May, does he lose three months of his $7 million salary or is it calculated differently? -- Joe Eversole, Pelham, Ala.

Hey, Joe: Players start getting paid on the first day of the regular season through the last. A season usually covers 182 days. If Carmona/Heredia doesn't rejoin the Indians until mid-May, he'd lose about 1 1/2 months salary.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do you feel that the reasoning behind no guaranteed contracts after 2012 for the Indians is because Larry and Paul Dolan are finally holding the front office accountable? Might they finally clean house if they don't make the playoffs? -- Walter R. Pritchard, Painesville

Hey, Walter: Hard to see how not having any guaranteed money committed to a player past 2012 puts the front office under fire? Couldn't it be used more as an excuse? I thought it might be because ownership was stripping the club down to make it available for sale, but I don't believe that's the case.

Hey, Hoynsie: I am a little perplexed regarding MLB and Indians' reaction to the Fausto Carmona/Roberto Hernandez Heredia situation. From what I have read so far, no one has condemned what he has done. Instead of voiding his contract or "blacklisting" him, we hear about Indians trying to help him come back to the United States. He has done something illegal and he should be banned rather than be allowed to join the team (whenever that is). What kind of an example does that set for others who may think of doing something similar in the future? -- P.D., Cleveland

Hey, P.D.: The U.S Consulate in the Dominican Republic said last week that one of the penalties for using a false identification to get into this country is lifetime ineligibility. Don't know about you, but that sounds serious.

If Carmona/Heredia does manage to re-enter the country, MLB is expected to suspend him. I think whatever the penalty, it's going to sting. This is MLB's chance to make an example of a fairly high-profile player and I think it will take full advantage to send the message you're seeking.

Hey, Hoynsie: I'm guessing Russ Canzler is the big right-handed bat the Indians were looking for all off-season. Does the front office really expect the fans to buy into all the washed-up and unproven players they've invited to spring training? -- Bobby Kuhn, Middleburg Heights

Hey, Bobby: Not sure where Canzler fits in Tribe's plans for 2012, but he had a great year last season. Let's give him a chance, shall we?

Hey, Hoynsie: I'm confused. I thought this off-season was a big chance for the Dolans to help their relationship with the fan base. The fans are excited -- then virtually nothing except minor-league contracts. What gives? -- Tom Goodsite, Kirksville, Mo.

Hey, Tom: The Indians did sign two big-league free agents in Grady Sizemore and Casey Kotchman. They added big-league pitchers Derek Lowe and Kevin Slowey in trades. They acquired borderline big-league outfielders in Aaron Cunningham and Russ Canzler.

It's not going to overshadow the Tigers signing Prince Fielder. It seems like the Indians are banking on their young players who joined the team in the last couple of years improving to where they can help carry the team this year.

No doubt, it's a gamble.

-- Hoynsie

Brown injured his groin on Friday night in a 65-47 victory at Loyola and didn't play on Sunday for the first time all season.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerAnton Grady's first start in his freshman season resulted in a double double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Brian Hedger

Special to The Plain Dealer

CHICAGO -- The good news is that D'Aundray Brown's absence didn't slow up the Cleveland State Vikings at all in a blowout win on Sunday afternoon.

The bad news is that the senior starting guard is questionable for Thursday's showdown against Valparaiso at the Wolstein Center. Brown injured his groin on Friday night in a 65-47 victory at Loyola and didn't play for the first time all season. He'd started all 23 of CSU's previous games and is their second-leading scorer at 11.3 points a game.

Will he be ready to go against Valparaiso?

"I would hope so," Vikings coach Gary Waters said after beating UIC on Sunday. "If he can't, then it'll be another week to get him right. We need him down the stretch. Last year, we came into the month of February with a one-game lead and went 4-4 in February and I thoughtthat hurt our chances to go to the [NCAA Tournament]. So, this stretch is a key factor for us."

The Vikings also host Butler on Saturday after facing the Crusaders.

Final homecoming: Senior guard Jeremy Montgomery played his high-school basketball at Chicago's Lincoln Park High School and always enjoys coming back home to play in front of family and friends.

