Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao is putting up career numbers, but is only 12th among NBA frontcourt players in All-Star voting. Coach Byron Scott says that's a travesty.

Cleveland Cavaliers' Anderson Varejao puts up a shot against Indiana Pacers' David West during the first half of a game on Wednesday, in Indianapolis. Darron Cummings/Associated Press  

Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, in Madison Square Garden, New York.

TV/radio: Fox Sports Ohio; WTAM AM/1100.

Notable: Carmelo Anthony (sprained left ankle) is questionable. . . . The Knicks have won eight of their past nine games, including a sound victory over the L.A. Lakers on Thursday, 116-107. . . . The Knicks are the only NBA team unbeaten at home.

- Jodie Valade

However, he's only 12th in the Eastern Conference among frontcourt players when it comes to All-Star Game voting, and Cavaliers coach Byron Scott thinks that's a travesty.

But he thinks there's really only one thing that can help Varejao.

"I think the thing that might hurt him the most, and what we've got to start doing a better job of, is winning games," Scott said. "I think that probably hurts him more than anything. As competitive as we have been, we've still got to put some 'W's on that board. We've got to do it from now to the end of this month and obviously in January when we've got a lot of home games. I think that will help his cause."

Playing for the 5-18 Cavaliers, Varejao ranked sixth in voting among centers in the Eastern Conference. Scott thinks Varejao's best shot at the All-Star Game probably is as a reserve, which is voted on by coaches.

"I think coaches in the Eastern Conference, especially the teams we've played against, know how well he's played and how well he's doing," Scott said. "I was looking at some of that voting and Andrew Bynum is still ahead of him and he hasn't played a game. There's a couple of guys who haven't even played. Obviously a lot of it is fan favorite, I understand that. But I still think the teams in the Eastern Conference, they know how well he's playing and how great he's playing."

Varejao had a streak of 10 straight double double games and leads the Eastern Conference with 15 double doubles this season.

Dion waiting

Rookie guard Dion Waiters arrived at tonight's 'game against Milwaukee with full clearance to play after missing six games with a left ankle injury.

"He thought he was playing [Friday night] for some reason," Scott said. "I don't know why he thought that."

Scott has a policy that any injured player must participate in a practice before playing in a game. Because of the Cavaliers' streak of back-to-backs -- which includes four games in five nights this week -- Cleveland will not practice again until Monday. That makes Tuesday's home contest against Toronto the earliest Waiters will play.

Scott said he's yet to determine whether Waiters will immediately reclaim his starting shooting guard role. In Waiters' absence, C.J. Miles has found new life as a starter, scoring 28 points in consecutive games (against the L.A. Lakers and Indiana Pacers).

Perspective

The Cavaliers held a moment of silence before Friday's 'game against the Bucks to honor the victims of the elementary school shooting in Connecticut earlier in the day.

Scott choked up when he addressed media before the game and tried to put the game in perspective.

"When you hear about kids who are in the fourth grade and younger -- kids period, but that young -- and don't get a chance to live because of something that's so senseless . . . I think it affects everybody," Scott said. "And it just puts everything in the right perspective, as well. As much as we love this game, this doesn't mean nothing."

Scott issued condolences to the families of the victims on behalf of the Cavaliers organization.

"Anything that happens with children in this world kind of hits you hard, especially when you have children," said Scott, who is a father to three and grandfather to one. "I have no idea how those families are feeling at this particular point, but my heart really goes out to them. I just don't understand it. But to the parents of all the kids who were hurt, I just want them to know that this organization is thinking about them."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654.

The Cavaliers survived injury scares to Kyrie Irving and Anderson Varejao, but couldn't survive the Bucks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- They survived a face-first fall from their star point guard. They survived a bruised left lower leg from their energetic rebounding machine.

But in the end, the Cavaliers could not survive a season-high 27 turnovers, a lackluster effort overall and Monta Ellis' hot shooting as they fell, 90-86, to the Milwaukee Bucks at The Q on Friday night.

The loss is Cleveland's eighth in the past nine games, and also marked a new low for coach Byron Scott in trying to explain how the Cavaliers, who fell to 5-19, struggled again.

"When you come out with the lack of energy and the lack of effort that we came out with, and you commit 27 turnovers, you're not going to win a whole lot of games," Scott said.

And it's tough to win, too, when your two best players need ice packs and X-rays during the game.

Kyrie Irving survived a frightening fall in the first quarter when he drove to the basket and was fouled hard by Bucks forward Luc Mbah a Moute. Irving's head appeared to bounce off the floor as he landed, and he writhed on the floor in pain for several minutes before rising and sinking two free throws.

Irving played the remainder of the game, and went on to lead the Cavaliers with 26 points on 9-for-23 shooting, but he pressed an ice pack to his face while he sat on the bench, and was to be evaluated before Cleveland's game against the New York Knicks on Saturday.

"Obviously, I think his face is going to be a little bit sore," Scott said.

After the fall, Irving's defense on Milwaukee guard Brandon Jennings was so uninspired that Scott assigned Cavaliers' stopper Alonzo Gee to pick up the Bucks' ball-handler at mid-court. That, Scott said, is when the Cavaliers finally showed some life while quickly cutting the Bucks lead from 16 points to five just before halftime.

"Kyrie wasn't guarding him," Scott said. "He was going wherever he wanted, but so were the rest of their guys."

Irving's defense has been an on-again, off-again project that Scott said has slipped since Irving's return to the lineup three games ago from a fractured left index finger.

"He had gotten better," Scott said. "I think he's taken a couple of steps back, but it's something he can correct. Defense is not something, you don't have to have a whole lot of talent. But you've gotta have a whole lot of heart and a whole lot of desire and toughness."

The Cavaliers' defensive sparkplug, Anderson Varejao, gave Cleveland another scare at the end of the second quarter when he limped to the locker room clutching his left leg. Apparently kicked by a Bucks player, an X-ray showed it was nothing more than a bruised lower left leg, and Varejao sat for the first 3:17 of the third quarter.

By the time he returned, the Cavaliers were back in the game, and with 5:31 left in the third, a C.J. Miles jumper gave Cleveland a 59-58 edge -- their first of the game.

The Cavaliers logged 10 of their turnovers from that point on, however, and Ellis sank 18 of his game-high 33 points as the Bucks sealed the victory.

"There were times we were running stuff that I had no idea what we were running," Scott said. "We were fighting ourselves offensively, more than anything. Twenty-seven turnovers speaks for itself. You can't win in this league when you turn the ball over that many times."

