Varejao leaves the game with an injured wrist, and the Cavs watch a 10-point third-quarter lead evaporate in an overtime loss at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The new face of the franchise already was in street clothes. Its irrepressible big man was getting his sprained right wrist X-rayed.

Midway through the third quarter, the Cavaliers were without their two best players and trying to survive their third game in four days. Not exactly an ideal environment for a 35-year-old with a cranky Achilles tendon.

But Antawn Jamison carried his young teammates as far as his aging legs would allow until his terrific night and the Cavaliers' fortunes took an ugly U-turn in the final seconds of regulation.

Jamison missed a pair of free throws with 3.7 seconds left and the score tied, 102-102, at The Q. The Bucks used the reprieve to get out of town with a 113-112 overtime victory.

In OT, former Cavalier Drew Gooden scored six points, and Brandon Jennings had three of his team-high 24 points for the Bucks. They held a four-point lead until Alonzo Gee hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

On a night the Cavaliers started the game without Kyrie Irving (concussion) and ended it without Anderson Varejao (sprained wrist), they let a gritty effort slip away.

Jamison, who finished with 34 points and 11 rebounds in 43-plus minutes, ran out of steam, his shorthanded mates lost their poise in blowing a 10-point, second-half lead and the Cavaliers were 7-of-14 at the foul line in the fourth quarter and overtime.

No misses were more critical than Jamison's.

"It was pretty much the deciding factor if I hit my two [free throws] and as a team we shoot better, maybe the outcome is different," who was 14-of-21 from the field and 4-of-8 at the line. "These are games where we have to find a way to get it done."

The Cavaliers nearly won their second straight with Irving -- a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year -- on the bench offering nothing more than vocal support.

Ramon Sessions, Irving's backup, contributed a season-high 16 assists and 12 points, while Daniel Gibson had 17 points and eight assists.

The Cavaliers built a 15-point, first-quarter lead and were still ahead, 85-75, late in the third quarter. By that time, Bucks coach Scott Skiles had seen enough, earning two quick technicals and getting ejected from the game.

But the Cavaliers, who have been good at maintaining fourth-quarter leads, squandered this one. The loss of Varejao played a part.

He was injured early in the third quarter as Mike Dunleavy Jr. tried stripping the ball, catching the center hard on the wrist. The Brazilian was taken immediately to the locker room and did not play again. He left The Q with a brace on his right wrist.

The Bucks capitalized, scoring 28 points in the paint after intermission.

Scott offered no timetable for Varejao's return.

"Not having Andy out there hurt big time," Scott said. "Not just for his defensive rebounds, but for the extra offensive possessions on the offensive end.

"And, I thought we started playing not to lose instead of to win."

The Cavaliers still clung to a 101-97 advantage with 3:04 left in the fourth quarter and a crowd of 15,195 fans trying to get them home. But over the final eight minutes, including OT, the home team shot 4-of-14 from the field and 2-of-6 at the foul line while also committing three turnovers.

The extra period might have been unnecessary if Jamison could have finished off his best night of the season. He was fouled by Gooden with 3.7 seconds left after grabbing a one-handed, defensive rebound.

The scene was set for another dramatic Cavaliers win, yet Jamison drew nothing but rim on both shots.

Jamison's teammates were not going to pin the loss on a power forward who has averaged 28.6 points in the past three games.

"These things happen in this game," said Gibson. "After the night he had, we wouldn't have been close without him knocking down all those tough shots. We still had a chance in overtime."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: treed@plaind.com, 216-999-4370

The Monsters finish a stretch of four straight road games with a 3-0-0-1 record.

View full sizeLake Erie Monsters

Rissmiller's game-winner came on the power play after Peoria's Brett Sonne was sent off for slashing.

The Monsters (23-22-2-2) finished a stretch of four straight road games with a 3-0-0-1 record.

Peoria led, 2-0, until 8:29 of the second period when the Monsters' Dean Strong scored his first goal of the season.

Danny Richmond tied the game at 2 with a power-play goal with 48 seconds left in the period. Richmond, acquired in a trade last week, has at least one point in each of the four games he's played in with the Monsters.

Coleman is 6-2-0-1 since joining the Monsters in January.

Lake Erie hosts Syracuse Sunday at 3 p.m.

The women's team watches a seven-point lead disappear in the second half of a 59-50 loss to the nationally ranked Bears.

View full size

Melissa Gilkey had 12 points, Maddy Scheppers 11, Alyssa Johanson 11 and Dani Hoover 11 for the Bears (17-4, 7-3 University Athletic Association), who are No. 12 in one DIII poll and No. 17 in another.

Marissa Miles scored 10, Chelsea Peck nine and Emily Mueller eight for CWRU (12-9, 5-5), which led, 23-14, with six minutes left in the first half before holding a 27-20 advantage at halftime.

Men

Washington-St. Louis 78, CWRU 60 Austin Fowler had 21 points and 10 rebounds, but the Spartans (9-12, 1-9) lost to the host Bears (16-5, 8-2).

Chris Klimek scored 17 and Dylan Richter 15 for Washington-St. Louis.

It seems the UFC is carefully selecting opponents whose styles force Miocic to widen his range of skills.

View full sizeLonnie Timmons III, Plain Dealer file photoStipe Miocic, right, of Cleveland, works with with head coach Marcus Marinelli at Strongstyle in Independence.

Stipe Miocic isn't on the main event of Wednesday night's UFC on Fuel card, but the Independence-based heavyweight, who takes on veteran Phil De Fries, isn't too worried about it.

His concern is to keep winning and eventually get a shot at Junior dos Santos' UFC title. And to do that, it seems the UFC is carefully selecting opponents whose styles force Miocic to widen his range of skills.

"He [De Fries] is more of a grappler," said Miocic, who won his UFC debut last fall with a decision over cast-iron-jawed brawler Joey Beltran.

"I'm working on everything all the time," said Miocic, who today heads to Omaha, Neb., for the fight. Wednesday's broadcast begins at 8 p.m.

Both Miocic and De Fries are undefeated, with the Ohioan posting a 7-0 MMA record and the Briton with an 8-0 mark. Certainly De Fries, who has won seven of his bouts by submission, will be a different kind of test than the bruising Beltran, who has since been cast off from the UFC ranks.

This will be the second in a four-fight deal Miocic signed with the UFC.

But for much of the mixed martial arts world outside of Northeast Ohio, the focus is on Diego Sanchez (25-4-0) and Jake Ellenberger (26-4-0), who top the card and are battling for a chance to become a top contender in the now muddled welterweight division.

It's muddled because Nick Diaz, who lost a decision to Carlos Condit in UFC 143 last weekend, tested positive for marijuana.

The test would seem to quash recent talk of Diaz-Condit II, as both fighters wait for title holder Georges St. Pierre to recuperate from knee surgery.

"I am beyond disappointed that he tested positive for marijuana," UFC President Dana White said in a statement the UFC distributed to the media late Thursday.

"It is now in the hands of the Nevada State Athletic Commission."

As this is the second time Diaz has been popped for pot, a yearlong suspension by the commission seems likely, if not a harsher punishment. And, given that Diaz's mouth has moved almost as fast as his fists, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that White will cut ties with the Californian.

Regardless, it seems the winner of the Sanchez-Ellenberger bout will be the most likely to face interim champion Condit.

Not one bit of that matters to Miocic. He's focused on moving up in the UFC ranks and getting a shot at dos Santos. Provided, of course, dos Santos can survive a battle with No. 1 contender Alistair Overeem, whose beat-down of Brock Lesnar prompted the immediate retirement of the former WWE wrestling champ.