However, Sunday's game at UIC didn't get off to a great start in his last collegiate Horizon League game in the Windy City. Montgomery didn't score in the first half and satfor the last 10 minutes with two personal fouls -- which rendered him not much more than a cheerleader.

"I felt a couple of those fouls were iffy, but it happens," Montgomery said. "I was just trying to cheer my team on in the first half and just let them know to keep fighting and stay focused. That's what we did. In the second half we came out and I was fired up and ready togo."

Indeed he was, scoring all of his game-high 14 points in the last 20 minutes. Montgomery hit four of his five 3-point attempts.

"Just coming back to Chicago and playing with my team at this level, with this coaching staff -- it's beautiful," Montgomery said. "I can't describe it. I can't wait for the future, because we're really going to be looking good in March. I can't wait to see how it all playsout."

Future looks bright: Freshman Anton Grady wore a big smile after scoring 12 points and ripping down 10 rebounds in his first career start. He replaced Brown and scored eight of theVikings' first 10 points before heading to the bench with two quick fouls midway through the first half.

"I knew with D'Aundray out, I had to step my game up early," said Grady, a 6-8 forward from central Catholic High School. "D'Aundray brings a lot of early offense and hustle and coach was talking right before the game about how somebody had to pick up the slack. So, Icame out with that mind-set."

After Grady said he felt confident in his first career start, Waters joked that it was Grady's humble way of saying he'd like to start more often.

"I think he should get Freshman of the Year in this conference," Waters said. "If he doesn't, there's something wrong. If I would just start him, you would see this almost every game. This is the kind of ability the young man has. I've got to give him a lot of credit, because he hasn't complained. He knows his time is going to come and he knows next year, all of a sudden he goes to the forefront."

Nothing clinched: Waters was asked on Sunday about potentially hosting the Horizon League tournament, if the Vikings win the regular season title for the first time in school history.

"That's been our goal this year," he said. "When we started out that was our goal. Last year we lost it at the end. We lost that when Milwaukee came to our house and beat us. We win that game, we host the tournament and we blew it. I couldn't complain. We had every chance.We couldn't complain. Hats go off to them, but we can't let hats go off anymore. We've got to go after this thing."

Brian Hedger is a freelance writer from Crown Point, Ind.

Buckeyes defense allows fewest points per possession in the nation, while it's tough for opponents to guard All-American Sullinger and his talented teammates. Links to more Buckeyes basketball stories.

Marvin Fong, The Plain DealerOhio State All-American forward Jared Sullinger is among the toughest players to guard in college basketball.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio State's Buckeyes basketball team seems primed for the stretch drive of the regular season and the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.

OSU, ranked third in the nation, is 20-3 and in first place with an 8-2 Big Ten record. The Buckeyes are on a five-game winning streak, including their 58-52 win at No. 19 Wisconsin on Saturday.

Eamonn Brennan writes for ESPN.com that the Badgers learned some things about the Buckeyes during Saturday's game:

They also learned the lesson anyone who has played this Ohio State team (or last season's version, for that matter) already knows: The Buckeyes defend, too. Per Ken Pomeroy's metrics, the Bucks are the stingiest per-possession defense in the country. The second stingiest? Wisconsin. But while the Badgers allow .81 points per trip, OSU allows an absurd .77, the rare team that forces turnovers but doesn't give away fouls and one that also cleans up the defensive glass. UW has had its troubles scoring from time to time this season, but the Buckeyes are a whole 'nother animal.

Play fast, play slow, play at your court, play in Columbus. Play however you like. If you don't have someone who can guard Jared Sullinger -- never mind a group of players to check the insanely talented group around him -- and/or an offense that can find a way to score against this kind of defense, it doesn't really matter. Ohio State is going to beat you.

Ohio State hosts Purdue (15-8, 5-5) on Tuesday night.

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage includes PD Buckeyes beat writer Doug Lesmerises' observations about OSU's win at Wisconsin, and more.