Irving led the Cavaliers with six turnovers, while rookie center Tyler Zeller and three of his four turnovers in the final 6:36 -- after the Cavaliers had cut the Bucks' lead to 78-75. In all, the Cavaliers had five turnovers in the final 6:36, including a shot-clock violation.

"I had a couple stupid plays, and the team had a couple stupid plays," Zeller said. "We've got to make sure we get rid of those and we're more particular in the last few minutes."

Said Varejao: "Having a young team, you're going to have a lot of ups and downs. We know it is going to happen. We have to control that. We can't take nights off. We have to play hard every night and play with energy. We have a lot of talent here and I think we can be very special. We can surprise a lot of people. (But) if we keep playing like that, it's going to be tough."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654.

LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- Call it the 57-second solution. That's how long it took St. Ignatius to take control of its Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League game against St. Edward on Friday night. Scoring three goals in less than a minute in the second period, the Wildcats knocked off their West Side rival, 3-1, in a Red North West...

Miles McQuinn of St. Ignatius skates between St. Edward's Trevor Lewandoski, left, and Anthony Strollo during the Wildcats' 3-1 win on Friday night. - (Tim Harrison, Special to The Plain Dealer)

LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- Call it the 57-second solution.

That's how long it took St. Ignatius to take control of its Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League game against St. Edward on Friday night. Scoring three goals in less than a minute in the second period, the Wildcats knocked off their West Side rival, 3-1, in a Red North West Division game at Serpentini Winterhurst Arena in Lakewood.

It was a small measure of revenge for the Wildcats (6-2-1, 1-0-1), who had their run of 39-game perfection ended in March when the Eagles prevailed in the district final, 3-2.

"We came out flat in the second period and they took it to us for a bit," said acting St. Ignatius coach Nick Biondo, who is filling in for head coach Pat O'Rourke while he is on a one-month medical leave. "The kids kept their composure. They smelled blood and they kept going."

The Eagles (5-6, 1-2) broke on top five minutes into the second period as Tyler Harkins, a junior transfer from Rocky River, staked out his territory in front of the St. Ignatius net and put a centering pass from senior Gabe Lampron past senior goaltender Bernie Cooke.

It looked as if the momentum was definitely with the Eagles.

But taking advantage of a power-play situation, junior defenseman Nick Gajkowski evened matters when he did a good job of keeping the puck in the zone and then putting it past St. Edward senior goaltender Michael Vetrano with a slap shot from just inside the blue line with 2:13 left in the period.

"We just wanted to keep up with what we were doing," said Gajkowski, who has five goals on the season. "The goals would come. The puck wasn't bouncing our way."

It did during the next minute as St. Ignatius senior captain Miles McQuinn helped set up two more goals with assists.

McQuinn's backhander was blocked by Vetrano, but he retrieved the puck and got it over to junior wing Danny Brogan for the goal with 1:21 left. McQuinn and junior Riley Ellis teamed up for assists 11 seconds later as sophomore Matty Geither netted the puck for a 3-1 lead.

The St. Ignatius defense and Cooke did the rest as the Eagles could not mount much pressure the rest of the way.

"I was screened [on the St. Edward goal] and it bounced off the back of my skates," said Cooke, who was credited with 17 saves. "You can't let the goals get to you. You just have to bounce back up."

Giving up the first goal on a power play made for a disaster, said St. Edward coach Troy Gray.

"We took a bad penalty and the momentum went to them on the power play," said Gray. "They threw another one at us. We weathered the storm early and then we had to play from behind."

The Wildcats outshot the Eagles, 14-4, in the first period, but had nothing to show for it as they could not solve Vetrano. St. Ignatius wound up with the shooting advantage, 31-18.

The second-year player from Pittsburgh says he is "feeling pretty good'' after being placed on injured reserve following the discovery of a blood clot in his lung. Watch video

Cleveland Browns guard Jason Pinkston looks forward to getting back into the heat of competition next season. Tom Uhlman, Associated Press  

BEREA, Ohio -- Guard Jason Pinkston is grateful to be alive after his life-threatening blood clot and is set to return to football next season.

"I'm feeling pretty good, can't complain," Pinkston said in his first interview since being hospitalized Oct. 19 with a clot in his lung. "I'm working out, playing basketball just waiting to get back to next year."

Pinkston, who looked like his old, healthy, smiling self, added, "I feel normal, like nothing ever happened."

He admitted the episode "was pretty scary. [The doctor] said if I would've stayed in that game versus Cincinnati [Oct. 14], if I would've gotten hit or taken a shot or something like that, I could've probably died then, so I'm all happy about it that I'm still here."

Pinkston played sparingly during the Bengals game but was short of breath and became ill on the sidelines. He was rushed to the hospital five days later after his symptoms worsened. That's when the clot was discovered.

Doctors told him they're still not sure why he suffered the clot, but they were able to rule out a long-term condition. Pulmonary embolisms such as the one Pinkston suffered often begin in the leg and travel to the lungs.

"I could be one of the people it just happened, or I got rolled up in the game or something like that," he said. "They weren't too sure. All of my tests came back good. No cancers or anything like that, so, I mean, I'm excited about that."

He said the plan is for him to return to football next season. In the meantime, John Greco is playing well in his spot at left guard.

"Yeah, I still have to get an MRI or a CT scan before I start activities again," Pinkston said. "Since I'm not going to be doing that for the rest of the year, I don't have to get it until later on. They just have you on blood thinners for six months or so, so I'm coming down to two or three months left. . . . Other than that, I've been good, just relaxing and just watching the Browns win."

He said he's grateful to be able to resume his career.

"I mean, that's scary, especially not knowing," he said. "I was pretty sick with bronchitis that whole week and a little bit before, so I thought I was just sick."

While in the hospital, Pinkston was inundated with good wishes from teammates, coaches and fans, and it meant a lot.

"[My teammates have] been very supportive," he said. "A lot of visits to the hospital when I was there, so it's been good. Everything's been really good."

RG3 questionable: Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is listed as questionable for the Browns game with his sprained right knee and was limited in practice for the third straight day. Coach Mike Shanahan said it will come down to a game-time decision.

He said he might tell Griffin and fellow rookie Kirk Cousins on Saturday night which one is starting.

In the 20 minutes of practice open to the media, Griffin worked in both individual and group drills, according to reports.