A dos Santos-Overeem fight is contingent on what happens in a misdemeanor battery case Overeem is facing.

He's due to report to court Feb. 21 to answer to charges of pushing a woman in the face at a Las Vegas casino at 3 a.m. on Jan. 2, just three days after he destroyed Lesnar on Dec. 30 in UFC 141.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: cyarborough@plaind.com, 216-999-4534

No. 3 Ohio State faces Big Ten rival Michigan State today in Columbus, while Cleveland State takes on Horizon League foe Butler.

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain DealerCharlie Lee and the Cleveland State Vikings will try to regain their footing at the Wolstein Center today against Butler while coming off a disappointing loss Thursday against Valparaiso.

Men

No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 11 Michigan State

Tipoff: 6 p.m., Value City Arena, Columbus.

TV/radio: ESPN; WKNR AM/850.

Notable: The Buckeyes (21-3, 9-2) lead the Spartans (19-5, 8-3) by one game in the Big Ten standings, with Wisconsin and Michigan another half-game back. Michigan State will challenge Ohio State defensively with quick point guard Keith Appling and versatile forward Draymond Green. The size of Michigan State big men Derrick Nix and Adreian Payne could make life a little difficult for OSU leading scorer Jared Sullinger. This feels like another one of those games when the Buckeyes will need William Buford at his best, and he's coming off a career-high 29 in Tuesday's win over Purdue.

Next for OSU: Tuesday, at Minnesota, 9 p.m.

Doug Lesmerises' prediction: Michigan State 73, Ohio State 70.

-- Doug Lesmerises

Cleveland State vs. Butler

Tipoff: 11 a.m., Wolstein Center, Cleveland.

TV/radio: ESPN2; WHK AM/1220.

Notable: CSU (20-5, 10-3 Horizon League) looks for a quick rebound against Butler (14-12, 8-6) after its stunning performance Thursday night in a loss to Valparaiso. Senior swing man D'Aundray Brown will not play, meaning 6-8 freshman Anton Grady (Cleveland Central Catholic) is likely to start. That means little-used Luda Ndaye and/or Devon Long could see some action inside. Butler only has five road wins this season, but one came Thursday at Youngstown State.

Next for CSU: Tuesday, at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.

Kent State vs. Ball State

Tipoff: 11 a.m., M.A.C. Center, Kent

TV/radio: ESPNU; WNIR FM/100.1.

Notable: KSU (17-6, 7-3 Mid-American Conference) continues to stay on the fringe of the MAC's East Division race as it has won five straight and sits in a tie for third. The Cardinals (12-10, 4-6) were rolling early in the season but have lost five straight and have not scored more than 58 points in any of the setbacks. A victory would give the Golden Flashes a sweep over MAC West teams for the third straight season.

Next for KSU: Wednesday, vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m.

Akron vs. Northern Illinois

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m., Rhodes Arena, Akron

Radio: WARF AM/1350.

Notable: Akron (17-7, 9-1 MAC) continues to win, even when the multitalented Zips have not played well. The Zips have failed to score 70 or more points only once during their current six-game winning streak. NIU (3-19, 2-8) is coming off a rare win over Miami of Ohio, Akron's next opponent.

Next for Akron: Wednesday, vs. Miami of Ohio, 7 p.m.

-- Elton Alexander

Baldwin-Wallace vs. Capital

Tipoff: 3 p.m., Lou Higgins Center, Berea.

Notable: Baldwin-Wallace (14-8, 8-6 Ohio Athletic Conference) has won six of its past eight games. Capital (15-7, 12-3) is in first place in the OAC. The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 78-62 win over JCU in Berea. Sophomore All-OAC forward Kyle Payne (Brunswick) led B-W with 24 points. He tops the team in scoring at 14.4 ppg. Sophomore guard Kevin Krakowiak (Holy Name) is second at 13.0 ppg. Capital has won 10 of its past 11, including four straight and an 86-75 win over Otterbein on Wednesday night in Columbus. Junior forward Spencer Niekamp tops Capital in scoring at 14.2 ppg.

Next for B-W: Wednesday, at Mount Union, 7:30 p.m.

John Carroll vs. Wilmington

Tipoff: 3 p.m., DeCarlo Varsity Center, University Heights.

Notable: Seeking to avoid its first three-game losing streak in five years, John Carroll (15-6, 10-5) will try to break the three-team logjam for second place in the OAC. The Blue Streaks defeated the Quakers (12-9, 10-5) in Wilmington, 82-64, on Jan. 7, with JCU senior Mark Hester scoring 16 points to lead the way. JCU's league-leading offense (82.6 ppg) is led by Corey Shontz, who tops the OAC in assists per game (4.43) and is ranked in the top five of five other categories. Wilmington's Malcolm Heard is a top-10 scorer (14.3 ppg) in the OAC. JCU is 41-7 at home over the past four seasons and 7-0 at home this season.

Next for JCU: Wednesday, vs. Muskingum, 7 p.m.

-- Compiled using information from the colleges' sports-information departments.

Women

Akron vs. Western Michigan

Tipoff: 5 p.m., Rhodes Arena, Akron.

Radio: WARF AM/1350.

Notable: Akron (10-14, 4-6 MAC) plays the second of a four-game homestand. WMU (6-17, 3-7) is struggling.

Next for Akron: Wednesday, vs. Ohio, 7 p.m.

Kent State at Eastern Michigan

Tipoff: 2 p.m., Convocation Center, Ypsilanti, Mich.

Notable: KSU (5-15, 4-5) looks to snap a three-game slide but will have to do so against tough EMU (16-7, 8-2).

Next for KSU: Wednesday, vs. Miami of Ohio, 7 p.m.

Cleveland State at Illinois-Chicago

Tipoff: 4 p.m., UIC Pavilion, Chicago.

Notable: CSU (9-14, 4-8 Horizon League) snapped a five-game skid and now looks to win back-to-back games for the first time this season. UIC is 14-9, 7-5.

Next for CSU: Thursday, vs. Green Bay, 7 p.m.

-- Elton Alexander

Historically, CSU bounces back well from a loss. They'll need to today against Butler.

View full sizeScott Shaw, The Plain DealerCleveland State's Tre Harmon and the Vikings found the going to be tough against Valparaiso on Thursday, and their own lackluster effort contributed to an embarrassing 59-41 home loss.

"We all know how good Cleveland State is," Drew said. "I'm sure they won't shoot this poorly the rest of the season."

That should bode well for the Vikings, who have a quick turnaround before today's 11 a.m. Horizon League game against Butler at Wolstein Center.

Historically, CSU (20-5, 10-3) bounces back well from a loss. The Vikings haven't lost two straight this season, and each game after a loss has been a double-digit victory. The previous CSU setback, also to Valparaiso, preceded a 78-68 win over Green Bay.

"When you lose, you lose a piece of yourself," CSU coach Gary Waters said. "Now we have to regroup. You don't have a chance to recuperate."

One Valpo loss puts CSU back in first place, as long as the Vikings return to their winning ways. While CSU hosts Butler (14-12, 8-6) today, Valparaiso is at Youngstown State and will play without starting center Kevin Van Wijk, who suffered a knee injury against CSU.

Cleveland State's challenge is made harder as senior D'Aundray Brown is expected to miss at least a week with his groin injury. Brown, who tried to go against Valparaiso, played eight scoreless minutes in the first half but didn't play in the second half. He will surely miss today's Butler game and probably Tuesday's game against Milwaukee. Brown's likely return may come in Cleveland State's BracketBuster matchup next Saturday against Drexel at Wolstein Center.