About the Buckeyes

Buckeyes guard William Buford comes through in the clutch. By Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch.

Buckeyes point guard Aaron Craft wins an award for not just his basketball play, but just as much for his accomplishments as a student. From the Columbus Dispatch.

Buckeyes snap the nine-game losing streak they had at Wisconsin. By Brandon Castel for the-Ozone.net. 

Observations after OSU's win at Wisconsin. By Tony Gerdeman for the-Ozone.net.

From nearly a month ago, but still interesting. A Bleacher Report slideshow on the top 12 centers in Ohio State basketball history (though a couple of the players were forwards more than they were centers).

Ohio State wins at Wisconsin. By Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch.

The quality of NBA player that Jared Sullinger might be. By Robin Lalisse for the Bleacher Report.

Video breakdown of Wisconsin's loss to Ohio State, from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Observations on the Badgers' loss to the Buckeyes, by Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Join The Plain Dealer's Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Glenn Moore as they broke down the Giants' 21-17 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.

AP Photo/David J. PhillipDennis Manoloff and Glenn Moore break down the New York Giants' Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.

Dennis and Glenn discussed these topics:

• Where does this win put the Giants in terms of a dynasty?

• Should Eli Manning put included in talks of all-time great quarterbacks?

• Can the Giants come back next season and repeat?

• Where do the Patriots go from here?

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right.

As he had in Super Bowl XLII, Manning led the Giants on their last possession of the game for the deciding points, earning the game's MVP award.

View full sizeChris O'Meara, Associated PressFor the second time, Eli Manning bested Tom Brady and the New England Patriots and was able to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Giants won Super Bowl XLVI.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Okay, so maybe Eli Manning knew what he was talking about.

Before the season began, he ranked himself right up there with elite quarterbacks Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and big brother Peyton before the start of the season.

Now, he can spell that previously forbidden word Eli-te.

Manning, with plenty of help from Warren native Mario Manningham, engineered a sensational game-winning touchdown drive capped by Ahmad Bradshaw's six-yard run with 57 seconds left to lift the Giants over the Patriots, 21-17, in Super Bowl XLVI.

As a result, he won his second Super Bowl MVP award – both against New England. The first was Feb. 3, 2008 in Super Bowl XLII in Arizona, a 17-14 Giants win.

This time around, the Giants became the first team to finish 9-7 in the regular season to win a Super Bowl.

Manning, who's toiled in the shadow of Peyton and Super Bowl winning QBs such as Brady and Rodgers, catapulted himself into the Hall of Fame conversation. He did so in the house that Peyton built, with most of the fans in Lucas Oil Stadium cheering for him.

"It feels great to win a Super Bowl no matter where you are," said Manning. "It was a great game with two great teams. We played to the very end. I'm just happy for the guys. I'm happy for everyone in the organization."

It was also the second Super Bowl victory for Giants coach Tom Coughlin, who now has any many Lombardi trophies as Hall of Fame candidate and mentor Bill Parcells. It was the third time this season the Giants beat the Patriots, including a preseason victory and a 24-20 win Nov. 6.

The victory denied Brady's second bid to tie Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana with four Super Bowl victories and Patriots coach Bill Belichick's attempt to tie former Steelers coach Chuck Noll with four titles.

"It's unbelievable," said Giants linebacker and University of Akron graduate Chase Blackburn, who picked off Brady in the fourth quarter. "Only God could draw this up. Nobody else could've imagined this."

Manning took over with 3:46 remaining and the Giants trailing, 17-15. He kicked off the nine-play, 88-yard drive with a 38-yard pass to Manningham, who made a spectacular sideline catch, keeping his feet inbounds while maintaining possession.

"When the ball hit my fingertips, I knew I was going to have to freeze my feet," said Manningham, who caught five passes for 73 yards. "Eli put a great ball out there." He followed with catches of 16 and two yards to get to the Patriots 32.

"It was on Manningham's play. For real, that put us over the top," said receiver Hakeem Nicks, who had two of his 10 receptions on the drive. "It was clutch and we made it at the right time."