"He keeps on improving every day, so he's much better today," Shanahan said.

There are conflicting reports on whether Griffin has taken any first-team reps this week. Players told Fox Sports' Jay Glazer on Friday that Griffin has been held out of 11-on-11s and that Cousins has taken all the reps.

Other players have told reporters that Griffin participated in some full-squad sessions.

Griffin suffered a mild sprain of his lateral collateral ligament during Sunday's 31-28 overtime victory against the Ravens. Cousins replaced him and threw a touchdown pass before running in a two-point conversion that forced overtime.

"[Cousins] has to be prepared to go either way," Shanahan said. "Anytime you get reps, a quarterback has always got to be ready to go, especially in a situation like this. You have to be prepared mentally to go."

In other Redskins injury news, linebacker London Fletcher, a Cleveland native, is questionable with an ankle injury and left tackle Trent Williams is questionable with a thigh injury. Both were limited Friday. Rookie running back Alfred Morris sat out practice with an illness but is probable.

For the Browns, all nine players on the injury report practiced and are listed as probable. Three of them, Josh Cribbs (knee), Juqua Parker (knee) and Joe Thomas (back), had been limited Wednesday and Thursday.

Kevin Burke led two second-half touchdown drives and the Purple Raiders ended a three-year losing streak in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.

Mount Union's Julius Moore tries to get past St. Thomas of Minnesota's Mozus Ikuenobe during the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl on Friday. Daniel Lin, The Roanoke Times  

SALEM, Va. -- Mount Union is back on top of Division III football.

Kevin Burke led two second-half touchdown drives and the Purple Raiders ended a three-year losing streak in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl with a 28-10 victory over St. Thomas of Minnesota on Friday night.

The victory gave Mount Union coach Larry Kehres his 11th national title in 16 appearances in the Stagg Bowl, all in the past 20 years. His record improved to a staggering 332-24-3 in 27 seasons.

Burke threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Chris Denton on fourth down late in the third quarter to give the Purple Raiders (15-0) a 21-10 lead, then directed a 14-play, 87-yard drive for the clinching score with 4:28 to play. The sophomore quarterback completed three third-down passes to keep the drive alive.

The Tommies (14-1), making their first appearance in the championship game, managed only 15 yards of offense in the third quarter against Mount Union's top-rated defense, and couldn't stop the Purple Raiders' top-ranked offense after closing to 14-10 on a field goal in the third quarter.

The Purple Raiders had lost three straight Stagg Bowls, and four of the last five, all against Wisconsin-Whitewater as the teams met at Salem Stadium in the season finale for seven straight seasons.

The losing streak also left the Purple Raiders' 25 seniors in danger of becoming the first class at Mount Union in 20 years to fail to win a national championship.

Burke, the game's most outstanding player, didn't let it happen. He finished 21 for 28 passing for 222 yards with the touchdown, ran 13 times for 28 yards and avoided the turnovers that often alter title games.

The Tommies, playing in the Eastern time zone for the first time since 1949, seemed poised to make it a game down to the wire until they got too close for comfort, and Burke and Co. took command.

Mount Union's offense, stymied for several series, came alive after St. Thomas closed to 14-10 on Paul Graupner's 38-yard field goal midway through the third quarter. The scoring play was set up by the game's first turnover, a fumble by punt returner Denton recovered by Zach Novaczyk at the 27.

The Purple Raiders took over at their 19 and went 81 yards in 12 plays. Burke hit Julius Moore for 12 yards on a third-and-four and Jasper Collins for eight yards on a third-and-12 from the St. Thomas 25.

Kehres opted to go for it on fourth-and-four, and Burke hit Denton in the left corner for the TD.

A leaping, fingertip interception by Isaiah Scott at the Purple Raiders' 13 ended the Tommies' attempt to answer, and Burke completed three passes on third down to keep the ensuing nearly 9-minute drive alive.

The third one, on third-and-6 from the St. Thomas 43, went to Collins, who juked Sean Hamlin after the short catch, turning it into a 38-yard gain. Two plays later, Simon's second 1-yard TD made it 28-10.

The Tommies struggled early, but used a trick play to get untracked, and on the scoreboard.

Facing fourth-and-10 from the Purple Raiders' 10, they lined up for a 27-yard field goal. The snap came to holder Dan Ferrazzo, the kicker went through the motions and then Ferrazzo jumped up and ran for the right pilon, diving for the touchdown to make it 14-7 just 1:29 into the second quarter.

The Tommies should have tied it later in the quarter when O'Connell hit Matt Misiewicz in the hands a few steps from the end zone, but the ball glanced off the big tight end's hands and the drive stalled.

The Purple Raiders took the opening kickoff and moved like a team intent on reclaiming its perch atop Division III football. From its own 18, Mount Union needed just seven plays, the biggest a 41-yard pass from Burke to Jasper Collins, to go ahead 7-0. They actually scored twice, too, because the officials said they needed to review Burke's 10-yard pass to Chris Denton to the 1, but didn't decide to do it until after Jake Simon ran it in. After a lengthy review, Simon ran it in again on the do-over.

Mount Union made it 14-0 after an exchange of punts. The Purple Raiders held again, and when Tommies' 6-foot-6 punter Garrett Maloney had to jump to catch a high snap, he was swarmed as he tried to punt. Charles Dieuseul blocked it, scooped it up at the 13 and rumbled in a pack of purple into the end zone.

It was Mount Union's fourth punt block, and third return for a TD, in the past three games.

------

Follow Hank on twitter at: http://twitter.com/hankkurzjr

AP-WF-12-15-12 0333GMT

Brush coach Jayson Macauda knew it would happen at some point. He just didn't know when. In splitting their first four games of the season, the Arcs struggled with their shooting.

Brush coach Jayson Macauda knew it would happen at some point. He just didn't know when.

In splitting their first four games of the season, the Arcs struggled with their shooting.

That wasn't apparent Friday, as the host Arcs jumped to a 27-6 lead after one quarter and cruised to a 75-65 victory over Hudson in their Northeast Ohio Conference River Division opener. Ranked No. 16 in the area, Brush is now 3-2, while Hudson falls to 2-2.

"We were struggling," Macauda said. "I knew it would eventually change and I'm glad it happened tonight. If it lingers too long it can get into their heads."

Barely three minutes into the game the Arcs had drained three 3-pointers while taking a 16-2 lead. Junior Sean Gooden, who led the Arcs with 18 points, had one from beyond the arc during the stretch, while sophomore Chris Oakley had two.