Today's ESPN2 contest against Butler is expected to draw more than 5,000 fans, the Vikings' largest home crowd of the season. The fans will surely expect a better performance than CSU's 25.9 percent shooting and 17 turnovers in the 59-41 loss to Valpo.

"We need to get back to the drawing board and get our minds right," CSU senior guard Jeremy Montgomery said.

Rolling on: Akron escaped with an 89-88 overtime victory Wednesday at Western Michigan and has won six straight games. The Zips (17-7, 9-1 Mid-American Conference) host Northern Illinois (3-19, 2-8) tonight.

Akron's NCAA aspirations could become more clearly defined next Saturday, when the Zips play a BracketBuster road game at Oral Roberts (22-5). Win that, and the Zips will not only have 20 wins for the season but also an important nonconference victory on their resume.

Hanging around: Kent State (17-6, 7-3 MAC) is still two games behind the Zips and is tied for third in the MAC East. The Golden Flashes have won five straight and have a tough challenge today at 11 a.m. on ESPNU against Ball State (12-10, 4-6), which features Jarrod Jones (16.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg), one of several candidates for MAC Player of the Year.

Kent State's seniors have played well recently. Most notably, senior guard Carlton Guyton (9.9 ppg) has delivered back-to-back, double-figure scoring games for the first time in more than a month. And senior forward Justin Manns has stepped up defensively and in rebounding, as well as hitting some big late-game free throws.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexander@plaind.com, 216-999-4253

John F. Kennedy creates some memories to cherish in winning the Senate Athletic League title.

That's what John F. Kennedy forward Anthony Howard called his boys basketball team this season after a 67-55 victory over East Tech in the Senate Athletic League championship game Friday night.

It's the memory of a perfect Senate season, believed to be the first in JFK history, according to Eagles coach William Marrow.

Make the most of a memory.

That's seemed to be on the mind of every player in JFK red, white and blue who stepped on the John Adams court in a packed gym.

Before beads of sweat could even form on the foreheads of most East Tech players, JFK had an 11-3 lead in the middle of the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, it was 24-7.

JFK had massive Saivon Jefferson hauling down 20 rebounds, scoring 19 points and using his 6-2, 290-pound frame to remind everyone that it's possible to play center on the football team . . . and on the basketball team . . . and be a force in both sports.

There were at least five instances where JFK players -- especially 5-10 Ra'mon Bell, just ripped the ball out of the hands of opposing players. A Tech big man would grab a rebound, bring it down -- and Bell or one of his teammates would just snatch it out of their hands.

JFK moved the ball from one side of the court to the other, inside and out. They were aggressive on defense, patient on offense.

"A real veteran team," said East Tech coach Brett Moore, shaking his head. "They are well-coached, unselfish, together.

Those kids have played together for a long time, and it showed. They came out with real intensity, and we couldn't come close to matching it."

While Jefferson built a human wall in front of the basket with body language that screamed "DO NOT ENTER," there were JFK players such as Jordan Marrow, Donte Lindsey, Howard and Bell who would seem to be a flurry of arms and legs, seeming to harass every dribble and contest each shot taken by the Scarabs.

To the credit of Moore and his players, the Scarabs were down, 56-35, to start the final quarter and did cut the lead to 11 points with some hustle of their own -- but they never really threatened JFK.

That's what happens when a group of young men have been together since the sixth grade from the same Harvard Avenue neighborhood. It's what happens when a veteran coach such as William Marrow can command instant respect with a hard stare and a few calm-but-direct words.

It's what happens when a team has a goal, and in the words of Howard, "really doesn't care who shoots or scores."

Coach Marrow said: "I knew we'd come out and play with poise and focus. That has been us all season."

Marrow was named the Senate Coach of the Year. His son, Jordan, was the Senate Player of the Year.

But both will tell you that it truly is a team award. No one averages 20 points. No one is headed to a Division I school on a basketball scholarship. No one is taller than 6-2.

But everyone not only plays well on the court, the starters have a 3.3 grade-point average.

Howard (16 points) is ranked No. 2 in the senior class, Jordan Marrow (12 points) is ranked No. 4 academically.

They also have a 15-1 overall record. The only loss was at No. 3 Garfield Heights in overtime.

East Tech is 13-6, and Moore should feel proud of his players. He said four of his starters have grade-point averages of at least 3.4. While 6-6 Ramon Sheffield had a difficult time with the wide-bodied Jefferson, the senior had three monster blocks. Moore said Sheffield also lost 20 pounds before the season and has a 3.7 GPA to go with his 15.5 scoring average.

Another 3.7 student, Jimmy Horton, led the Scarabs with 13 points.

JFK opened the season with a goal of this . . . perfection in the Senate.

And they made it happen with a near-perfect game when it meant the most.

"I will take this to my grave," said Howard. "All of it. It's been that kind of year for us."

And with the sectional playoffs ready to open, there are more memories to be made at JFK.

To reach Terry Pluto: terrypluto2003@yahoo.com, 216-999-4674

On Facebook: facebook.com/terrypluto

See a photo gallery from the game here. CLEVELAND, Ohio — It's hard to defend the element of surprise.

John F. Kennedy's Anthony Howard drives to the basket during the Senate Athletic League title game Friday at John Adams High School. - (Lisa DeJong, PD)

See a photo gallery from the game here.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It's hard to defend the element of surprise.

John F. Kennedy's quick-start offense wasn't exactly surprising, but East Tech's guys didn't seem to know what hit them when the Eagles prevailed, 67-55, during Friday's Senate Athletic League championship basketball game at John Adams.

And it wasn't even that close.

JFK (15-1), ranked 11th in The Plain Dealer poll, bolted out to a 15-5 lead after the first quarter, then added a 7-0 run early in the second quarter to built its advantage to 39-18 by intermission.

"The kids were excited about playing and going undefeated in the league, so they came out with all the determination and guts that a championship team does," said Eagles coach William Marrow, whose team won its second championship in five title-game appearances.

JFK advanced with a semifinal win over Glenville on Wednesday.

"I told our guys their legs are going to be tired from the games that were played two days ago, but if we push the ball up, after playing good defense, I thought we might be able to get out on them, and we did."

The Eagles' offense was balanced all season, and this game was no exception as four players finished in double figures.

Saivon Jefferson paved the way with 19 points, followed by Anthony Howard, Donte Lindsey and league Most Valuable Player Jordan Marrow (the coach's son) with 16, 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Jimmy Horton had 13 points -- the lone double-digit effort turned in by the 24th-ranked Golden Scarabs (13-6).

Jefferson was a two-way lineman on JFK's Division II postseason playoff football team, but the 6-2, 290-pound Findlay recruit had moves more fitting of a player much smaller.

"Coach told us to play defense, rebound and run the floor," said Jefferson, whose arsenal included a 3-pointer and right-handed hook. "He kept telling us at halftime not to let up on the defense because defense is going to win us the game.

"He kept telling us defense wins championships."

Jefferson grabbed 20 rebounds and held Tech senior Ramon Sheffield to seven points. The 6-6 senior was averaging 15.5 points a game.

"I just came to play ball," said Jefferson, who kidded he also has a spin move. "Whoever I have to check, that's who I defend."

East Tech was going for its 18th city crown in 22 championship-game appearances with its most recent title coming in 2007.

"All the games we lost this season, we've come out slow," said Golden Scarabs coach Brett Moore. "All the good teams, they just come out and play control basketball once they get the lead they want, and Kennedy's no different.

"That's a very good, talented and savvy team."

The Eagles led by as many as 23 points midway through the third quarter, but Tech refused to fold.

"I'm not going to ever quit coaching, no matter what the score is," said Moore. "I just wanted us to make it look respectable after a while, and we did."