Manning drove the Giants to the 6, where Bradshaw was supposed to run out the clock before a game-winning field goal. Instead, the Red Sea parted, no Patriots tried to tackle him, and he spilled into the end zone to put the Giants up, 21-17.

"I should've emphasized in the huddle he needed to go down there," said Manning, who had to hold his breath for the final seconds as Brady took over.

"Our defense did a great job stepping up there," said Manning. "They got the sack and didn't let him complete the Hail Mary."

Brady's final drive began with two dropped passes and a sack by Justin Tuck, his second of the game.

"It isn't easy for me to sit up here and talk about the stuff that I did but it was a great team win," said Tuck.

But this was Brady, a Super Bowl MVP in his own right. He converted a fourth and 16 with a 19-yard pass to Deion Branch at the Patriots 33 and then an 11-yarder to Aaron Hernandez at the 44. Finally, with five seconds remaining, he heaved the Hail Mary into the end zone for Hernandez, and Giants safety Kenny Phillips knocked it down. Tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was ailing with a high ankle sprain, dove for the ball, but couldn't get to it.

"Obviously we wish we could've done a little bit more," said Brady, who rallied the Patriots from a 9-0 deficit to a 17-9 lead after the opening drive of the third quarter ended with a TD pass to Hernandez. But a chance to put the game away midway through the fourth quarter ended when a wide-open Wes Welker dropped a potential first-down pass at the Giants 20 -- a play that would have allowed the Patriots to potentially run out the clock.

Said Welker of his drop: "It's one of those plays I've made a thousand times. I just didn't make it.''

"We just didn't make enough plays," Brady said. "I'll keep coming to this game and keep trying."

Manning, who hit on his first nine passes, completed 30 of 40 for 296 yards and one touchdown. Brady, who set the Super Bowl record with 16 straight completions, completed 27 of 41 attempts for 276 yards and two TDs, with one interception.

"Today, we had a chance to make [a miracle] play and we didn't make it," said Brady. "I hope we do get back here again."

The Giants dominated much of the first half, but Brady clawed his way back into the game with back-to-back touchdown drives at the end of the first half and beginning of the second.

With eight seconds left until Madonna, he threw a 4-yard TD pass to Danny Woodhead to put the Patriots up, 10-9. The score capped a 14-play, 96-yard drive, third longest in Super Bowl history. Brady went 10-for-10 for 98 yards on that go-ahead drive, including five passes to Hernandez and a 20-yarder to Gronkowski -- his first catch of the game. Brady closed out the half with 11 straight completions.

Brady, who had two passes batted down in the first half and gave up a safety to the Giants on his first play, went 10-for-10 for 98 yards on that go-ahead drive, including five passes to Hernandez and a 20-yarder to Gronkowski -- his first catch of the game. Brady closed out the half with 11 straight completions.

View full sizePatrick Semansky, Associated PressMario Manningham gathers in a pass from Eli Manning for a 38-yard gain in the final minutes of Super Bowl XLVI Sunday. The Giants eventually scored a touchdown on Ahmad Bradshaw's 6-yard run and dodged a Tom Brady Hail Mary as the time ran out.

Before that drive, it looked like the Giants might dominate.

They went up, 2-0, just 3:08 into the game when Brady, throwing out of his own end zone, was pressured by Tuck and launched a pass to a phantom receiver near midfield. He was flagged for intentional grounding and the Giants had their easiest points of the season.

The safety was the seventh in Super Bowl history, and third by the Giants.

Manning came back on the next drive and threw a 2-yard TD pass to receiver Victor Cruz, who celebrated with his signature salsa dance.

"Each (Super Bowl victory) is unique, and this one is just as exciting, probably more so because of the kind of year we had,'' said Coughlin. "What a wonderful experience it was to see the team come together like they did. Our defense started play well and when the defense played well, we gained some confidence.''

Gronkowski, who had his left ankle heavily taped, refused to use the injury as an excuse. Gronkowki, who led the NFL with 17 touchdown catches this season, caught only two passes for 26 yards.