"You have to give Brush credit," Hudson coach Jeff Brink said. "They were shooting the ball really well. It was probably the best they've shot in the seven or eight years that I've seen them, and that's games that I've coached as well as games that I've scouted."

While the Arcs were seemingly hitting every shot they attempted, the Explorers couldn't get anything to work. They already were missing Ben Gedeon, who was at Michigan for a football recruiting weekend.

Then, just 1:10 into the game, senior forward Steven Boslet suffered a concussion while attempting to take a charge and was lost for the game. Boslet entered the game averaging 14.7 points, tied with Zack Brandy for the team lead.

The final obstacle for Hudson came in the form of a box-and-one defense Brush employed to slow down Brandy. With junior Delvon Robinson hounding him as soon as he crossed midcourt, Brandy had just four points at halftime with the Arcs holding a 49-26 lead after two quarters. Brandy finished with 19 points, but most came after the outcome was decided.

"That was the first time using a box-and-one in my nine years here," Macauda said. "We thought we could confuse them a little bit. We wanted to keep them guessing."

According to Brink, the problem wasn't facing an unusual defense. The problem was that two of the key players Hudson would use to counter a box-and-one were unavailable.

"We don't make excuses," he said. "The fact that we didn't have those two was irrelevant. It just took us a while to respond. We didn't step up quickly enough. I was extremely proud of the fight that we showed in the fourth quarter. But it took us too long to get there."

Four Arcs ended with double figures in scoring -- Gooden with 18, Brandon Dawson with 17, Robinson with 14 and Oakley with 12. For Hudson, junior guard John Zuccaro backed Brandy with 11 points, while Kevin Zullo added nine and Alex Albright had eight.

With the first Northeast Ohio Conference game of the season hanging in the balance for No. 9 Garfield Heights and No. 17 Medina, Garfield Heights junior guard Al Burge popped out on the left wing. For more than 30 minutes, the two basketball powers had traded blows but hadn't been able to create much separation until Burge found himself...

With the first Northeast Ohio Conference game of the season hanging in the balance for No. 9 Garfield Heights and No. 17 Medina, Garfield Heights junior guard Al Burge popped out on the left wing. For more than 30 minutes, the two basketball powers had traded blows but hadn't been able to create much separation until Burge found himself open behind the arc.

Burge smoothly caught the ball and fired a 3-pointer, watching it fall through the hoop to give the Bulldogs a late two-point lead. It would prove to be the decisive basket. Visiting Garfield Heights hung on until the final horn, securing a 65-58 victory Friday night.

Though Burge had struggled for much of the night, he made two key 3-pointers in the second half. Coach Sonny Johnson said he knew Burge would come up big in the clutch.

"He's one of the best guards in the state, so we expect him to do that," Johnson said.

After coming up just short, Medina coach Anthony Stacey said the difference in the game was clear.

"They made plays down the stretch and we didn't," Stacey said. "That's a heck of a ball team."

Senior guard Richard Parker scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Bulldogs (4-1, 1-0). Freshman forward Willie Jackson added 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Parker found a rhythm from behind the arc and made five 3-pointers. Two came on back-to-back possessions, eliminating a six-point Medina lead in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and setting up Burge's go-ahead shot.

"It was really exciting to bring my team back and help my team win," said Parker, who will attend Berea (Ky.) College next fall.

The Bulldogs made eight 3-pointers as a team, many coming in transition, when they were able to take advantage of defensive mismatches. But Stacey said the difference came at the free-throw line. The Bulldogs made 13, two more than the Bees attempted.

"'"Senior guard Billy Geschke led the Bees (1-2, 0-1) with 19 points. Junior forward Brandon Wilkins scored 16, including nine in the third quarter.

Johnson said containing Geschke was a central part of his team's game plan, but the guard found a way to score anyway.

"He creates," Johnson said. "He's one of the best guards in our conference. You've got to prepare for him."

In a game between two conference foes that are both ranked in The Plain Dealer Top 25, a close game was to be expected. Medina fans came prepared for their final home game of the month, filling the student section with Santa hats, with half-dozen students dressed in complete Santa suits. The intense atmosphere in the gymnasium raised the stakes of the mid-December game.

Though losing a close conference home game is a tough pill to swallow, Stacey said he was glad his team would be able to get back in action this afternoon at the Play4Cancer Tournament at Massillon Jackson.

"That's the good thing about basketball," Stacey said. "It's a new day tomorrow."

Cleveland Browns running back Montario Hardesty is having a productive season providing relief for starter Trent Richardson. Hardesty, who missed playing time in his first two years due to injury, is averaging 4.7 yards per carry coming off the bench. Richardson is averaging 3.5 yards per carry. Watch video

Highlights include Ohio State basketball, Lake Erie Monsters and Cavaliers games.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV sports listings

BOXING

4:30 p.m.

CBS — Bantamweights, Joseph Diaz Jr. (0-0-0) vs. TBA; champion Leo Santa Cruz (22-0-1) vs. Alberto Guevara (16-0-0), for IBF bantamweight title, at Los Angeles

9:30 p.m.

HBO — Champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0-0) vs. Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (48-2-0), for WBA super bantamweight title; champion Nonito Donaire (30-1-0) vs. Jorge Arce (61-6-2), for WBC Diamond/WBO junior featherweight titles, at Houston

10:30 p.m.

SHO — Heavyweights, Deontay Wilder (25-0-0) vs. Kelvin Price (13-0-0); junior middleweights, Alfredo Angulo (21-2-0) vs. Jorge Silva (19-2-2); Amir Khan (26-3-0) vs. Carlos Molina (17-0-1), for vacant WBC Silver super lightweight title, at Los Angeles

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

1 p.m.

ESPN — New Mexico Bowl, Nevada vs. Arizona, at Albuquerque, N.M.

ESPN2 — NCAA, D-II final, Valdosta State vs. Winston-Salem, ESPN

4 p.m.

FCS semifinal, Sam Houston State vs. E. Washington, ESPNU

4:30 p.m.

ESPN — Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, TOLEDO vs. Utah St., at Boise, Idaho

EXTREME SPORTS

2 p.m.

NBC — Dew Tour, iON Mountain Championships, at Breckenridge, Colo. (same-day tape)

11 p.m.

NBCSN — Dew Tour, iON Mountain Championships, at Breckenridge, Colo. (same-day tape)

GOLF

5:30 a.m.