Moore had a bad feeling the moment Kennedy went ahead, 11-3.

"I'm very disappointed in the lack of patience we showed early on because we stress that so much," he said. "We worked so much in the halfcourt and to just make the opposing team play defense for an extended period of time.

"I feel in the first half, there were points when we panic, and you can't do that against a team that likes to run.

"You start rushing it and you get this . . . a lackluster city championship game."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: bfortuna@plaind.com, 216-999-4665

On Twitter:@BobFortuna

While Jared Sullinger's health, as always, is huge for the No. 3 Buckeyes, how today's game against Michigan State is officiated is another big component -- especially for Ohio State.

View full sizeTerry Gilliam, Associated PressOhio State's Jared Sullinger holds his left hip as he limps off the court after a physical play against Purdue on Tuesday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jared Sullinger landed with a thud and left Tuesday's game with a limp, caught up during a rebound scrum that saw his head intertwined with the arm of a Purdue player.

"Physically, he's good," said OSU coach Thad Matta on Friday afternoon. "He [practiced] yesterday. His neck is still a little bit sore from where the guy grabbed him.

"I'm kidding on that.

"I think . . . I probably shouldn't say that.

"He's perfectly fine."

Oh, the delicate dance of talking about officiating. It's a familiar sidestep.

But asked about the looming Ohio State-Michigan State game after the Buckeyes' 87-84 win over Purdue, Boilermakers coach Matt Painter said point-blank that it would come down to officiating.

"They're both tough teams, physical. . . . It depends on how it gets called," Painter said Tuesday. "I think that'll be really important, how the game gets called. That's an unbiased answer because I'm not in it."

So while Sullinger's health, as always, is huge for the No. 3 Buckeyes (21-3, 9-2 Big Ten) and will be again today against the No. 11 Spartans (19-5, 8-3), there's a larger point connected to that play that forced Sullinger to end the game with ice on his injured left hip. There wasn't a foul called on the rebound, a fact that clearly didn't make Ohio State happy.

Though there are few things more pointless than listing the officiating complaints of fans, coaches and players, the individual officiating feel is a component of every game -- but especially for the Buckeyes.

"It's very, very important to the outcome," Matta said, "and I think that the biggest thing is how a team wants to play as opposed to how the game is supposed to be played.

"And I think that is something . . . I mean, Matt's comment, I'm glad he said it."

What Matta, who reluctantly delved into foul talk after a long pause Friday, was getting at is physical teams who may try to neutralize skilled players with aggressive play. How a game is called matters so much to Ohio State because the Buckeyes count on two separate foul realities on opposite ends of the court.

Defensively, Ohio State commits just 15.8 fouls per game, which ranks them 313th in the nation out of 344 teams. Defending aggressively without fouling is a tenet of Matta's system.

"We view fouling as a sign of weakness," Matta said, "and, quite honestly, we haven't had a lot of depth around here, so we've been very guarded with how we want to play."

So on defense, the Buckeyes are desperate to avoid early perimeter fouls -- for big players while helping on screens and for guards while defending ballhandlers. Two quick calls on point guard Aaron Craft, a well-known defensive pain in the neck, can change the entire flow of a game. Ohio State has gone so far as to have players, Craft in particular, watch tape of opponents who may attempt to exaggerate contact to get calls on him. Matta said he warned Craft before one recent game, and when it happened and Craft was whistled, the sophomore looked at Matta with a knowing glance.

"We do have an awareness of players who do flop and act a little bit," Craft said. "At the beginning of the game, you definitely have to get a read. Some refs call it differently than others, and that helps you in the long run with how it's going to go."

For example, the Buckeyes were in foul trouble at Indiana on Dec. 31, committing 22 fouls in a game they lost, 74-70. At home against the Hoosiers, they avoided foul trouble, committing 15 fouls in a game they won, 80-63. Indiana coach Tom Crean, complaining about his own team but not the officiating, said the Hoosiers didn't match Ohio State's physicality that day and didn't work through contact by the OSU defense.

"We didn't change a lot of offensive things," Crean said. "Today, we didn't get the calls. There, we did."

The Buckeyes have gotten their way, to the raised eyebrow of the opposition, more than once this season, as Michigan and Wisconsin, in consecutive losses to Ohio State, went 37 and 33 minutes before getting to the foul line for the first time.

Offensively, the Buckeyes rely on foul calls, their best offense feeding the ball to Sullinger and letting him work inside, which often means getting to the free-throw line. He shot 10 free throws in the second half against Purdue and is third in the Big Ten in free throws attempted.

"He [Sullinger] wants to win, and he'll do whatever he has to do, regardless of the toll it takes on his body," Matta said.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479

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

Karen Schiely, Akron Beacon JournalGuard Randal Holt and the Kent State Golden Flashes play an early game at home today, tipping off against Ball State at 11 this morning. The game will be televised on ESPNU and broadcast on WNIR/100.1 FM.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today on the air

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

AUTO RACING

11 p.m. Winternationals qualifying (tape), ESPN2

EXTREME SPORTS

2 p.m. Winter Dew Tour, WKYC

GOLF

1 p.m. Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Golf Channel

3 p.m. Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, WOIO

4 a.m. (Sunday) Dubai Desert Classic, Golf Channel

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m. Clearview at Lorain, AM/1380

HOCKEY

2 p.m. Winnipeg at Pittsburgh, NHL Network

7 p.m. Montreal at Toronto, NHL Network

MENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL

11 a.m. Ball State at KENT STATE, ESPNU; WNIR/100.1-FM

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Kent State, Akron and MAC coverage)

11 a.m. Butler at CLEVELAND STATE, ESPN2; WHKW/1220-AM

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cleveland State coverage)

Noon Louisville at West Virginia, ESPN (preview)

1 p.m. Nebraska at Penn State, ESPNU

1 p.m. UConn at Syracuse, WOIO (preview)

1 p.m. Arkansas-Little Rock at Middle Tennessee, ESPN2

2 p.m. Kansas State at Texas, ESPN

2 p.m. UIC at Loyola (Ill.), SportsTime Ohio

2 p.m. Utah at Arizona, Fox Sports Ohio

2:30 p.m. Navy at Army, CBS Sports Network

3 p.m. Cincinnati at Marquette, ESPNU

3 p.m. New Mexico State at Utah State, ESPN2

4 p.m. Maryland at Duke, ESPN (preview)

4 p.m. California at UCLA, Fox Sports Ohio

4 p.m. San Diego State at UNLV, NBC Sports Network

5 p.m. George Washington at Richmond, ESPNU

5 p.m. Wichita State at Creighton, ESPN2

6 p.m. Michigan State at OHIO STATE, ESPN; WKNR/850-AM

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Ohio State coverage)

6 p.m. Western Michigan at Buffalo, SportsTime Ohio

7 p.m. Alabama at LSU, ESPN2

7 p.m. Harvard at Princeton, ESPNU

9 p.m. Boise State at Air Force, CBS Sports Network

9 p.m. Kentucky at Vanderbilt, ESPN

9 p.m. Xavier at Temple, ESPN2

MENS COLLEGE GYMNASTICS

8 p.m. Minnesota, Nebraska at Iowa, Big Ten Network

MOTORSPORTS

10:30 p.m. Supercross, Speed

NBA

7 p.m. Denver at Indiana, NBATV

7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at CAVALIERS, Fox Sports Ohio; WTAM/1100-AM

(Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Cavaliers coverage)

10 p.m. Phoenix at Sacramento, NBATV

RODEO

9 p.m. WinStar World Casino Invitational, NBC Sports Network

RUGBY

3:30 p.m. Sevens, pool play, WKYC

7 p.m. Sevens, pool play and quarterfinals, NBC Sports Network

SOCCER

7:30 a.m. Liverpool at Manchester United, ESPN2

WOMENS COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Noon Bowling Green at Toledo, SportsTime Ohio

Noon Navy at Army, CBS Sports Network

4:30 p.m. Charlotte at Duquesne, CBS Sports Network

6:30 p.m. TCU at Colorado State, CBS Sports Network

11 p.m. Southern Cal at California, Fox Sports Ohio

The legend of Jeremy Lin extends for one more night after the Knicks’ 92-85 win over the Lakers at Madison Square Garden.