"I was good,'' he said. "I was 100 percent out there doing everything they asked me to do.''

Unfortunately for the Patriots, it wasn't enough.

For more Cinesport video, go here.

The fact that Michigan State senior Draymond Green's knee injury wasn't serious is great news for the Big Ten and will create another first-place challenge for Ohio State on Saturday.

View full sizeKirthman F. Dozier, MCTMichigan State's Draymond Green (right) dominated Michigan's Tim Hardaway Jr. and the rest of the Wolverines on Sunday, giving notice that Ohio State's bid for a Big Ten title isn't a sure thing quite yet.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The most important injury of the Big Ten season was the knee problem that did not wind up keeping Draymond Green off the court on Sunday. With Green, who has been in the discussion as the Big Ten's MVP for three seasons, Michigan State could have Ohio State playing to retain the Big Ten lead for the third straight weekend on Saturday.

The Buckeyes have beaten second-place teams the last two weekends -- first Michigan, then Wisconsin -- but their toughest test yet could come in Value City Arena at 6 p.m. on Saturday against the Spartans. The Buckeyes also end the regular-season in East Lansing on March 4 in a game that could determine the Big Ten winner.

This weekend served as something of a Big Ten Final Four and it showed that the Buckeyes and Spartans are the best two teams in the conference, after No. 3 Ohio State beat No. 19 Wisconsin, 58-52, and No. 9 Michigan State beat No. 23 Michigan, 64-54. At 8-2 in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes hold a one-game lead on 7-3 Michigan State.

But the Spartans couldn't have done it without Green.

"I couldn't even tell he was hurt," Michigan freshman point guard Trey Burke said Sunday, according to AnnArbor.com. "He looked better than he usually does."

Green hurt his knee in last Tuesday's ugly 42-41 Michigan State loss to Illinois, and the immediate worry was that it could be serious. Instead, after a few iffy days, Green had a good day of practice on Friday and then he took it to the Wolverines, with 14 points, 16 rebounds and four assists.

"The performance he had with his scoring, his rebounding and his passing," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo told reporters in his postgame news conference, "if he isn't one of the most valuable guys in this league, I don't know who is."

That point can't be in question. Green has always been like David Lighty was at Ohio State, a smart, team-first player that is involved in every aspect of what his team does best. Now, as a senior, he's also his team's leading scorer (14.9 points per game) and the Big Ten's leading rebounder (10.3 per game).

Losing him would have been disastrous for the Spartans and as disastrous for the Big Ten as the loss of Purdue's Robbie Hummel had been the previous two seasons. The conference just can't lose the guys that make their best teams go.

Green had just 10 points and six rebounds in Michigan State's 71-61 loss at Ohio State last season. Expect him to be much more of a challenge for the Buckeyes, probably for sophomore Deshaun Thomas, on Saturday. And as a Big Ten fan, be glad that he's out there.

Make them be happy: Wisconsin is just 3-3 in Big Ten home games this season, losing to Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State. The Badgers just aren't quite at their usual level. But it's a nod to how great they've been at home that any victory at the Kohl Center is such a big deal for the visitors, as it was for the Buckeyes after winning there Saturday for the first time since 2000.

Former Ohio State players who had never won there, like Mike Conley Jr., Evan Turner and Lighty took to Twitter to celebrate. The current Buckeyes said they never saw coach Thad Matta so happy.

"For somebody to be happy to get a road win in the Big Ten, whether it was here or not, I think that Thad would be happy anywhere," Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said.

The Buckeyes are 3-2 on the road in Big Ten play with road games left at Minnesota, Michigan, Northwestern and Michigan State.

A soft middle in the world of college basketball will force some tough decisions come March.

View full sizeChuck Myers, MCTStan Heath and South Florida have March Madness aspirations, but the Bulls are struggling after a 30-point loss to Georgetown on Saturday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A soft middle in the world of college basketball will force some tough decisions come March. The focus has been on the very weak Pac 12 Conference. But there is more.

It began with this comment from one NCAA basketball insider, "there is a very, very soft middle with the power conferences [ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, Pac-12] this year."