Golf Channel — European PGA Tour, Alfred Dunhill Championship, third round, at Mpumalanga, South Africa 

9:30 a.m.

Golf Channel — The Royal Trophy, second round, at Negara, Brunei (same-day tape)

4 p.m.

NBC — Father-Son Challenge, first round, at Orlando, Fla.

8 p.m.

Golf Channel — PGA Tour Australasia, Australian PGA Championship, final round, at Coolum Beach, Australia

1 a.m. 

Golf Channel — Asian Tour, Johor Open, final round, at Johor Bahru, Malaysia (delayed tape)

HOCKEY

7:30 p.m.

LAKE ERIE MONSTERS vs. Chicago, WUAB; AM/1220

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Noon

East Carolina at North Carolina, ESPNU

OHIO STATE vs. UNC-Asheville, Big Ten Network

Western Carolina at Georgetown, Fox Sports Ohio

2 p.m.

Texas A&M at Oklahoma, ESPNU

Cincinnati at Marshall, CBSSN

Indiana vs. Butler, at Indianapolis, CBS 

2:30 p.m.

Northern Iowa vs. Iowa, Big Ten Network

Louisville at Memphis, Fox Sports Ohio

4 p.m.

Alabama at VCU, CBSSN

4:30 p.m.

Purdue vs. Notre Dame, at Indianapolis, ESPN2

Nebraska at Oregon, Fox Sports Ohio

6 p.m.

New Mexico at New Mexico State, CBSSN

7 p.m.

Belmont at Kansas, ESPNU

8 p.m.

West Virginia vs. Michigan, at Brooklyn, N.Y., ESPN

9 p.m.

Tuskegee at Michigan State, ESPNU

Kansas St. vs. Gonzaga, at Seattle, ESPN2

10 p.m.

Florida at Arizona, ESPN

11 p.m.

Mississippi State at Loyola (Ill.), ESPNU

NBA BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS at New York, Fox Sports Ohio, AM/1100

8 p.m.

Brooklyn at Chicago, WGN

SOCCER

7:30 a.m.

Premier League, Manchester City at Newcastle, ESPN2

7 p.m.

Women’s national teams, exhibition, United States vs. China, at Boca Raton, Fla., NBCSN

WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL

7 p.m.

NCAA, Division I, playoffs, championship, teams TBD, at Louisville, Ky., ESPN2

Deshaun Thomas had 17 points, Lenzelle Smith Jr. 16 and Evan Ravenel tied a career best with 12 points in the first half for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State's Shannon Scott makes sure UNC-Asheville's D.J. Cunningham won't get off a quality shot on this second-half play Saturday afternoon in Columbus. Scott was called for a foul on the play. Paul Vernon, Associated Press  

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Sam Thompson scored a career-high 18 points and No. 7 Ohio State made the most of an opportunity to get out and run to beat UNC Asheville, 90-72, on Saturday.

Deshaun Thomas had 17 points, Lenzelle Smith Jr. 16 and Evan Ravenel tied a career best with 12 points in the first half for the Buckeyes (8-1), who tuned up for a big showdown next Saturday against No. 9 Kansas with the fourth game in an eight-game homestand.

Keith Hornsby, son of Grammy-winning singer and pianist Bruce Hornsby, had a career-high 26 points for Asheville (3-7), which had won its previous two games heading into a tough three-game road trip.

Hornsby, with his father watching from behind the Asheville bench, hit nine of 12 shots from the field including six of eight 3-pointers, made both of his free throws and added five rebounds and an assist. Will Weeks added 14 points and Jeremy Atkinson 11

Asheville was coming off wins over Montreat (85-51) and Lenoir-Rhyne (66-55) -- but that's a far cry from playing a Top 10-team.

The Bulldogs tried to get out and run with Ohio State -- a tactic that clearly did not work. After playing a series of games against teams that preferred to slow the pace and dig in on defense, the Buckeyes welcomed the faster pace. They scored on 14 of 19 possessions during one span in the first half and took a 50-35 lead.

They would have been up even more if not for Hornsby, who had 18 points in the opening half while hitting all but one of his eight shots from the field -- including 4 of 5 3-pointers.

The Buckeyes had three in double figures with Ravenel scoring all of his points. Smith had 11 and Thomas 10 as Ohio State hurried the ball down the floor and frequently scored in transition.

Hornsby had five early points as the Bulldogs trailed 11-7 in the opening few minutes. Then Thomas hit a 3, Smith slashed through the heart of the defense for a layup and Thompson dunked off a fast break pass from Shannon Scott to make it 18-8.

The lead remained near double figures until Ravenel muscled in a shot inside and then hit a 12-foot jumper to make it 40-27.

With the game still played at a fast pace, the Buckeyes pulled away in the early stages of the second half.

Thompson scored seven points as Ohio State ripped off 15 of the first 18 points in the opening minutes to widen the advantage to 65-38. The Bulldogs never pulled close again.

The loudest cheer of the day came with 6:44 left when Thompson took a long pass behind the defense and threw down a windmill dunk that brought the Ohio State bench to its feet. Thanks to all of those layups, the Buckeyes shot 59 percent from the field (36 of 61).

Hornsby's previous career high was 23 earlier this season against another top team, North Carolina State. The Bulldogs hung around in that big intrastate showdown before falling, 82-80, on Nov. 23.

Ohio State, two-time defending champ of the Big Ten, improved to 14-0 against teams from the Big South while Asheville, the two-time defending champion of the conference, dropped to 0-14 against teams from the Big Ten.

Before the game there was a moment of silence for the victims of the shootings on Friday at an elementary school in Connecticut that left 26 dead, including 20 children.

Get live updates from Madison Square Garden as the Cavaliers travel to New York to take on the Knicks.

The Cavaliers travel to New York tonight to face the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Get Twitter updates from Mary Schmitt Boyer (@PDCavsInsider) and Jodie Valade (@JodieValade) in the box below. Check out the in-game box score here. Read on for a game preview. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Knicks have had plenty to celebrate so far this season. AP Photo, Kathy Willens  

(AP) -- The New York Knicks own the best record in the Eastern Conference, and are the NBA's only remaining unbeaten team at home.

Akron scored the first 10 points of the game, but the Titans came back and only trailed 36-33 at halftime.

DETROIT -- Ray McCallum had 21 points and six assists Saturday and Detroit defeated Akron, 80-73.