New York Knicks' Jeremy Lin reacts after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The legend of Jeremy Lin extends for one more night.

Undrafted and cut twice, Jeremy Lin’s short tenure with the Knicks continues to astound. After games against New Jersey, Utah and the woeful Wizards, Lin faced his first real test Friday and didn't disappoint. He finished with a career-high 38 points and added seven assists.

He was at his best in the first five minutes of the game, scoring nine points against the stunned Lakers guards. Then Derek Fisher stopped going under screens, and Steve Blake did away with all pretension and simply pushed Lin.

Lin didn’t fold. He pushed back.

"He's been hot," Lakers center Andrew Bynum said. "Today we just added to his hype -- probably kept him in the league for 10 years."

In his first 11 games with the Knicks, Lin played a total of 63 minutes. Starting with the game against the Nets on Feb. 4, he played 117 minutes in the next three, and added 39 minutes to those tired legs on Friday night. So it made perfect sense that fatigue set in once his initial excitement wore off.

Again, Lin pushed through. He found teammates and beat the Lakers’ aggressive defense to make more trips to the free-throw line, where he was 10-of-13.

"Great story," Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said of Lin. "Testament to perseverance and hard work. Good example for kids everywhere."

After his fourth straight game of more than 20 points, tabloid headlines and TV chyrons will continue to be littered with Lin puns. It's easy to forget it was only a few years ago when a Cal staffer accidentally called him ‘Ron' during a visit to the school.

Kobe's big second half at MSG

Kobe Bryant is often the main attraction when he visits Madison Square Garden.

Before the Friday night tip, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said he expected Bryant to try to light up the Garden as he usually does. That wasn’t exactly the case through two quarters.

Bryant and the Lakers got off to a slow start. They began the game 1-of-13 and shot only 22 percent in the first quarter and trailed by eight at the half.

It was three years ago when Kobe set the modern Garden record with 61 points, a mark that still stands. But this didn't begin as a vintage Kobe game. That is, until the second half started and the pressure was on.

Bryant took over in the second half. He converted only one field goal in the first two periods, but finished with 34 points and 10 rebounds.

Chandler, supporting cast benefit from Lin’s success

In this abbreviated NBA season, teams have found it hard to carve out time for practice and film study. On Friday, however, Lin used film to show what the Knicks have been missing.

View full sizeJim McIsaac/Newsday/MCTThe Knicks' Jeremy Lin (right) drives against the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden in New York tonight.

Lin had trouble finding center Tyson Chandler over 7-footers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. He was determined to do a better job distributing and used halftime to look at film.

The Knicks have struggled with chemistry all season, even with stars such as Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony on board. A successful night for Anthony has not always meant a good night for the Knicks. Lin is intent on having others succeed.

With Lin in the fold, several Knicks have improved their play. Chandler has averaged 15.2 points and 9.5 rebounds in the past four games, Jared Jeffries is playing with more confidence and Iman Shumpert looks more comfortable playing off the ball, especially on defense, where he helped stifle Bryant in the first half.

Byron Scott not enamored with his three choices of backup centers, but may have few options as Varejao sits out with fractured wrist.

View full sizeCavaliers center Anderson Varejao could miss tonight's game with a sprained right wrist.

For the second straight game, the Vikings failed to score 50 points. For the first time since 2008-09, the Vikings lost two straight home league games

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The good news for the Horizon League is Butler may be back. The bad news for Cleveland State, in regards to the Wolstein Center, the Vikings have at least momentarily left the building.

For the second straight home game the Vikings went down to defeat. Following Thursday's offensive collapse against Valparaiso, Saturday's loss came at the Bulldogs' hands, 52-49. A second-half comeback came up just short as turnovers, missed free throws and the failure to get big rebounds doomed CSU before 5,021 mostly quiet fans who waited for something to happen, but never did.

For the second straight game, the Vikings failed to score 50 points. For the first time since 2008-09, the Vikings lost two straight home league games.

"A tough loss for our team to take," CSU head coach Gary Waters said. "I think we beat ourselves. One thing is killing us right now is, we can't get a basket. We're missing too many layups. That's becoming a nemesis for us."

When the Vikings needed a jumper, down by 51-49 in the final minute, they could not get it. The Bulldogs forced CSU to call two timeouts. After the second one, Butler stripped the ball from CSU guard Trevon Harmon as he turned into a double-team attempting to get off a 3-pointer.

"It was all desperation," Harmon said. "Things happen."

This was supposed to be a bounce-back game, following Thursday night's stunning 59-41 homecourt loss to Valparaiso. No matter what happened against the Bulldogs, the Vikings (20-6, 10-4) would still have a grasp on second place in the HL standings, courtesy of Detroit's 58-57 Friday victory over Milwaukee.

CSU's challenge against the Bulldogs was getting its swagger back. The Vikings beat Butler (15-12, 9-6) on the road earlier this season, 76-69, when CSU appeared invincible. Now they looked vulnerable and had to get over that, fast.

But they didn't.

One thing has become abundantly clear. Without 6-4 senior D'Aundray Brown the Vikings are an offensively unsure team, even with freshman Anton Grady stepping up to the tune of 18 points and 13 rebounds. Suffering with a groin injury, Brown played just eight minutes against Valparaiso, and sat out Saturday as his teammates struggled from the opening tip.

"He's so great in their defense, they get 10 more points a game with him, if he scores them or not," Butler coach Brad Stevens said. "I feel bad for him. You take one of the best players off any of our teams and we all look different."

After shooting 25 percent against Valparaiso, the Vikings shot 23.3 percent in the opening half Saturday, including missing all nine 3-pointers. There was just one field goal from starters Jeremy Montgomery, Harmon, Tim Kamczyc and Aaron Pogue.

Butler, meanwhile, also failed to make a 3-pointer in the opening half, and was 0 for 8 in the game. But the Bulldogs were solid inside, particularly robust guard Roosevelt Jones (17 points) and 8-of-10 from the line to build a 28-18 halftime lead.

The lone CSU bright spot was Grady. He scored CSU's first eight points and had 12 at the break, along with six boards and two blocked shots. The highly touted freshman class was baptized together down the stretch of the opening half as Waters went with a lineup of Grady, freshman forward Marlin Mason, and either freshman Charlie Lee or rookie Ike Nwamu in an attempt to get some firepower for the scoreboard and spirit on the court.

The seniors rebounded in the second half, as CSU knocked down their first five shots to close to 34-31. Moments later, Pogue missed under the hoop in traffic, but Grady flew in for a putback to tie the game at 34. A Harmon 3-pointer made it 37-36 for CSU's first lead.

But a flurry of CSU turnovers followed and in short order the Bulldogs were back on top, 42-37. While the Vikings got one last lead at 47-46, Butler converted two offensive rebounds by Kameron Woods in the final minutes into baskets from Andrew Smith and Chrishawn Hopkins for a lead it would not relinquish.

Cleveland State managed just 12 trips to the free-throw line, to the Bulldogs' 20, and were 4-for-8 in the second half.