When an explanation was sought, the response was "do your homework."

We did, and it's pretty amazing.

Start with the RPI. As of Sunday nine teams in the Top 40 of RPIRatings.com had non-conference strength of schedules (NCSS) ranked 160th or higher. Six were from the power conferences. One was Missouri (RPI 11, NCSS 263) a team projected to be a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

What does that mean, even coming off Mizzou's stunning comeback victory over Kansas on Saturday? It means the Tigers, good as they are, really haven't played that many good teams.

Nine of 16 Big East teams are .500 or lower in league play. Six teams already have double-digit losses and another four have at least eight losses with a third of the season still to play. Six teams are chasing Syracuse (23-1, 10-1), one of those six is South Florida (13-10, 6-4/RPI 78) which has lost three of nine games against teams with RPIs of 200 or higher.

Last year, the Big East had 11 teams finish with .500 records or better in league play and each won 20 games or more.

Many of these leagues could still level out. But right now, are coach Stan Health's South Florida Bulls on the bubble as a NCAA Tournament team?

Seven of 12 Big Ten teams are .500 or worse in league play with five teams with eight or more losses. So is Indiana (18-6, 6-6) RPI 17, NCSS 194, a lock for the NCAA Tournament or on the bubble?

Six of the 10 Big 12 teams are .500 or worse in conference play. Kansas State (16-6, 5-5) has an RPI of 48 and a NCSS of 248.

Half of the ACC teams have losing conference records.

Five Pac-12 teams already have double-digit losses. The league leader, Washington (16-7, 9-2) has an RPI of 74 in a league where the best RPI (California) is No. 46. Does Washington get an at-large if it wins the league and loses in the Pac-12 Tournament?

In the SEC, Kentucky romps while eight of 12 teams have conference records of .500 or worse.

Sure, this could change in a month. But right now there is a really soft middle.

Under the radar: The most hotly contested league races are among some of the top mid-major leagues. In the Atlantic 10 six teams are within a game of league-leading Temple (17-5, 6-2) with LaSalle (17-7, 6-3), Saint Louis (18-5, 6-3) and UMass (17-6, 6-3) all holding or sharing first place at some point. Pre-season favorite Xavier (15-8, 6-3) is lurking.

In the Mountain West Conference, five of the eight teams have winning league records. San Diego State (20-3, 6-1) sits No. 1, but still has games against UNLV (21-4, 5-2), New Mexico (19-4, 5-2) and Wyoming (18-5, 4-3). The latter is coached by Cleveland native Larry Shyatt and coming off a 68-66 upset over UNLV that knocked the Rebels out of first place.

While Saint Mary's (22-2, 11-0) is running away with the West Coast Conference, Gonzaga (18-4, 8-2), BYU (20-6, 8-3) and Loyola Marymount (15-9, 8-3) are going hammer and tong for second place and building legitimate NCAA Tournament at-large resumes.

On the Horizon: Gary Waters has Cleveland State (20-4, 10-2) rolling, particularly on the defensive end. Since losing at Valparaiso, CSU has dispatched its opponents by 10, 26, 18 and 28 points, with most games decided by halftime.

If that trend continues this week with second-place Valparaiso (17-8, 10-3) at the Wolstein Center at 7 p.m. on Thursday, and league icon Butler (13-12, 7-6), at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Wolstein Center, national pollsters might have to revisit the notion of the Vikings being a Top 25 team. CSU received votes early in the season, but have not received many since losing to Hofstra, which remains the lone black mark on the Vikings' ledger this season.

MAC attack: The imbalance between the East and West divisions was expected to close this season. Instead the gap appears to be widening. In cross-over games, West teams have won only three games. Akron, Kent State, Buffalo and Ohio are all 4-0 against the West. Miami (7-14, 3-6), sitting last in the East, won its last two games West front-runners Eastern Michigan and Ball State.

Unless there is a change in the final two games of cross-over play, the top four spots for the MAC Tournament, and the first-round byes that go with them, will all go to East teams.