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Fifth Starter Decision a Matter of Dollars and Sense

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Like most teams, the Cleveland Indians have to consider many angles before making a decision affecting the roster. In sports, money always is considered, and it might be one of the largest factors impacting the Tribe's decision in choosing its fifth starter.

Jeanmar GomezView full sizeShould Jeanmar Gomez be considered for the No. 5 spot in the rotation?
Like most teams, the Cleveland Indians have to consider many angles before making a decision affecting the roster. In sports, money always is considered, and it might be one of the largest factors impacting the Tribe’s decision in choosing its fifth starter.

When the Tribe learned in January of Roberto Hernandez’s (Fausto Carmona’s) visa issues and knew he would be unavailable for spring training and the start of the season, the team reacted swiftly and acquired Kevin Slowey from the Colorado Rockies. Slowey suffered through an injury-riddled season in Minnesota, going 0-8, with a 6.67 ERA in 2011, but previously had three straight double-digit victory seasons. With a clean bill of health, the Indians originally expected him to fill the hole Hernandez vacated.

However, this spring has not exactly been the rebirth Slowey and the Indians planned. Yesterday’s four-inning, four-run effort was the latest in a spring full of struggles for the 27-year-old right hander. He allowed a three-run home run to Brett Pill of the San Francisco Giants in the Tribe’s 5-3 loss. While spring statistics often can be taken with a grain of salt, Slowey’s numbers could use some sweetener. After yesterday, in 12 innings, he has a 6.75 ERA and hitters are batting .352 against him. He’s fooling no one.

Meanwhile, Jeanmar Gomez has not just out-pitched Slowey, but probably every starting pitcher in the Indians’ camp. In Gomez’s 11 innings of work he has yet to allow a run, and hitters are hitting only .114 against the 24-year old. He pitched four scoreless innings Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, outdueling reigning National League Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw. Gomez has pitched in parts of the last two seasons with the Tribe, going 9-8, with a 4.58 ERA in 22 appearances. When not with the Indians, he has excelled at AAA-Columbus.

Both Slowey and Gomez have at least one more start before Manny Acta and the Indians’ front office must make their decision on the final roster spot. While it seems little could happen for anyone to eclipse the effort Gomez has turned in this spring, the decision isn’t quite so easy.

Each has an option remaining and could be sent to Columbus. However, that could be a bitter pill to swallow for Slowey, who has been in the big leagues since 2007. Also, Slowey has a contract for $2.5 million this season, of which the Indians are responsible for half. The Colorado Rockies are obligated to pay the other half. For a financially strapped team like the Indians, it could be tough to send a pitcher guaranteed more than $1 million to AAA. Gomez still will make a league minimum salary.

Another option could be to send Slowey to the bullpen. The Tribe has brought in several non-roster invitees with the possibility of them filling the void left by Chad Durbin, but most have struggled and the team is less than impressed with any option. Moving Slowey to the bullpen keeps him on the big league roster and creates a situation where his salary still seems justified.

However, the right decision may not be the easiest or most financially sound one. If the Tribe truly is dedicated to trying to win the American League Central Division this season, they have to strongly consider sending Slowey to AAA to try and fix mechanical problems with the hope he can surface in the Tribe rotation when a starter struggles or is injured. It is tough to fix mechanics when you are in the bullpen and not pitching on a regular schedule.

The decision for the fifth starter will have to be made within the next seven to 10 days. Each has at least one more opportunity to earn the role, but the decision could be a matter of dollars and sense — common sense.

Follow Mike on Twitter: @DidTribeWin

Ohio State Buckeyes P.M. Links: How UC can defeat the Buckeyes; reporter visits Ohio State; Urban Meyer buys a house; let them play

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Fox Sports Ohio reporter tells us how the Bearcats can defeat Ohio State.

jared-sullinger2.jpgJared Sullinger

The Ohio State Buckeyes are favored in tonight's game against the Cincinnati Bearcats. And they should be; OSU is ranked higher, and it has a better record.

Zac Jackson of Fox Sports Ohio writes how Cincinnati can win this game.

But he still thinks Ohio State will prevail:

I’m not saying Cincinnati will win this game. In fact, when I HAD to make a pick I picked Ohio State. But I’ve seen both teams plenty — I’ve seen Ohio State up-close more — and I can’t see anything other than a game that comes down to the wire.

The Bearcats have enough athletes to win. They have the big-game experience (remember the Big East Tournament quarterfinals and semifinals?) and play the right style. 

Jackson writes how the moment is right for the Bearcats because they've been playing their best basketball over the past few weeks.

The Bearcats have big-time, Big East experience even if they don’t have a bunch of NCAA tournament experience, writes Jackson.

Yancy Gates has been a rock, on and off the floor. Sean Kilpatrick will find a way to score. Cincinnati is the deeper team. The Bearcats have enough shooters to win the 3-point battle and enough guys who will crash the glass and try to keep Ohio State from winning around the rim the way the Buckeyes often do.

More area and local sports

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has bought a home (Columbus Dispatch).

Yahoo.com's Pat Forde travels to area schools in the state.

The games in 1961 and 62 are just history to Ohio State coach Thad Matta (MansfieldJournal.com). 

The Sweet 16 has been a road block for Ohio State over the years (Columbus Dispatch).

It's time for Ohio State and UC to play regularly, writes Bill Livingston on Cleveland.com.


 

Chris Perez says he is almost ready to pitch in games, not worried about Ubaldo or Tomlin : Podcast

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In this episode of "30 Minutes of Pure Rage" with Tribe closer Chris Perez, he gives an update on his injury and when he will be pitching in games.

chris perez.JPGView full sizeChris Perez says if everything goes well, he will be pitching in games next week.

Listen to the eighth edition of “30 Minutes of Pure Rage” with Cleveland Indians closer Chris Perez, heard only on cleveland.com.

Chris and Glenn Moore talked about his injury and when he might be back and pitching in games.

Other topics discussed:

• Perez said if everything goes well, he will be pitching in games next week.

• Not worried about Ubaldo Jimenez and Josh Tomlin, even though they have had rough springs.

• Gave his take on Tim Tebow to the Jets.

You can download the mp3 or listen with the player to the right. The chat is live every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.

Be sure to also follow Chris Perez on Twitter.

Cleveland Browns P.M. links: Is there a front office consensus on how to build the team?