The Golden Flashes displayed a balanced attack from Justin Green -- a team-high 18 points and nine rebounds -- along with Carlton Guyton (14 points) Randal Holt (13) and Chris Evans (11).

Matt Pawlikowski

Special to The Plain Dealer

KENT, Ohio -- Forget the fact that an Arctic front had just moved into the area. Inside the M.A.C Arena, it was anything but cold for Kent State.

The Golden Flashes displayed a balanced attack from Justin Green -- a team-high 18 points and nine rebounds -- along with Carlton Guyton (14 points) Randal Holt (13) and Chris Evans (11) as Kent (18-6, 8-3 Mid-American Conference) downed Ball State, 76-54, Saturday afternoon.

It marked the sixth consecutive win for the Golden Flashes, something Kent State coach Rob Senderoff said really motivated the team.

"After the loss at Akron [Jan. 21], we sat down," Senderoff said. "They decided that time was running out and you have to play the right way every game to win. We watched the last 12 minutes of that Akron game. From that point on, our kids have really been focused on winning each game."

Even more impressive than the current win streak, is the fact the win over Ball State marked the 30th consecutive win over a MAC West team. It's the fourth consecutive year they accomplished a cross-divisional sweep, something only one other team has done (Akron, 1999-2006) since divisional play began in 1997-98.

"I didn't want to talk about it until we were done playing the West," Senderoff said. "Because, like a baseball player pitching a no-hitter, you don't want to talk about it. It's unbelievable."

In a game that started slow, maybe due to an 11 a.m. start, the Golden Flashes stymied Ball State to 38 percent shooting and also held NBA prospect Jarrod Jones to just seven points.

"We would have really liked to have seen [Jones] play better, being the focal point of our offense and defense," Ball State coach Billy Taylor said. "But Kent State scoring 26 points in the paint during the first half was too hard to overcome. They really abused us in the frontcourt."

Green on the other hand, didn't seem fazed by the start time and scored 10 of Kent's first 19 points. Ball State knotted things up at 11, but by half, the Golden Flashes led, 38-24.

"I tried to match Jarrod's intensity especially on national television and at home," Green said. "Today is probably our best defensive game and with rebounding. If we continue to get better at these, I think we can continue rolling into the MAC tournament."

The Cardinals did come out of the locker room hot, going on a 10-2 run and got within nine points on a layup by Chris Bond at the 16:30 mark of the second half.

After a timeout, both Guyton and Evans hit three-pointers on the next two possessions for the Golden Flashes to make it a 49-36 game. The nail in the coffin came with just over12 minutes remaining. Justin Mann, off a great pass from Evans, slammed one home, which not only got the crowd into the game, but also gave Kent a 56-38 lead.

Aaron Adeoye led Ball State with 14 points, while Bond and Tyrae Robinson each had 11.

Matt Pawlikowski is a free-lance writer based in Parma.

"It's going to be hard to make up for everything that Andy does," Byron Scott said. "Andy gives us so much on both ends of the floor."

View full sizeCleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao has fractured his right wrist and likely will be lost to the team for several weeks

The Vikings are now 2-2 in February, with five games left to improve their status in the Horizon League.

View full sizeLonnie Timmons III, The Plain DealerAnton Grady was denied on this attempt by Butler's Andrew Smith, but the freshman forward was the Vikings' lone consistent offensive threat for much of Saturday's loss to the Bulldogs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Without dervish 6-4 senior swingman D'Aundray Brown, it is pretty clear what the defensive gameplan is for Cleveland State's opposition.

Butler coach Brad Stevens ran double-teams at CSU guard Jeremy Montgomery and Trevon Harmon throughout Saturday's game, a 52-49 Bulldogs victory. The end result was 12 points for Harmon, all in the second half, and six for Montgomery.

"When Montgomery and Harmon hit shots, you lose," Stevens said.

Without Brown, the Vikings are in trouble. One thing CSU head coach Gary Waters wanted to avoid was going .500 for the month of February, as the Vikings did last season to fade out of the NCAA Tournament picture. The Vikings are now 2-2 this month, with five games left. Two are on the road. Two of the three home games -- including next Saturday's BracketBuster game with Drexel -- loom as toss-ups.

"I have to talk to them about fate," Waters said after the defeat. "Fate is coming up against us. Fate is biting at our heels. You have to fight fate. Fate can take over. I'm going to say, 'we can't let that happen.'"

But following back-to-back home losses in Horizon League play -- the first since February, 2009 -- the Vikings are tracking along familiar lines.

"We're in a bad place," Waters said. "The rain is coming down on us. What are you going to do? Lay down and drown in the puddle? And we've got to do this without D'Aundray."

Brown, who suffered a groin injury Feb. 7 at Loyola, missed one game, came back to play eight scoreless minutes in the Valparaiso loss, and sat out the Butler game. Now Waters said the defensive specialist and opportunistic scorer is out for the next three games.

"We're missing a major part of us," Waters said. "D'Aundray is a major piece of what we're doing. He's going to be out a while, at least a week and a half, at least. If we don't get our two scorers going, we can forget about it."

Dr. Detroit: The Detroit Titans cured a lot of Cleveland State's problems going forward with their Friday night triumph over Milwaukee. That gives CSU a two-game cushion in second, with Milwaukee looming on the road on Tuesday.

With four games to play, even with CSU's current woes, it would take a total collapse not to at least finish second and earn a bye to the semifinal round of the Horizon League Tournament. First place remains in play as well, along with the possibility of hosting the event.

Our weekly assessment of who's rising and falling in the league.

View full sizeSteve C. Wilson, Associated PressYes, we know --- you would give anything to have Kevin Durant's hops. The Thunder are living up to expectations as the shortened NBA season approaches the halfway point.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Our weekly assessment of who's rising and falling in the league, through Friday's games.

1. Chicago Bulls

Last week: 1

Does Carlos Boozer really live in his mom's basement, or was Will Ferrell making that up?

2. Oklahoma City Thunder

Last week: 2

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden might be the league's true Big 3.

3. Miami Heat

Last week: 4

For all the hype, Heat haven't been atop power rankings in weeks. Just blame LeBron.

4. San Antonio Spurs

Last week: 9

They have rocketed up rankings thanks to a 13-1 home mark.

5. Atlanta Hawks

Last week: 6

Hawks hanging tough without Al Horford, by playing good defense.

6. Philadelphia 76ers

Last week: 7

There are soccer matches with more offense than your typical Sixers game.

7. Indiana Pacers

Last week: 5

Pacers required 26 games before losing two straight.

8. Los Angeles Clippers

Last week: 8

Clippers lose Chauncey Billiups to season-ending injury, but all Mo Williams wants to know is why no one feels sorry for him.

9. Dallas Mavericks

Last week: 12

Dirk Nowitzki doesn't belong in All-Star Game – and he'd be the first to admit it.

10. Denver Nuggets

Last week: 3

To extend our Danilo Gallinari looks like Jimmy from Seinfeld riff ... Jimmy's down, and so are the Nuggets.

11. Houston Rockets

Last week: 13

Rockets, who had struggled mightily away from Toyota Center, have won three straight on the road.

12. Orlando Magic

Last week: 10

Beat the Heat, then lose to the Hawks. Magic can't shake their funk.

13. Los Angeles Lakers

Last week: 11

Lakers adjusting nicely to being Los Angeles' second NBA team.

14. Portland Trail Blazers

Last week: 15

The good news here is LaMarcus Aldridge finally gets his All-Star due.

15. Boston Celtics

Last week: 16

Celtics looking so old they have been invited to perform at next year's Super Bowl.

16. Utah Jazz

Last week: 14

New Orleans has as many road wins (2) as the Jazz.

17. Memphis Grizzlies

Last week: 17

Rudy Gay deserved some All-Star love.

18. Milwaukee Bucks

Last week: 20

Drew Gooden making clutch shots and smart plays at The Q. Cavs fans have to wonder where that was several years ago.

19. Minnesota Timberwolves

Last week: 18

Ricky Rubio wants to know, "Who is this Jeremy Lin and what happened to all my fawning media types?"

20. New York Knicks

Last week: 22

Memo to Baron Davis: You can now take all the time you need rehabbing your back.

21. Cleveland Cavaliers

Last week: 22

D'Antoni riding Lin like Secretariat. Scott riding Jamison like Budweiser Clydesdale.

22. Golden State Warriors

Last week: 21

They are fun to watch – unless you're a coach stressing defense.

23. Phoenix Suns

Last week: 24

Marcin Gortat is averaging 15.2 points per game and leading an NBA team in scoring.

24. Toronto Raptors

Last week: 25

They need a visit from the Cavs to cure what ails them.

25. Sacramento Kings

Last week: 26

Counting down the days until J.J. Hickson's visit to The Q.

26. New Jersey Nets

Last week: 19

The Nets reeling, losers of five straight.

27. Detroit Pistons

Last week: 28

Maybe Lawrence Frank can salvage the season after winning four games.

28. Washington Wizards

Last week: 29

Wizards have yet to win two straight.

29. New Orleans Hornets

Last week: 27

Keeping Will Ferrell as the PA announcer might be the only thing to keep Hornets fans showing up.

30. Charlotte Bobcats

Last week: 30

Don't look now but the Bobcats are halfway to the Cavs' 26-game losing streak.

Depending on which players re-sign with their teams between now and the start of free agency on March 13, there could be dozens of quality wideouts flooding the market.

View full sizeDavid Eulitt, Kansas City StarIn seven seasons with the Chargers, Vincent Jackson has 272 receptions good for 226 first downs and 37 touchdowns as he considers his free-agent options.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns picked a great year to be in the market for big-play wide receivers.

Depending on which players re-sign with their teams between now and the start of free agency on March 13, there could be dozens of quality wideouts flooding the market. The list includes big-name receivers such as San Diego's Vincent Jackson and Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson, and some lesser-known ones such as Dallas' Laurent Robinson and New Orleans' Robert Meacham.

Of course, some of the best will either be franchised by their teams -- which could earn them an estimated $9.5 million in 2012 -- or sign contracts before hitting the open market. But for a Browns team that finished 30th in the NFL in points per game (13.6) and 29th in the league with 21 touchdowns, March 13 could feel like Christmas morning.

Granted, Browns General Manager Tom Heckert has made it clear that he's building through the draft and doesn't love signing free agents. But it's almost a lock that the Browns will end up with a veteran wideout either in free agency or a trade, especially so many top-notch ones potentially available.

Consider that the Browns' leader in receptions -- Greg Little with 61 -- finished tied for 42nd in that category and had half as many catches as league-leader Wes Welker's 122.

Some big-name receivers such as Welker and Reggie Wayne were left off this list, because Welker will most likely re-sign with the Patriots and Wayne is 33, although he had a fine season in Indianapolis last year.

With that, a look at 10 receivers who could be available next month:

Vincent Jackson

Height/weight: 6-5, 230.

Age: 29.

Current team: San Diego.

2011 stats: 60 catches, 1,106 yards, nine TDs.

The Chargers appear ready to let Jackson walk, and if so, he'll be the biggest-name receiver to hit the market. He'll also have plenty of suitors and will have his pick of teams that hope to contend for a Super Bowl. It's doubtful a receiver of Jackson's caliber would want to come to a rebuilding team like the Browns, but it doesn't mean they wouldn't give it a try. But he'll come with a huge price tag, judging by the $10 million he asked for in 2010. A two-time Pro Bowler, he's had three 1,000-yard seasons in his seven years.

View full sizeAP fileA gamebreaker both as a receiver and as a kick returner, DeSean Jackson carries some reputation baggage, but the Browns' front office and coaching staff have ties that could make him an interesting fit.

DeSean Jackson

Height/weight: 5-10, 175.

Age: 25.

Current team: Philadelphia.

2011 stats: 58 catches, 961 yards, four TDs.

Jackson held out early in camp in a contract dispute and was disgruntled much of the season. But he still managed to lead the Eagles with 961 receiving yards. He poses a duel threat as a receiver/returner, and made the Pro Bowl in 2010 at both positions. The Eagles could franchise him or try to sign him to a long-term deal. If they let him go, few teams know him better than the Browns: Heckert drafted him in 2008 and coach Pat Shurmur was the Eagles' quarterbacks coach that season. Perhaps he'd have a better attitude and fewer drops with a change of scenery and a new long-term deal at top dollar.

Mario Manningham

Height/weight: 6-0, 185.

Age: 25.

Current team: New York Giants.

2011 stats: 39 catches, 523 yards, four TDs.

Manningham, a Warren native, is still riding high from his spectacular 38-yard catch on the game-winning drive in the Super Bowl. Manningham would love to stay with the Giants, but might also be open to breaking out from behind Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks and becoming a No. 1 receiver. In 2010, Manningham had No. 1-type stats, with 60 catches, 944 yards and 9 TDs. But coming off a Super Bowl victory, he'll likely sign with a contender for 2012.

View full sizeAP fileStevie Johnson has 106 first-down receptions over the last two NFL seasons, and 17 touchdowns.

Stevie Johnson

Height/weight: 6-2, 210.

Age: 25.

Current team: Buffalo.

2011 stats: 76 catches, 1,004 yards, seven TDs.

Johnson, who's averaged 79 catches, 1,039 yards and eight TDs over his last two seasons, could get the franchise tag, but is open to testing the market. "Of course I'm hoping Buffalo will step up," Johnson told the Buffalo News. "But to be in free agency to see what other teams are saying, that's also good." Johnson is in the prime of his career and could give the Browns the No. 1 threat they need. He achieved his 2011 stats with a torn groin and a broken hand, meaning he's probably capable of more. Problem is, like the rest of the big-name receivers, he'll have plenty of attractive offers.

Pierre Garcon

Height/weight: 6-0, 210.

Age: 25.

Current team: Indianapolis.

2011 stats: 70 catches, 947 yards, six TDs.

Garcon, who played his college ball at Mount Union, managed stellar numbers despite a bad season in Indy without Peyton Manning (neck). He had 67 catches for 784 yards and 6 TDs in 2010. He's got great speed, great production and would pair well with Little. But he grew up in Florida and hopes to play for a warm-weather team if he leaves Indy.

Dwayne Bowe's juggling TD catch vs. Colts

Dwayne Bowe

Height/weight: 6-2, 221.

Age: 27.

Current team: Kansas City.

2011 stats: 81 catches, 1,159 yards, five TDs.

Bowe is a strong candidate for the franchise tag, and new head coach Romeo Crennel and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll are likely to want to keep him. Chiefs GM Scott Pioli recently called him a "key component of the past and hopefully the future." But the former first-round pick would be a great acquisition for the Browns and a sure-fire No. 1. A Pro Bowler, Bowe is known for sensational catches, especially in the red zone.

View full sizeAP fileMarques Colston (12) and Robert Meachem are both entering free agency, with the New Orleans Saints seemingly unlikely to retain both players.

Marques Colston

Height/weight: 6-4, 225.

Age: 28.

Current team: New Orleans.

2011 stats: 80 catches, 1,143 yards, eight TDs.