Jason Calliste scored 17 points, Juwan Howard Jr. scored 15 and Nick Minnerath had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Titans (6-4), who were behind most of the way. Demetrius Treadwell led the Zips (4-4) with 20 points and eight rebounds. Chauncey Gilliam had 16 points for Akron.

Akron scored the first 10 points of the game, but the Titans came back and only trailed 36-33 at halftime. Calliste was fouled trying a 3-pointer with 4:41 to play and made all three free throws to put Detroit ahead to stay at 69-68. The Titans closed the game on a 17-5 run.

Akron shot 54 percent from the field but Detroit made 26 free throws to the Zips' 11.

Also, Anderson Varejao trade talk and the weekly update on the draft pick involved in the J.J. Hickson trade with Sacramento.

It's been a tough year so far for the Los Angeles Lakers, but they need to make the playoffs as a low seed for the Cleveland Cavaliers to benefit from their struggles. Kathy Willens, Associated Press  

Hey, Mary: Isn't the Lakers' current skid extremely good news for the Cavs? I believe we have the right to flop picks with them from the Ramon Sessions trade? If Omri Casspi sorts himself out we can probably come to the point we call the J.J. Hickson trade a push and the Sessions trade a win. Not a bad trade haul for Chris Grant so far, don't you think? -- Jospeh, Singapore

Hey, Jospeh: Basically, I agree with you, although the right to swap the Miami pick with the Lakers' pick just this year is protected to No. 14, so the Lakers need to make the playoffs. In the Casspi deal, the Cavs got a pick that will be higher than the No. 19 where Hickson was drafted. At the time, the Cavs knew they were not going to extend Hickson, who was waived by the Kings.

Hey, Mary: To piggy-back off of the trade proposal suggested with Golden State last week, what about sending Anderson Varejao and Omri Casspi to the Warriors for Harrison Barnes, Andris Biedrins and a draft pick? Salary-wise, it would work. Barnes, Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters would be a solid foundation. The deal would allow Tyler Zeller to start at the 5. Biedrins had some success several years ago and perhaps a change of scenery would help him. Your thoughts? -- Larry Howell, Mentor

Hey, Larry: I am on the record saying that I do not think the Cavs will trade Anderson Varejao, even though I know I'm in the minority. He is the Cavs' best player, and they would have to spend the next six or seven years trying to groom a player to replace him. I know he's 30, but there is no drop-off in his game. I have been a big fan of Barnes and I love Zeller's game, so I can appreciate the appeal of a lineup featuring those four youngsters -- with a No. 1 pick thrown in. But I'll pass on Biedrins. I'd rather stand pat with what the Cavs have now.

Hey, Mary: With the rumors of Derrick Williams being on the trade market, is there any chance the Cavs would be interested in him? He would come cheap because he is rotting on the bench in Minnesota. -- Vinny Horvath, Euclid

Hey, Vinny: I don't see that happening, but I would not be surprised to see the Timberwolves try to move him.

Hey, Mary: Why are the Cavs so bad on defense this year? Does Byron Scott emphasize that playing defense is how you win titles? How far do you think the Cavs are from getting back to playoff contention? -- Bob Price, Erie, Pa.

Hey, Bob: I wish I could answer your question. I'd be rich. I can assure you that in every practice, shootaround and game since he arrived, Scott has preached the importance of defense. But he has young players who are still learning how to play with each other and how to win. That means they are still learning how to play defense, too. Trust me, it's not from a lack of practice. As for a playoff prediction, I need to see more of this team when everybody is healthy before I could make a guess.

Hey, Mary: I've been looking at the draft pick trade with Sacramento. The first-rounder is protected at various levels through 2016. In 2017, it becomes a second rounder provided it is within the first 55 picks. If it is later than 55, then Sacramento owes the Cavs nothing. My question is on that last part of the trade as it seems strange. Which team wants protection on a late second-round pick? Are these picks extra valuable for some reason? Or do the Cavs want the protection because they'd rather sign a free agent over a late second-round pick? -- Tyson Lowery, San Diego

Hey, Tyson: Sacramento already made another trade involving those picks.

Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving suffered a small fracture in his left upper jaw in Friday night's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. He will be wearing a mask when he plays in tonight's game at New York.

Cleveland Cavaliers Kyrie Irving has a small fracture in his left upper jaw and will have to wear a protective mask starting tonight against the New York Knicks Lisa DeJong, The Plain Dealer  

NEW YORK - Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving suffered a small fracture in his upper left jaw in Friday night's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at The Q, but he was fitted with a mask and will be available to play against the New York Knicks tonight in Madison Square Garden.

Tristan Thompson (nose) and Tyler Zeller (cheekbone) already are wearing masks for the Cavs.

Irving already missed 11 games this season with a fractured left index finger before returning Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. He broke his hand during summer league in Las Vegas.

The latest injury occurred when he drove to the basket in the first quarter and was fouled hard by Bucks forward Luc Mbah a Moute. Irving's head appeared to hit the floor, and he writhed in pain for several minutes before rising and making two free throws. He remained in the game.

A CT scan at the Cleveland Clinic after the game revealed the injury. Irving did not travel with the team on Friday night so he could be fitted with the mask. He was to travel today and join the team here.

Meanwhile, the New York Daily News is reporting that Knicks star Carmelo Anthony will miss tonight's game with a sprained ankle suffered in Thursday's victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Cleveland Browns News and Notes with Brandon Weeden, Trent Richardson, Jabaal Sheard and Pat Shurmur after their 38-21 loss to the Washington Redskins. Hosted by Plain Dealer's Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot. Watch video

Pat Shurmur is sticking with Brandon Weeden against the 11-3 Broncos and never considered yanking him last Sunday. He also still thinks Weeden is the long-term answer. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- Pat Shurmur is sticking with Brandon Weeden for Sunday's game against the 11-3 Broncos and never considered yanking him against the Redskins.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to him having a much better game this week against Denver," the Browns coach said of his rookie QB. "I think that's where the focus needs to be."

Despite Weeden's struggles during the 38-21 loss to the Redskins -- including two third-quarter interceptions that led to touchdowns -- Shurmur felt he gave the Browns a better chance to win than Colt McCoy.

"I did not think about it [Sunday], no," he said.

Shurmur indicated he didn't consider it because he thought the problems were more systemic.

"You always consider in the ballgame whatever gives you the best chance to win the football game and as I mentioned we were [up] 14-10 at halftime," he said. "And I don't think we as a team played our best football. And so we came out and we were getting the football with the idea that we were starting over with a four-point lead.