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Was the (failed) pursuit of a trade with St. Louis, which presumably would have led to the drafting of Rboert Griffin III, inconsistent with how the Browns have described their rebuilding plans? Links to more Browns stories.

mike-holmgren-tom-heckert.jpgTeam president Mike Holmgren (left) and general manager Tom Heckert (right) at a news conference following the conclusion of the 2011 season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns are coming off a 4-12 season and are 18-46 over the last four years.

The NFL is in the midst of its free agency period, and the April 26-28 draft approaches.

For the Browns to build and then sustain any improvement, they need a consistent plan.

Dave Kolonich writes about the Browns' front office strategy for Scout.com's Orange and Brown Report.

Among other things, he notes how the Browns' (failed) pursuit of a trade with the St. Louis Rams for the second overall pick in the draft -- which presumably would have been used to select Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III -- was inconsistent with previous front office rhetoric.

Kolonich writes, referring to general manager Tom Heckert and team president Mike Holmgren: 

Heckert (and Holmgren at times) has continually preached a mantra that the Browns are building through the draft. Yet according to Holmgren, the Browns nearly traded four high draft choices to the Redskins in an attempt to land Robert Griffin III – a move that would have crippled the team’s already stated rebuilding philosophy.

Perhaps the overall organizational strategy could have been amended to include the possibility of blowing up the future to land “one really talented player.”

Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage includes the weekly half-hour video feature, the "PD Sports Insider," with Mary Kay Cabot talking Browns; Cabot's story that Browns linebacker Scott Fujita should soon learn whether he will be penalized for paying teammates for big plays while he was with the New Orleans Saints in 2009 -- the first season of their "bounty program."

Goal to goal

Update on the AFC North's top 15 free agents, by Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.

Virginia Tech running back David Wilson, projected as an early-round draft pick, is scheduled to visit the Browns.

An all-time Browns' players Sweet 16 bracket, on the blog Dawgs By Nature, features an upset in the voting.

Scott Fujita could be disciplined. By Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.

What would be a great draft for the Browns. By Criag Lyndall for the blog "Waiting For Next Year."

What the mock drafts have the Browns doing. By Barry McBride for foxsportsohio.com.

As Cleveland Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving turns 20, he shows he's a man of many gifts

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Rookie point guards traditionally struggle with their stroke as they learn the rhythm of the pro game and try to keep their teammates and coaches happy running the offense. Not Irving.

kyrie irving.JPGView full sizeCavs rookie guard Kyrie Irving, who today turns 20 years old, has already established himself as a leader, a good teammate and clutch.

ORLANDO, Fla. — In his last game as a teenager, Kyrie Irving finally made the kind of mistake you would expect from a 19-year-old playing in a man's league.

In the third quarter of Wednesday's overtime loss to Atlanta, the Cavaliers' rookie point guard threw a no-look, over-the-head bounce pass that flew out of bounds and plunked Harry the Hawk in the beak. Not since Nuke LaLoosh beaned the Durham Bull has the sports world witnessed such mascot abuse by a young phenom.

Harry the Hawk was unfazed. So was Irving en route to a 29-point, nine-assist, nine-rebound performance in the Cavaliers' 103-102 setback. And, while he couldn't hit a 19-foot bank shot in the closing seconds to deliver his fourth game-winning bucket, he has much to celebrate as he turns 20 today.

What a remarkable year it has been for Irving and Cavaliers fans. Almost a year ago to the day he played his final game as a Duke freshman, scoring 28 points in an NCAA Tournament loss to Derrick Williams and Arizona. Remember when some experts were saying Williams -- selected second in the NBA Draft behind Irving -- was the right pick for the Cavs?

Irving's shooting numbers through 40 games are better than those of every point guard in this year's NBA All-Star Game through their first 40 games as rookies. Better from the field (47.4). Better from behind the 3-point arc (40.5). Better from the foul line (87.0).

Rookie point guards traditionally struggle with their stroke as they learn the rhythm of the pro game and try to keep their teammates and coaches happy running the offense. Not Irving. If Anderson Varejao hadn't fractured his right wrist a month ago, the rookie probably would have had the Cavaliers sitting in playoff position.

"You have so many people in your ear when you're a young point guard," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. "What Kyrie is doing in his first year is amazing. He is running that team and making a lot of friends in the process."

He ranks among the league's top 20 in scoring (19.0 points per game) and would be much higher in assists (5.7) if the Cavaliers' big men could finish at the rim with regularity. Or, in the case of Ryan Hollins, waived Tuesday, not have his shots blocked by the bottom of the rim.

It's easy to imagine how good Irving can become as the Cavaliers start to surround him with talent, affording him more space for his drives and spin moves. Think he looks quick now? Wait until defenses have to respect the shot of someone other than 35-year-old Antawn Jamison.

"The sky is the limit," Phoenix point guard Steve Nash said.

Irving will spend his birthday in Orlando, the city that helped showcase him during All-Star Weekend. He earned MVP honors in the Rising Stars Challenge, hitting on all eight 3-point attempts. His ability to raise his level of play in big moments is something that cannot be taught. Fans in Cleveland are dubbing him Mr. Fourth Quarter.

He was asked recently how he felt being labeled "clutch."

"It's a great honor," he said. "It's better than 'teenager.' "

Perhaps his best birthday present is outgrowing a tag that has stuck to him like the nameplate on the back of his No. 2 jersey.

"The headlines won't read '19-year-old rookie' any more," Irving said jokingly. "It will be '20.' Big difference."

While some high draft picks bristle at the thought of attending NBA Summer League after they have established themselves, Irving is looking forward to it. He welcomes the chance to work with the organizational newcomers in July.

Irving recognizes his time to lead this franchise is coming soon, and he's prepared for it.

He's not a 19-year-old kid anymore, folks. And except for that errant pass to the mascot, he never played like one either.

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

On Twitter: @pdcavsinsider

Cleveland Gladiators to face Kansas City Command in AFL action tonight

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The Gladiators are trying to rebound after losing their season opener on March 12.

Kickoff: 7:30 tonight at The Q.

Radio: WKRK FM/92.3.

Notable: Gladiators (0-1) lost their opener at Georgia, 41-39, on March 12. QB John Dutton threw for 308 yards and four touchdowns but was intercepted four times. Thyron Lewis caught 11 passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns. Gladiators coach Steve Thonn is in his third season with Cleveland. In the first two, he went a combined 17-17 in the regular season, 0-1 in the playoffs. Cleveland's kicker is Ohio State product Aaron Pettrey. . . . The Command (0-1) is coming off a 52-28 loss to Jacksonville. Quarterback Nate Davis was 11-of-19 for 177 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted once. . . . Last season in Kansas City, the Command defeated the Gladiators, 50-41.

Chicago Wolves eke past Lake Erie Monsters with power-play prowess

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The Monsters are just outside the Calder Cup playoff cut line with nine games remaining in the regular season.

lake erie monsters logoView full size

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Chicago Wolves entered Thursday night with the AHL's lowest-ranked power play. Then they used the power play to defeat the Monsters.

Such is the plight of the Monsters the past four games.

Chicago went 2-for-3 with the man advantage and scored an empty-netter to secure the 3-2 victory at The Q.

The Monsters are 0-2-1-1 in their past four games, including a 1-0 home loss to Chicago on March 17. They have scored seven goals during the skid.

"It's a tough time to be snake-bitten and not capitalize on your chances," Monsters coach David Quinn said. "Fix it, or your season's going to go south in a hurry."

The Monsters (32-27-3-5) are just outside the Calder Cup playoff cut line with nine games remaining in the regular season.

Lake Erie has played in 11 consecutive one-goal games (5-2-1-3). The 11th featured plenty of action -- until it came time to beat goalie Matt Climie, who made 22 saves.

"We just couldn't finish," Quinn said. "We got too cute, waiting for pretty plays. The effort was there, we competed, but it's disappointing because we didn't finish."

The Wolves took a 1-0 lead at 8:19 of the first period. Nolan Baumgartner's shot from the high slot was tipped in by teammate Andrew Gordon.

"Give Chicago credit for that first power-play goal," Quinn said. "They zipped the puck around. Sometimes the reason for a power-play goal is they have five and you have four."

Less than one minute later, the Monsters tied it. Brad Malone chipped the puck ahead to Greg Mauldin, who used his speed to gain the advantage on Wolves defenseman Jordan Henry. Mauldin wriggled free from Henry in the right circle and cut across the low slot, then flipped in a backhander.

Midway through the second, Chicago notched its second power-play goal. Jordan Schroeder received a pass in the left circle and went top-shelf with authority. It was nothing fancy -- just a clean, hard shot past a quality goalie, Cedrick Desjardins.

The Monsters thought they tied it minutes later. Peter MacArthur's shot slipped through the pads of Climie and was working its way past the line. Climie turned, located the puck and, with the help of a teammate, stopped it just in time.

"It wasn't a goal," Quinn said. "It clearly didn't go in."

Early in the third, Monsters winger David van der Gulik appeared to be in position to put home a rebound. The Wolves wisely committed a penalty to deny him. The Monsters failed to do anything on the subsequent power play.

At 18:26, the Monsters were in a 6-on-5. Instead of hurrying to get the puck to the net, they made one too many passes high on the left. Former Monster Darren Haydar read the last one, intercepted, and scored into an empty net.

"You can't stand still and telegraph passes," Quinn said. "There was no deception on that play."

The Monsters pulled within 3-2 with 3.6 seconds left. Patrick Rissmiller poked in a loose puck from the top of the crease.

Lake Erie almost created a scoring chance off the final faceoff.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dmanoloff@plaind.com, 216-999-4664

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

Shadows of past are no match for star power of Ohio State men's basketball team: Bill Livingston

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The present-day Buckeyes now have what their illustrious forebears do not — an NCAA Tournament victory over the University of Cincinnati.

ohio state.JPGView full sizeOhio State's Jared Sullinger dunks the ball during the second half Thursday against Cincinnati.

BOSTON, Mass. — No banners or retired jerseys hung in the rafters here Thursday night, although the laundry is famous.

This is the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, not the NBA. No hint of crass professionalism taints the shamateurism of a sport in which many top players slum around classrooms for a semester, then leave for the luck of the draft lottery.

Still, TD Garden is where the Boston Celtics play. It is where John Havlicek's No. 17 jersey hangs on most winter and spring nights. If no current Buckeyes players laid eyes on that tribute to his great NBA career, only a few felt the vengeance vibe the players on the great OSU teams of the early 1960s could have sent their way.

"It was great being around those guys," said the Buckeyes' William Buford of the 50th anniversary of the 1960 championship team two years ago. "But they didn't say anything to us then about getting back at Cincinnati."

"I wasn't born when those games were played," said Bearcats coach Mick Cronin, who arrived on the scene a decade after the 1961 stunner.

Cincinnati was the nemesis then. Buford, the target for the blame last year, shot 1-for-8 against the Bearcats, which was at least a show of moderation. He doubled down on inaccuracy with a 2-for-16 game in last year's Sweet 16 against Kentucky. His final miss ended the season for the overall top-seed team in the land, when it could have extended it.

Kids are all about now, especially in the NCAA Tournament. They are not about then. Instant gratification would be wasted on the old, anyway, they suspect. But now Buford gets 40 more minutes to leave a better and more-lasting impression.

And now these Ohio State players have what their illustrious Buckeyes forebears did not. Namely, an NCAA Tournament victory over the University of Cincinnati.

In the first postseason meeting of the schools since UC's back-to-back championship game victories in 1961-62, second-seeded Ohio State won, 81-66, beating back a furious second-half challenge by rediscovering its true identity amid crisis. OSU advances to Saturday's East Regional final against top-seeded Syracuse.

On a night for two schools separated by 100 miles of I-71 and estranged by a half-century and more of Ohio State's resentments, this was a new interpretation of an old plot.

Buckeyes fans standing behind the OSU bench waved huge blow-up photos of the faces of Jared Sullinger, Aaron Craft and caoch Thad Matta. But the biggest factor in many ways went unpictured. Cincinnati simply had no answer for Deshaun Thomas, particularly in the first half.

OSU's 6-7 forward figured to be a tough matchup problem for the Bearcats. It was like a struck match and dry tinder. He made his left-handed jump hook in the lane over and over. He scored 20 points as Ohio State took a 37-25 halftime lead.

A couple of plays left a serious impression. One was simply a basketball beauty, with Sullinger claiming a miss by Thomas and touch-passing to him for another left-handed leaper.

It wasn't even Sullinger's best play. On his way to 23 points and 11 rebounds, he made a first-half tip-in, bending across the lane, that was as dainty in touch and trajectory as it was violent in jump and extension.

By the waning moments of the first 20 minutes, when Thomas sent two 3-pointers through the net, the second one NBA deep, the only concerns were that Thomas would take his talents to the NBA then and there and that Buford's malaise would be infectious.

Havlicek, by the way, shot 1-for-5 for four points in the Buckeyes' 1961 upset at the hands of the Bearcats. There was much for which to atone, but he had to wait till next year.

Next year, Buford, the team's only senior, for all his inconsistency, will be in the NBA. So might Sullinger, and so might Thomas. But when Cincinnati stormed from 12 points behind to take a 52-48 lead, next year was only 11 1/2 minutes away.

The Celtics, in all their incarnations, have never had a player win the NBA scoring title while wearing their uniform. In their great years, they have been a team first

The Buckeyes could not win with the skewed scoring of the first half. In the second, they shot 52 percent, forced nine turnovers, and won the boards, 19-13. It was dominance everywhere, but it wasn't retribution. It was simply the hurdle they faced Thursday night. This Ohio State team is making its own name.

Still, in various living rooms, bathed in the glow of television sets, an aging Ohio State player or two whose careers reached their zeniths in the pros probably saluted the young, triumphant breed of Buckeyes.

To reach Bill Livingston: blivingston@plaind.com, 216-999-4672

On Twitter: @LivyPD


Three Questions With ... Steven Lopez, U.S. taekwondo athlete

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Steven won Olympic gold medals in 2000 and 2004, and has won five world championships.

steven lopez.JPGView full sizeTaekwondo competitors Mark, left, Steven and Diana Lopez pose in 2008 before heading to Beijing, where they became the first trio of U.S. siblings to medal at an Olympics.

U.S. taekwondo athlete Steven Lopez, 33, qualified for his fourth Olympics at the March 11 trials in Colorado. His sister, Diana, qualified for her second Olympics, but their brother, Mark, finished second and did not make the team. In 2008, they became the first trio of U.S. siblings to medal at an Olympics (Mark won silver, and Diana and Steven took bronze).

Steven won Olympic gold medals in 2000 and 2004, and has won five world championships. He answered questions during a conference call with Olympic media.

Q: How do you feel making your fourth Olympic team?

A: It was an eventful weekend for us. I'm very happy my sister made it and a little bittersweet my brother came so close.

Q: Is there extra motivation after not winning gold last time?

A: Winning the last two gold and five worlds, I got to the point where I thought it was almost automatic. It was almost business as usual where I thought I would go out and win the gold medal. Things didn't

happen that way and, yes, I am a little more motivated. All I'm thinking about is going out and getting that gold medal.

Q: How much longer do you want to compete in the Olympics?

A: That's a question that has been asked a lot. I'm 33 and this is my fourth Olympics. The motivation factor is the most important factor. It does get tough working out two or three times a day. Up until now, thank God, I haven't had any major injuries, and I'm still as motivated as I was in my first Olympics.

To me, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. In the grand scope of things, you don't have many opportunities to be at your best physically, and I'm going to run with it.

-- Tim Warsinskey

2012 Summer Olympics: London Calling and Three Maxims

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There are two hopeful signs recently for female Muslim athletes who have been blocked from reaching the Olympics.

london olympics.JPGView full sizeBritain's Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, meets the British Olympic women's field hockey team at the Riverside Arena in the Olympic Park, London.
Three Maxims

The Olympic maxim "Citius, Altius, Fortius" has become known in English as "Swifter, Higher, Stronger." Here are athletes who have done just that in recent days:

Swifter: New Yorkers Tim Morehouse, James Williams, Daryl Homer and Jeff Spear became the first U.S. men's saber (fencing) team to earn a world cup medal since 2005, taking home a bronze in Moscow, which qualified the United States for a team spot at the 2012 Olympics.

Higher: Christina Loukas of Riverwoods, Ill., and Kassidy Cook of The Woodlands, Texas, won silver in synchronized 3-meter diving at a 2012 FINA Diving World Series event in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. David Boudia of Noblesville, Ind., earned bronze in the 10-meter event.

Stronger: Charlie Cole of New Canaan, Conn., and Glen Ochal of Philadelphia, and Erin Cafaro of Modesto, Calif., and Eleanor Logan of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, won the men's and women's pairs titles at the inaugural National Selection Regatta I in Chula Vista, Calif.

London calling

There were two significant, hopeful signs recently for female Muslim athletes who have been blocked from reaching the Olympics, according to various wire service reports.

FIFA reversed a ban on female players wearing head scarves. The ban last year caused the Iranian women's team, which wore head scarves, to be disqualified from a match against Jordan that ended its quest to play in the London Olympics.

Also, Brunei and Saudi Arabia apparently have decided to send their women athletes to the Olympics this summer for the first time. Brunei nominated Maziah Mahusin, a sprinter. Saudi Prince Nayef this week agreed to allow Saudi women to compete in "sports that suit the nature and decency of women and don't conflict with Islamic law teachings." The New York Times reported equestrian Dalma Rushdi Malhas is a possible candidate.

Here's hoping the women will be celebrated at home as well as at the Games.

-- Tim Warsinskey

Four Things I Think ... about the East Regional in Boston: Bill Livingston

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Plain Dealer columnist Bill Livingston offers some observations from the NCAA Tournament in Boston.

Deshaun Thomas.JPGView full sizeOhio State forward Deshaun Thomas had 20 points in the first half.

1. The first half of Ohio State's game with Cincinnati was, to some extent, fool's gold. Deshaun Thomas was not even containable, much less stoppable, as he scored 20 of the Buckeyes' 37 points. The 12-point lead did not seem secure because neither William Buford nor Aaron Craft had scored. Craft did a lot of other things in steals and ball movement, but the skewed scoring meant the lead was shakier than it seemed.

2. Day-Glo orange piping and shoes on a black background -- not a good look for the Bearcats, whose true colors are black and red. One wonders when they got hold of the Oregon Ducks' glow-in-the dark wardrobe.

3. Jared Berggren, 6-10 Wisconsin junior, who beat Ohio State late in the regular season and then beat my Vanderbilt boys very late in the third round of the NCAA Tournament, both on 3-pointers, is a considerable upgrade in athletic ability from the Badgers' past stretch bigs.

4. Few teams play zone defense except as a change of pace because of rebounding problems in matching up and difficulty of trapping out of it or of pressing and recovering. But Syracuse is so effective in it that Jim Boeheim has been the zone guru for the USA Olympic team. It does not have to be the comparatively passive, arm-waving defense you see in high schools.

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Syracuse Orange in Elite 8 match-up: Who will win and by how much? Poll

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Buckeyes and Orange play in the East Regional championship game on Saturday night, with the winner advancing to the Final Four.

buford-craft.jpgGuard William Buford (44), point guard Aaron Craft (4) and the Ohio State Buckeyes will play the Syracuse Orange in the NCAA Tournament East Regional championship game on Saturday night.



CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Ohio State Buckeyes will play the Syracuse Orange in the NCAA Tournament's East Region championship game on Saturday night in Boston.



The Elite Eight match-up certainly is not a surprise. The Buckeyes are 30-7 and the region's second seed. The first-seeded Orange are 34-2.



Ohio State's tournament wins are, in order, over Loyola, Md. (78-59), Gonzaga (73-66) and Cincinnati (81-66).



Syracuse has defeated, in order, North Carolina-Asheville (72-65), Kansas State (75-59) and Wisconsin (64-63).



The Ohio State vs. Syracuse winner will advance to the Final Four in New Orleans. Both the Buckeyes and Orange are seeking a second national championship.



The Buckeyes have been to 10 Final Fours. They won their lone national title in 1960, featuring one of the greatest lineups in college basketball history, with Jerry Lucas, John Havlicek, Larry Siegfried, Mel Nowell and Joe Roberts.



Syracuse has reached the Final Four on four occasions. The Orange won their national title in 2003, with a roster including Carmelo Anthony, Hakim Warrick and Gerry McNamara.


Who will win on Saturday night?




Four Things I Think ... about the East Regional in Boston: Doug Lesmerises

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Plain Dealer Buckeyes beat writer Doug Lesmerises makes some observations on the NCAA Tournament in Boston.

wisconsin.JPGView full sizeSyracuse's Dion Waiters, left, and C.J. Fair celebrate as Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor bends over dejected at the end of the game Thursday in Boston.

1. Ohio State's Deshaun Thomas is a zone killer. He's a great fit at floating in the soft middle of a zone and hitting from anywhere within 15 feet. His quick-turnaround, one- handed half-hook is the kind of shot most zones aren't prepared to defend. And the ability Thomas has to catch and shoot without a second thought, which has driven people crazy at times during his career, is an asset against a zone because he gets the shot off before the defense swarms to him.

2. Wisconsin ran into a tough spot in the last seconds against Syracuse. The Badgers said they wanted to run their offense, which is what the Badgers should always do. Their best shot is to take whatever they create in a given possession, not to rely on any one player. But you also can see wanting to go out with the ball in your best player's hands, and Jordan Taylor has been that player for the Badgers. And Wisconsin wound up with Taylor taking an off-balance, long 3-pointer for the win. Right guy, wrong shot.

"They did a good job of forcing us into what they wanted to force us into, and they forced us into a tough shot," Taylor said.

For a moment, though, I thought Wisconsin's Mike Bruesewitz was going to pull a Lorenzo Charles and grab the air ball and dunk it. But the ball bounced off his hands.

3. This wasn't one of the best Wisconsin teams of recent times, yet the Badgers came within a point of a regional final. On some level, I think even the Badgers were surprised to get this far. It's a tribute to their style of play -- and constant team-first attitude -- that they did.

4. TD Garden will be the Carrier Dome North on Saturday -- or the Carriah Dome. The Orange had a boisterous crowd Thursday night, and expect more fans to make the 300-mile drive for the weekend and find a way into the game.

New mother Mickey Kelly excels in return as modern pentathlete

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The five-event sport includes fencing, swimming, equestrian and a combined cross-country running and shooting segment.

Mickey Kelly.JPGView full sizeU.S. modern pentathlete Mickey Kelly recently advanced to her first World Cup final since 2008, four months after having a baby.

An athlete who takes time off between Olympics to give birth is nothing new, and it seems to grow more common with each new quadrennium. It speaks well to the caliber of women athletes, as well as training methods that help them return quickly to the world stage.

But every now and then, an athlete takes being a world-class competitor and new mother to an unprecedented level. U.S. modern pentathlete Mickey Kelly did that last week when she positioned herself as an Olympic contender at a World Cup event in Charlotte, N.C.

Kelly breast-fed her 4-month-old daughter, Lillian Grace Brady, on the bus between the fencing and swimming events in the five-event sport that also includes equestrian and a combined cross-country running and shooting segment.

Kelly, 34, finished third in her group and advanced to her first World Cup final since 2008. She was 31st in the final.

"It's all come together really phenomenally," Kelly told U.S. Army Public Affairs. "It's just amazing that I've been able to continue training."

She caught Team USA coaches by surprise.

"Honestly, I did not expect that she could make the final because I know how hard it was for her," coach Janucz Peciak told U.S. Army Public Affairs. "She had a long break and had a baby, so it was not so easy. I was very, very happy and surprised how well she performed in the semifinal. Many of the best pentathletes in the world did not make the final."

Giving birth hasn't been her only challenge since the Beijing Olympics. An Army captain, she was deployed to Iraq from February through December 2009. She competes as an active member of WCAP, the Army's World Class Army Program.

WCAP nearly dropped her from the program when she became pregnant because of the short window that followed for her to compete at an elite level.

"I think she had something to prove," WCAP Commander Jonathan Harmeling said. "She looked us in the eye and said she could do it, and we said, 'OK, we'll take you at your word, and go get it done.' And she did. We're really excited for her and her family."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-4661

On Twitter: @TimsTakePD

Numbers go to Big East, but is it better than the Big Ten? NCAA Tournament Notebook

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When it comes to numbers, it's hard to beat the Big East. Numbers aside, which conference is better?

muhammad ali.JPGView full sizeBoxing great Muhammad Ali holds a baby in the Louisville fan section Thursday as Louisville plays Michigan State in a NCAA Tournament West Regional semifinal in Phoenix.

Big East-Big Ten feud: Thursday night played out as some kind of special postseason exhibition dreamed up by Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany and Big East Commissioner John Marinatto. Both games in Boston, with Delany present, were Big Ten-Big East showdowns, as was one of the games in Phoenix, where Michigan State took on Louisville.

Both leagues sent four teams to the Sweet 16, though for the Big Ten, that represented one-third of the 12-team league, while for the Big East, it was one-quarter of the 16-team league. When it comes to numbers, it's hard to beat the Big East.

During the past 10 years, the Big East has sent 31 teams to the Sweet 16, by far the most of any conference. The Big 12 is next with 21, followed by the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference with 20 each.

The same thing applies when it comes to NCAA bids. In the middle of the season, it looked as if nine tournament bids were a possibility for the Big Ten. After Illinois and Minnesota fell apart and Northwestern fell short, the Big Ten was left with six. Seven is the most bids the Big Ten has ever received, including last year.

The inflated Big East, meanwhile, set a record with 11 bids last year. This year, the league got nine and has three other years of eight bids. No other league has ever received more than seven.

So the numbers go to the Big East. Numbers aside, which conference is better? Which conference offers the best test during the course of a season?

"It's tough," said Cincinnati senior and loyal Big East member Yancy Gates, whose decision to be a Bearcat was influenced by his desire to play in the Big East.

"I think our conference has more teams, so it makes it a little tougher, night in and night out. In the Big Ten, you play everybody twice. We only get one chance against certain teams, so playing in the Big East makes it more of a sense of urgency because you don't want to lose to a team you only play once."

With 12 teams and 18 conference games, Big Ten teams still have four teams they don't play twice. But with 16 teams and 18 conference games, the Big East teams barely play anyone twice. Some might say that getting to know teams so well, which a second game does, might make things more difficult. But Gates makes an interesting point.

And, as always, the answers are on the court. It was obvious that Thursday night would provide some.

"We'll see what happens by the end of the week," Gates said Wednesday.

Advantage, Big East.

No free scoops: No statistic at the NCAA Tournament may be more difficult to understand than the foul shooting of Syracuse senior guard Scoop Jardine.

Starting with his freshman season, here is his free-throw shooting percentage during the course of his career: 83 percent, 75 percent, 66 percent, 55 percent. That means that, late in games, such as on Thursday against Wisconsin, the Orange can't put the ball in the hands of their ballhandler.

Remarkably, though, Jardine has found his touch so far in the NCAA Tournament. He was a 49 percent shooter coming into the tournament but has made 9-of-10 free throws in his first three games. Expect Syracuse to need Jardine to make a couple of big free throws if it's going to win the whole thing.

-- Doug Lesmerises


Former Bobcats enjoying Ohio University's success in NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

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The buzz over the Bobcats stretches from the Athens, Ohio, campus to Hamden, Conn., East St. Paul, Minn., and Indianapolis -- where three of the greatest basketball players to wear an OU jersey now live.

Walter Luckett.JPGView full sizeWalter Luckett was one of Ohio University's top basketball players when he graced the cover of Sports Illustrated for its 1972 College Basketball Preview issue.

The last time Ohio University won two NCAA Tournament games, Ed Sullivan had just introduced some band called "The Beatles."

So the buzz over the Bobcats, a 13th seed from the unheralded Mid-American Conference and least likely of the four Ohio teams to reach the NCAA's Sweet 16, stretches from the Athens, Ohio, campus to Hamden, Conn., East St. Paul, Minn., and Indianapolis -- where three of the greatest basketball players to wear an OU jersey now live.

And, yes, they're caught up in it, too:

Walter Luckett, 1972-75

"Big time," said Walter "Put it in the Bucket" Luckett. "It's history. There's nothing more I can say about it. This is history."

Luckett made history on Nov. 27, 1972. The coveted freshman, who set the Connecticut high school all-time scoring record, was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated in his Bobcat uniform before taking a shot in college hoops. (He still gets mailed requests from all over the country to sign the cover.)

It was the first season freshmen could play varsity.

"I had a lot of pressure on me at the time, but I had a lot of support, I have to admit," he said. "It was well-embraced, and the campus was going wild. It was a great experience. It gave basketball a shot in the arm at the time at OU."

As has the Bobcats' surprising tournament run. After defeating Michigan and South Florida, OU plays top-seeded North Carolina tonight in a Midwest Regional semifinal game in St. Louis.

"I'm going to be there," said Luckett, who runs a marketing and finance consulting business with his wife in Hambden, Conn. "I would love to be part of this history, because I still feel very connected to OU."

By the time he was through, Luckett was named 1974 MAC Player of the Year, twice led the conference in scoring and was the second player in Bobcat history to earn All-America honors.

When Luckett was a sophomore, the Bobcats won the MAC but got bounced by Marquette in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This OU team, he said, would handle that one.

gary trent.JPGView full sizeOhio University forward Gary Trent grabs a rebound during a game in 1995.

"It's got to be the best team, they've got the best record (29-7), and I think it's wonderful," said Luckett, who was drafted by the Detroit Pistons after his junior year but never played in the NBA because of an arthritic left knee. "Their record speaks for itself, so I've got to go with this year's team, and God bless 'em."

Gary Trent, 1992-95

Gary "The Shaq of the MAC" Trent follows his Bobcats from East St. Paul, Minn., where he settled after an 11-year NBA career.

"I think it's beautiful," he said, "and I think it's a great opportunity for the MAC to represent itself."

Trent, who retired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2004, works as a cultural interventional specialist and assistant to the principal at an elementary school, and coaches AAU and middle-school basketball.

The Columbus native became a Bobcat when his high school superintendent dropped his name to the basketball coach. He developed into a dominant 6-8, 250-pound forward and the 11th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft.

When Trent was a sophomore -- on probably his best team there -- OU was eliminated in the first round of the 1994 NCAA Tournament by Bob Knight's Indiana Hoosiers. But Trent was beyond confident those Bobcats would have rolled this 2011-12 team.

"Ah, man, we would have bullied them boys," he said with a laugh. "First of all, you've got Jeff Boals, who played physical. You've got Geno [Ford], who was too heady, and at the end of the day, nobody would have been able to stop me. So I'm definitely going to have to give the nod to my team.

"Not to discredit any of those players now, or any of their hard work, but you can't stop Gary Trent, I don't care who you are."

dave jamerson.JPGView full sizeDave Jamerson remains the career scoring leader for Ohio University.

In his day, Trent was unstoppable. He's one of just three players in MAC history with at least 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. He led the league in scoring three times and in rebounds twice, and is the only three-time MAC Player of the Year.

Dave Jamerson, 1985-90

As outreach pastor at his church in Indianapolis, Jamerson was on mission work in India when the tournament tipped off. But Ohio's all-time leading scorer -- and third highest in MAC history -- followed his Bobcats on the Internet.

"For me, honestly, probably the biggest thing is I just really appreciate the job that coach [John] Groce has done," said Jamerson, a Stow native.

Jamerson said Groce, more than anyone in the 25 years he has been associated with OU, reached out to him and other former players to build on the program's tradition and history, including the first basketball reunion last fall.

"I'm happy for him, I'm happy for the kids, I'm happy for the university," said Jamerson, who recently coached his local high school team to back-to-back state titles. "It's just a thrilling time."

Groce's Bobcats could use Jamerson's offense. A guard who set 14 Bobcat scoring marks, he holds MAC records for points in a season (874), and points (60) and 3-pointers (14) in one game.