Colston, a seventh-round pick out of Hofstra in 2006, has had a tremendous run in New Orleans, posting 1,000-yard seasons in five of his six years. But he wants a big contract to stay, and the Saints are also going to have the break the bank on quarterback Drew Brees and possibly try to keep their other productive wideout, Robert Meachem. Colston has great height and would provide a good target for a shorter quarterback such as Colt McCoy or Robert Griffin III.

Robert Meachem

Height/weight: 6-2, 212.

Age: 27.

Current team: New Orleans.

2011 stats: 40 catches, 620 yards, six TDs.

They can't keep them all, can they? Meachem, a late first-round pick in 2007, is starting only about half the Saints' games, but still getting good production. A bona fide deep threat with 4.39 speed coming out of Tennessee, Meachem is still in the prime of his career and would be a starter in Cleveland.

Laurent Robinson

Height/weight: 6-2, 197.

Age: 26.

Current team: Dallas.

2011 stats: 54 catches, 858 yards, 11 TDs.

After being released by the Chargers in September, Robinson found a home in Dallas and became Tony Romo's favorite target. His team-high 11 TD passes came in the last 10 games. "I'm loving wearing this jersey," Robinson said recently. "I'm hoping to stay here as a Cowboy. But we'll see on March 13 when free agency starts. Hopefully my dream can come true and I can stay a Cowboy."

Brandon Lloyd

Height/weight: 6-0, 200.

Age: 30.

Current team: Rams.

2011 stats: 70 catches, 966 yards, five TDs.

The Browns would probably prefer not to sign a 30-year-old free agent, but Lloyd is an intriguing prospect. Although his production in 2011 wasn't spectacular after he was traded from Denver, he did post tremendous stats in 2010 with the Broncos: 77 catches, 1,448 yards, 11 TDs. But he's been batted around to five different teams, which usually isn't a good sign.

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

What do the Indians have in Asdrubal Cabrera? Is he an emerging top-shelf shortstop who deserves a multiyear deal? Or will be be gone after the 2013 season? If so, do the Indians have anyone ready to take his place?

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerIn the second half of 2011, while playing with nagging injuries, Asdrubal Cabrera hit .244 with 11 homers and 41 RBI. The inconsistency that has marked Cabrera's career dogged his best season as well.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Asdrubal Cabrera is 26 and just had the best season of his life. He's two years away from free agency and the Indians don't have a shortstop in the farm system ready to replace him within that time frame.

We should all be so lucky, right?

Cabrera on Friday added more intrigue to the situation by signing a one-year, $4.55 million contract to avoid arbitration. It wasn't the multiyear deal that he and his agents wanted, but he is entering his fifth big-league season, which has become the new walk year for many good players.

Some general managers feel that if they don't get a quality player signed to a multiyear deal before their fifth season, they have two choices -- trade the player or watch him walk away through free agency. A player needs six full seasons in the big leagues to qualify for free agency.

So let the questions begin. Did Cabrera just slip into the driver's seat or the pressure cooker of his career? He showed well in 2011, but was it the arrival of a premier shortstop or just an unexpected spike in performance?

Outside of hitting .308 with 42 doubles in 2009, Cabrera never gave an indication that he was capable of hitting 25 homers and driving in 92 runs as he did last year. The 25 homers set a club record for a shortstop. The 92 RBI were the most by an Indians shortstop since Hall of Famer Lou Boudreau drove in 106 in 1948.

Within his 2011 numbers, Cabrera hit .293 (105-for-358) with 14 homers and 51 RBI in the first half and was the starting shortstop for the American League at the All-Star Game. In the second half, while playing with nagging injuries and reaching a career-high 151 games, he hit .244 (60-for-246) with 11 homers and 41 RBI. The inconsistency that has marked Cabrera's career dogged his best season as well.

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain DealerIf Asdrubal Cabrera signed a contract extension, would he move to second base when one of the organization's prized SS prospects eventually reaches the majors?

Perhaps that is why the Indians couldn't come to terms on a multiyear deal, although GM Chris Antonetti suggested that he is open to discussing the matter with any number of Indians in the coming weeks. Such a deal would be costly, because Antonetti would not only have to buy Cabrera's remaining arbitration year (2013), but at least two or three free-agent years to make the deal worthwhile to ownership.

Cabrera, meanwhile, may not have liked the money or years offered by the Tribe. Or he found the idea of being a big fish in the 2013 free-agent pond inspiring. Of course, that would require two more seasons like 2011.

From the outside looking in, Cabrera is a valued commodity by the opposition. Middle infielders with power, defense and run-producing ability are hard to find. Cabrera, a finalist for the Gold Glove last year, made his big-league debut in 2007 as a second baseman. When it comes to starting the double play from second, few have quicker hands.

Teams don't build their rosters around players such as Cabrera. They look for players with broader backs -- Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander, Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw and Adrian Gonzalez. But Cabrera can make those teams better, which would seem to put him in line for a multiyear deal in the three to four-year range.

At the moment, the Indians don't have one player signed to a guaranteed contract past 2012. It has been speculated that the Dolan family is streamlining the franchise to make it easier to sell. That does not appear to be the case, although the Dolans have routinely engaged potential investors for several years, which can cause rumors to circulate.

Antonetti said there is no secret agenda behind the Indians' payroll structure.

"We have made plenty of contract offers to our own players and free agents that would have taken us well beyond the 2012 season," said Antonetti. "But there needs to be an alignment of conditions and terms."

Regarding Cabrera, acquired in a trade with Seattle for Eduardo Perez in 2006, Antonetti said, "We are appreciative of Asdrubal's contributions and value what he brings to our team. We look forward to his contributions for the next two years ... and it could extend beyond that."

One of the jobs of the people who pull the strings on baseball teams is to manage expectations for players. The Indians are doing that with Cabrera. Antonetti didn't focus on power numbers from 2011 when asked about what he expected from Cabrera in 2012. He talked about consistency.

Manager Manny Acta followed the same vein. He said he'd be happy if Cabrera hit between 14 and 20 homers, drove in 80-plus RBI and had an on-base percentage of .350.

As for the future, the Indians have four shortstops who are presently specs on Cabrera's horizon. Two are high-round draft picks, Francisco Lindor, the team's top pick in 2011 and Tony Wolters, a No.3 pick from 2010. Two others are from the Dominican Republic, Ronny Rodriguez and Dorssys Paulino. They're at least two to four years away. None will start this season above Class A.

What if Cabrera is still an Indian when one of them is ready? Would he move to second base? What about Jason Kipnis, who is scheduled to be the opening day second baseman this year? Would he return to his roots in center field?

Intrigue. It is a good time of year for it.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

The Spartans (20-5, 9-3) pulled into a tie with the Buckeyes (21-4, 9-3) for first place in the Big Ten.

View full sizeKyle Robertson, Columbus DispatchWilliam Buford is mystified by a referee's call during the first half of the Buckeyes' 58-48 loss to Michigan State Saturday night in Columbus. Buford missed 10 of his 12 shots and finished with four points.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Adreian Payne scored 15 points, Draymond Green added 12 and defense-minded No. 11 Michigan State beat No. 3 Ohio State, 58-48, Saturday night, ending the Buckeyes' 39-game home winning streak.

The Spartans (20-5, 9-3) pulled into a tie with the Buckeyes (21-4, 9-3) for first place in the Big Ten.

Keith Appling had 14 points for Michigan State, which rode its smothering pressure to a 10-point halftime lead and never relented down the stretch.

Jared Sullinger had 17 points and 16 rebounds for Ohio State, but was 5 for 15 from the field. Aaron Craft added 15 points, but Deshaun Thomas and William Buford, averaging a combined 30 points, had just 12.