"And then things happened in the game of course that made it not so. There's all kinds of conversation and all kinds of thoughts being bounced around. I'm not saying you never go to your backup quarterback, but I didn't consider it yesterday."

He said he's not concerned that Weeden, 29, is too old to try to develop.

"I haven't thought about his age once this year," said Shurmur. "No, I don't think that's the case. I think of him as a rookie and I think he'll be much better in his second year."

In addition to the interceptions, Weeden overthrew Josh Gordon on a deep ball on his first series, sailed one over Mohamed Massaquoi's head later in the quarter and threw behind Gordon in the flat. He did heat up at the end of the first half to complete three straight crosses for five, 12 and 30 yards that led to a Richardson TD, and threw a beautiful 69-yard strike to Travis Benjamin in full stride in the fourth quarter.

But the good plays were overshadowed by the errors. Weeden has a league-high 21 batted balls, according to profootballfocus.com. Weeden said Sunday he has no answer for the deflections, which come mostly on shallow crosses after a quick three-step drop.

"What's important is we just keep looking to throw the ball in lanes," said Shurmur. "It's very hard to throw over guys. It happens at times, but we've just keep working on it and try to eliminate them."

He acknowledged that most were on the crosses, "but one was on an intermediate throw. The other was on a quick screen when [Ryan] Kerrigan batted it down. Those happen when the defender is unblocked.

"There are times when the rush just stops and puts their hands up. Now we have to do a good job of making sure the ball gets through. There are many reasons balls get batted down and we've tipped balls as well."

Kerrigan, who batted down two, including on a third-and-9 in the third quarter, said Sunday the coaches saw things on film that led to the swats.

"On the one on third down, they turned me free off the edge and I saw the back scat out, so I figured it was either a screen pass or they were dumping it to him," he said. "So I just tried to get my hands up and was able to make the play. I got the one earlier in the game, and it was just a good job by our coaches putting me in the right position. We knew they liked to throw bubble screens out of that formation, so I was able to make a play."

Shurmur said the failed fourth-and-3 from the Redskins 41 in the third quarter, on which Weeden rolled left and threw the ball away, was like a third turnover.

"They did a nice job covering us," said Shurmur. "They played man-to-man. We had a man route. We didn't wiggle free, and then he tried to scramble and make a play and it didn't work out."

Overall, Weeden completed 21 of 35 attempts for 244 yards, with one TD and two INTs for a 66.8 rating. He's 32nd in the NFL with a 72.4 rating and has thrown the second-most interceptions with 17. Drew Brees and Andrew Luck each have 18.

Sunday, he'll face the league's fourth-ranked defense, once that's eighth against the pass.

Shurmur said Sunday that he didn't think Weeden had suffered a setback, that it was just not his best game. Monday, he declined to share his grade off the coaches' film.

"What's important is that we all try to do what we can to play winning football, and we didn't," Shurmur said. "I think the same can be said for a lot of the team."

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Dion Waiters returns after missing eight games with a sprained ankle, and the Cavaliers offense is eager for his return.

Returning from a sprained ankle, rookie guard Dion Waiters brings a 15.2 scoring average into Tuesday's Cavaliers home game against Toronto. John Bazemore, Associated Press  

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Dion Waiters was ready to play about four days ago, his sprained left ankle finally feeling stable and pain-free for the first time in weeks. But he waited.

Now that the Cavaliers' rookie guard has endured a full Byron Scott practice, he actually has clearance to play Tuesday evening against Toronto. The waiting, at last, is over. No matter what anyone else thinks, that's a good thing.

Both Waiters and point guard Kyrie Irving will be in the lineup against the Raptors, the first time that the starting backcourt has been available -- although Irving still will sport a protective mask to shield his fractured upper jaw -- since a Nov. 18 game against Philadelphia.

For the first time in 15 games, Cleveland's entire roster can suit up -- although three players still wear protective face masks.

"It's almost like starting over again," Scott said Monday. "Even though they know a little bit about each other, you want to get these guys on the court as much as possible so they know each other like the back of their hand. As much as I can get them on the court together for the next 57 games, the better it'll be for those guys."

The addition of Waiters -- Scott wouldn't offer any hints on whether he'll resume his starting role immediately -- is sure to help the offense, despite Waiters' 36 percent shooting.

It's not Waiters' individual offense that most helps the Cavaliers' engine run. It's his ability to attack the rim and open up opportunities for teammates that has been missed in the eight games the shooting guard has missed since suffering a sprained ankle Dec. 1 against Portland.

Scott already has talked with Waiters about rededicating his focus on driving to the basket rather than settling for jumpers.

"The thing that it does for our team when he does attack is he finds people when [defenses] collapse," Scott said. "He's not a reluctant passer, he's a very good passer. So the more he can be on attack mode, the better it is not only for him, but for us as a team."

As proof, the Cavaliers shot 39 percent through eight games without Waiters. In four games without both Waiters and Irving, Cleveland was a woeful 36.9 percent from the field. When both players were in the lineup for the first nine games, the Cavaliers shot 43 percent.

"It helps them when both of them are out there together to take pressure off each other," Scott said. "It means Kyrie doesn't necessarily have to handle the ball the whole time he's on the court. He has another guy who can handle the ball and create shots for himself and for his teammates, and can run the offense, as well. It can give Kyrie a little bit of a break, and vice versa."

Waiters settled more for jump shots as the season progressed, in part because that's what defenses allowed, and in part because he was frustrated by the lack of fouls called when he attacked the rim.

"I can shoot, but I'm better attacking and finding open guys and just creating plays," he said Monday. "I've just got to be more aggressive. If I don't get a call, I've got to run back and try to put pressure on the defense and the refs just to make calls. That's my most important thing, just focus on getting to the rim."

With Waiters' return, it likely means moving C.J. Miles to a reserve role. Miles is averaging 22.5 points on 45.6 percent shooting in the last four games as a starter.

Haynes, a KSU alum, was defensive coordinator at Arkansas last season and previously an assistant at Ohio State for seven years.

Paul Haynes will be introduced as the new KSU coach on Tuesday. Arkansas photo  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There will be a homecoming Tuesday as Kent State sources confirmed Monday that Paul Haynes will be introduced at 2:30 p.m. in the Student Center as the next head football coach for the Golden Flashes.

Haynes, a former KSU alum, was defensive coordinator at Arkansas last season, with previous stops at Michigan State and Ohio State.