"I think I would fit in great," he said.

It's a four-hour drive from his home to Athens, where he returns two or three times a year and where his 18-year-old son will be an incoming freshman this fall.

It's about the same distance to St. Louis, where Jamerson, his wife and their four kids (18, 16, 10 and 7) will be in the Edward Jones Dome to watch his Bobcats take the court as 101/2-point underdogs.

It was 1964 when OU last won two NCAA Tournament games, stunning Louisville and Kentucky. They have never won three.

"OU's gonna win, man!," Jamerson said laughing, when asked for a prediction. "They're going to go over there and shock the world."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: blubinger@plaind.com, 216-999-5531

Ohio University men's basketball player Nick Kellogg carving his own niche

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Nick is not a guy to roll his eyes or slump his shoulders at questions about growing up the son of one of Ohio's greatest high school basketball players, an Ohio State hoops icon and former NBA star.

nick kellogg.JPGView full sizeNick Kellogg, left, the son of former Ohio State star Clark Kellogg, averages 8.9 points per game for Ohio University.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Being the youngest in the family has its benefits.

For Nick Kellogg, 20, it's the lessons learned through observation and conversation, being Rosy and Clark Kellogg's baby boy.

Nick, the sophomore guard for Ohio University, observed his older sister, Talisa, and brother, Alex, wear the cloak of "Clark Kellogg's child" to the best of their abilities as a volleyball player at Georgia Tech and a basketball player at Providence, respectively.

"I had a chance to see them deal with it," Nick said. "Then I had a chance to talk to my dad. Seeing them go through it, seeing him handle himself, all of it helped me."

Nick is not a guy to roll his eyes or slump his shoulders at questions about growing up the son of one of Ohio's greatest high school basketball players, an Ohio State hoops icon and former NBA star.

"He's the kind of kid -- of the three -- he's probably the least uncomfortable in that shadow," said Clark Kellogg, lead college basketball analyst for CBS. "Because of his personality, he doesn't mind wearing who his dad is. That's my take on it. The other two dealt with it, but Nick embraced it most comfortably."

That goes right down to comparisons on the court. Unlike his dad and older brother, Nick is 6-3, not 6-7. Their games were 15 feet and in, Nick flourishes from 15 feet and out.

"Must have got that jump shot from your mom," is what he hears.

Which is another big plus going for the young Kellogg: "He's really close to my wife," Clark said. "He's a momma's boy."

Nick is there when needed for the Bobcats, averaging 8.9 ppg, shooting 41.8 percent on 3-pointers. That was proven last week when his nine points came in a cluster that turned potential defeat into a 62-56 victory over South Florida and an NCAA Tournament trip to the Sweet 16.

Nick had missed his first three 3-pointers, then was called upon to shoot two technical foul shots. He made both and followed that up seconds later with a 3-pointer to give the Bobcats their first second-half lead. Moments later, another Kellogg 3-pointer gave OU a cushion that would lead to victory.

Yet another key to Kellogg being comfortable in the spotlight is because of soccer. It is where he was able to have an identity long before basketball, a step outside of his family's shadow. Nick was locked into soccer, a sport that allowed father and son to travel and talk and share conversations without the cloud of "This is how I did it."

"It was tit for tat between soccer and basketball for him," Clark Kellogg said. "I think the fact we shared a lot of trips together with soccer, and got to talk about the important elements of being a high-level athlete, preparing, being fundamentally sound, your work ethic, being a good teammate, mastering your craft to the best of your ability. You do that with any sport. But our conversations were about soccer."

Between his junior and senior years of high school, Nick told his dad he wanted to concentrate on basketball. The only advice Clark Kellogg offered was to show it, not tell it.

"When I got back to the basketball court, I was fresh with a new motivation, and hungry to improve, instead of being ready for it all to end. I was looking forward to it," Nick said.

Nick Kellogg doesn't mind dealing with what many see as the pressures of being the son of Clark Kellogg because in one subtle way, he is not. If one watches closely, Nick Kellogg will sneak a glance into the stands -- because his mom, Rosy, is there. He really is a momma's boy.

"I am," Nick Kellogg said. "I don't mind owning up to it."

That also makes it not big deal being the son of Clark Kellogg.

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

Four Things I Think ... about the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Midwest Regional

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Plain Dealer sportswriter Elton Alexander offers observations from St. Louis.

reggie keely.JPGView full sizeOhio forward Reggie Keely shoots during practice Thursday in St. Louis. Ohio faces North Carolina today.

1. I wonder if it is better for leagues like the Mid-American Conference to have two teams in the NCAA Tournament who lose the first game they play, or to have one team get hot and win a couple of games? Either way, the MAC gets at least two games in the national spotlight. I'm guessing the folks at Ohio are saying this was one great week for the school and the program.

2. All four teams in the Midwest Regional semifinals have a transfer player on the roster. Over the past few years, transfers have become key players on so many teams, it is hard to ignore their impact. At the same time, something must be wrong with the recruiting system or the timetable if coaches and players can't make the correct evaluation the first time around.

3. Sooner or later, size matters. As the teams drop from 68 to 32 to 16, it becomes clear that squads need some kind of presence inside, at least defensively, to advance in the tournament. Very few teams remaining, other than Ohio, have anything less than a 6-9 athlete or brute on patrol under the basket. If he can score, even better.

4. Let's hope Ohio State can put any hard feelings on the shelf and regularly play the Cincinnati Bearcats -- home and away -- in football and basketball.

All eyes are on wrist of North Carolina's Kendall Marshall: NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Notebook

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Marshall did not participate in a team practice on Thursday and it's unclear if he'll play today against Ohio.

Kendall Marshall.JPGView full sizeNorth Carolina's Kendall Marshall, his injured wrist in a brace, talks with media in the locker room following the Tar Heels' practice Thursday in St.Louis.

Eye spy: The one-hour practice session for North Carolina's men's basketball team was a must-see, just to check out injured guard Kendall Marshall, who had surgery on his wrist earlier this week.

Was he with the team? Yes. Was he in a cast or splint? Neither; it was a wrist-to-forearm wrap. Did he participate in team drills? No. Did he participate in individual drills? No.

Marshall sat on the sidelines texting, but was quite visible wearing electric orange shoes, which were different from the other North Carolina players.

The question if Marshall will play against the Bobcats was left to UNC coach Roy Williams, who said everything from it will be a five-person decision (parents, Marshall, doctor and him) to "he can't even brush his teeth right now."

All of which seems to be a bit of a smokescreen, considering the injury is to Marshall's non-shooting hand. And who brushes their teeth with their off hand?

Connect the dots: Williams began his career with the Tar Heels, became head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks in 1988, then returned to North Carolina as head coach in 2003. Ohio coach John Groce coached four years as an assistant at North Carolina State (1996-2000), became an assistant to current Ohio State head coach Thad Matta and then moved on to become head coach at OU. Kansas, North Carolina, North Carolina State and OU are all playing in the Midwest Regional in St. Louis.

On the move: Every team in the Sweet 16 has a transfer player on its roster. It is a trend in college basketball that shows no signs of stopping. Player movement is common with just about every program in the country, every season. For Ohio, Groce said his Bobcats owe a lot to transfer Walter Offutt (Ohio State/Wright State), who has made his presence felt his first season.

"The experience level that Walt has in particular, and that have transferred in [in the past] have been good for us," Groce said. "I think if you ask him who taught you how to lead, who taught you how to conduct yourself like a pro's pro, he would probably reference [former OSU Buckeye] David Lighty, during his time at Ohio State. . . . I don't know the statistic about transfers, but I know that sometimes, when that happens, they bring a different perspective, kind of an old-school perspective. They appreciate things maybe a little bit more than younger guys."

Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas are on the same page, and that's good for Ohio State: Doug Lesmerises' Postgame Blog

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Ohio State beat writer Doug Lesmerises offers some more thoughts on the Buckeyes' victory over Cincinnati on Thursday.

jared sullinger deshaun thomas.jpgView full sizeJared Sullinger, left, and Deshaun Thomas are the Buckeyes' best offensive weapons.

Final thoughts from Ohio State's 81-66 win over Cincinnati in an East Region semifinal:

• In the old Ohio State game plan, Jared Sullinger made his teammates better. Sullinger drew double-teams and helped free up teammates like Deshaun Thomas for offensive rebounds and open jumpers. But now Thomas is drawing the kind of attention, and making the type of plays, that help make Sullinger better, too.

And that makes the Buckeyes better than ever, as Ohio State's two big guys are playing off and creating for each other more than at any point this season. They combined for 49 points and 18 rebounds Thursday.

"Yeah, I think we've gotten way better," Thomas said when I asked about their improvement in working together. "We've learned that teams are double-teaming us and playing the right guy out of the double-team. He's seen me flashing, now they're double-teaming me, so now I see him flashing. So I think that's way better."

In the NCAA Tournament, Thomas is averaging 25 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while shooting 56 percent. Sullinger is averaging 17.7 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 44 percent from the field. But it's more than just the numbers. It's easy to see that the two players who have clearly become the Buckeyes' two best offensive options are on the same page, which didn't always appear to be the case during the regular season.

"When you've got somebody like Deshaun that can post the basketball, score off jump hooks, hit the open shot at the 3-point line, and he pretty much catches everything that you throw at him, he pretty much makes me look a lot better than what I am," Sullinger said. "I think it makes it so much easier for me to find Deshaun because nobody knows where he's at but me. There's sometimes he's at the block, sometimes he's at 3-point line, sometimes he's at the midpost area. I think Deshaun just makes me look a lot better than what I am."

Sullinger, obviously, is exaggerating, but his point is taken, and it is just as obvious to see while watching the Buckeyes now. On one play in particular Thursday night, Sullinger passed up a jumper and kicked the ball to Thomas in the corner. Thomas missed the 3-pointer, but Sullinger made a nice play to grab the offensive rebound, and then as Thomas cut to the basket, Sullinger found him for a layup.

In another sequence, Thomas declined to take a jumper and instead threw a pass to Sullinger in the post, and the play resulted in Sullinger drawing the second foul of the game on Cincinnati center Yancy Gates, which helped send Gates to the bench. In one stretch when Thomas was heating up again, a 3-pointer that got him rolling came off a Sullinger kick-out off a double team.

"They were connected," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said. "The one Jared threw the hook pass out, Deshaun hit a 3 late in the first half, they were on a rope together. They've been that way here as of late."

That's the main reason why the Buckeyes should feel like they have a chance against Syracuse and the Orange zone defense on Saturday. Ohio State must get inside that zone and can't just settle for jumpers, but two big guys with skill who can shoot and pass and have a connection will go a long way toward finding space in there. Sullinger's passing will be big, and Thomas has a knack for finding open areas, and he showed that against the Cincinnati zone Thursday.

"I was really good in that zone, flashing and kicking it down to Sully and just getting in the open area and just knocking down shots," Thomas said.

He was really good. Sullinger was really good. And they were really good together.

• William Buford shot 12.5 percent from the field Thursday, the same shooting percentage he had in last year's Sweet 16. But last season the Buckeyes lost while he was 2-of-16. Thursday, they won while he was 1-of-8. Less Buford was better for the Buckeyes, and his second-half foul trouble almost felt like a good thing. Buford had four points and four turnovers, with just one assist, in 30 minutes.

The concern all season, at least in this corner, was Buford could shoot the Buckeyes out of a tight game against a good team. That's why I created the ROSN stat earlier in the year, which is when a player shoots 25 percent or worse from the field and takes at least 10 shots. The volume was important to me because Buford has had games where he's off and still doesn't stop shooting. So taking only eight shots Thursday, instead of 10 or 12 or 14, was actually a big deal in my mind.

What the Buckeyes also learned is they can win without Buford, especially with Thomas and Sullinger playing like this.

Asked if he needed to talk to Buford after his rough game, Matta focused on Buford's defense in the first half against Cincinnati leading scorer Sean Kilpatrick, who finished with 15 points but was just 2-of-5 for four points in the first half.

"William Buford played his best defense in his career at Ohio State that first 20 minutes, and that was something that we had really challenged him in guarding Kilpatrick," Matta said. "Did he have a great offensive game? No. But you know what, that was a huge 3 he hit during the second half.

"I think he will be ready to go. ... I'm very excited and got great confidence he'll play well on Saturday."

• We have reached the point where the absence of 7-foot Syracuse center Fab Melo, out for the NCAA Tournament because of academics, might really be felt. Initially, when the brackets were announced, I picked Syracuse to beat Ohio State in the East Region final. When the Melo suspension was announced, I switched my pick to Ohio State over Syracuse. And now we have reached that point.

It won't be easy, but the space I expect Thomas and Sullinger to find would have been snuffed out by Melo's presence. Without him, I'm sticking with my pick of Ohio State making it.

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