Haynes, a defensive back and former walk-on who played for coaches Dick Crum and Pete Cordelli, spent all day Monday interviewing for the job before getting the offer early in the evening. He was an assistant head coach at Kent (1999-2000) under Dean Pees and co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State (2011) under Luke Fickell, before moving to Little Rock.

The hiring ended a day with some suspense as the team and outgoing coach Darrell Hazell were practicing in Dix Stadium for the upcoming Jan. 6 GoDaddy.com Bowl. Privately, several current assistants said it was an unique situation, working under a coach who has already left for another job, while waiting to see if they will be retained by the new coach, or hired by Hazell to go to Purdue.

"I'm sure they're waiting to see who will get hired," Hazell said after practice. "That's always the case."

Now it should be known pretty soon which members of the staff are staying, and who might be leaving.

Hazell said he plans to speak with the Kent staff individually for possible openings with the Boilermakers. Hazell, who worked with Haynes at Ohio State, had nothing but praise for him.

"Paul is a good guy. I really like him. I don't want to put the cart before the horse, but he can relate well with the kids, if he does get hired. He'll bring some of the same things that we do now with him. Obviously, he's an alum. He's a really good guy."

Sign in, please: Kent will host an autograph session in downtown Kent from 5-5:45 p.m. Wednesday at Laziza, in Acorn Alley.

Following the autograph session, fans will be directed to the corner of Erie and Water streets for a flag-changing ceremony to take place at Ametek, which will change out the international flags atop its building and fly Kent State flags for the bowl game.

Immediately following the flag ceremony, fans are invited to Water Street Tavern for the "Portage Community Bank -- Bowl Preview Show." Free posters will be distributed to fans.

Broncos hire coach: Western Michigan hired 32-year-old Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant P.J. Fleck, making him the youngest coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision, according to the Associated Press.

Fleck worked for Bucs coach Greg Schiano the past three years. Fleck was the receivers coach at Rutgers before following Schiano to Tampa Bay this season to do the same job.

Fleck played receiver for Northern Illinois from 1999-2003 and spent two seasons in the NFL with San Francisco before starting his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State under Jim Tressel in 2006.

He surpasses Matt Campbell, 33, of Toledo as the youngest head coach in the FBS.

More to come: Toledo did not get the MAC off to a good start to the bowl season, falling to Utah State, 41-15, in Saturday's Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise. But there are six more opportunities remaining.

• Beef O'Brady's Bowl, St. Petersburg, Fla., Friday: Ball State (9-3) vs. Central Florida (9-4).

• Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, Detroit, Dec. 26: Central Michigan (6-6) vs. Western Kentucky (7-5).

• Military Bowl, Washington, Dec. 27: Bowling Green (8-4) vs. San Jose State (10-2).

• Independence Bowl, Shreveport, La., Dec. 28: Ohio (8-4) vs. Louisiana Monroe (8-4).

• Orange Bowl, Miami Gardens, Fla., Jan. 1: Northern Illinois (12-1) vs. Florida State (11-2).

• GoDaddy.com Bowl, Mobile, Ala., Jan. 6: Kent State (11-2) vs. Arkansas State (9-3).

Highlights include Toronto at Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio

Today's TV and radio sports listings

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL

7:30 p.m. Jefferson at Edgewood, AM/970

MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

7 p.m. Michigan State at Bowling Green, ESPNU

7 p.m. Winthrop at OHIO STATE, Big Ten Network

7 p.m. Richmond at Kansas, ESPN2

7 p.m. Western Kentucky at VCU, NBCSSN

8 p.m. Miami (Fla.) at Central Florida, CBSSN

9 p.m. Jacksonville State at Nebraska, Big Ten Network

9 p.m. Stanford at NC State, ESPN2

NBA

7 p.m. Toronto at CLEVELAND CAVALIERS, Fox Sports Ohio; AM/1100

WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

8 p.m. Tennessee at Baylor, ESPN

Defensive back Paul helped the Browns reach three championship games -- and win two -- during his five years in Cleveland.

Cleveland Stadium, where Don Paul and the Browns routed the Detroit Lions, 56-10, in the 1954 NFL championship game. Plain Dealer  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A countdown of the top 100 players in Cleveland
Browns history. Players must have spent at least four seasons with the
Browns. The ranking is based only on players' careers with the Browns.

No. 51, Don Paul, defensive back, 1954-58

The Browns acquired Don Paul just prior to the 1954 season, and over the next five years, he would excel in one of the NFL's best defensive backfields.

The Chicago Cardinals selected Washington State's Paul in the fourth round, with the 47th overall pick, of the 1950 draft. Paul played defensive back and running back and returned kickoffs and punts for Chicago. He was one of the Cardinals' few good players, as indicated by their 13-34-1 record during Paul's four years with them.

Chicago traded Paul to the Washington Redskins following the 1953 campaign, although he had made the Pro Bowl team. Paul, according to reports at the time, refused to join the Redskins after Joe Kuharich was named coach to replace the famed Curly Lambeau. Reportedly, Paul had not gotten along with Kuharich when Kuharich was Chicago's coach in 1952.

Paul's disagreement with the Redskins opened the door for Browns coach Paul Brown. He traded two rookies, receiver John Carson and fullback Dale Atkeson, to Washington for Paul.

The swift Paul was one of the NFL's premier coverage men. During his five regular seasons with Cleveland -- when schedules were 12 games -- Paul intercepted 22 passes and returned them for 389 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown. He had six fumble recoveries, running one back 89 yards for a touchdown, and he scored on a 60-yard punt return.

The Browns played in three championship games with Paul in their secondary, and won two. He had a pick, with a 32-yard return, during the Browns' 56-10 rout of the Detroit Lions in the 1954 championship game at Cleveland Stadium. During the 1955 championship game in Los Angeles, Paul intercepted a pass and sprinted 65 yards for a touchdown, giving the Browns a 10-0 second quarter lead on their way to a 38-14 win.

Paul made the Pro Bowl team in each of his last three seasons, 1956-58. He was named first-team all-NFL in 1955 and 1958.

(The Browns' all-time top 100 players so far)

Video: About 6:50 into this video featuring highlights of the 1955 Los Angeles Rams, the Browns' Don Paul intercepts a Norm Van Brocklin pass and returns it 65 yards for a touchdown during Cleveland's 38-14 win over the Rams in the NFL championship game at Los Angeles: