News On The Horizon 12/29/2013

Kent State Falls at Home Again to Cleveland State--Hustle Belt
Miami Heat’s LeBron James sits out vs. Portland with groin injury--Miami Herald

The loss snapped a 10-game winning streak for the Heat against the Kings (9-19). James finished with 33 points, going 12 of 23 from the field, and Chris Bosh had 18 points. Chalmers and Norris Cole combined for 24 points.

Chris Bosh hits game winner, drops 37 points in Miami Heat’s win over Portland--Miami Herald

On Bosh’s game-winning play, Dwyane Wade received the side-out-of-bounds pass from Norris Cole and looped around the perimeter of the paint, essentially pulling LaMarcus Aldridge away from Bosh and leaving him open behind the three-point line. Of course, everyone is open from 28 feet. The official game box will dispute this, but Bosh was a good four feet behind the three-point arc when he received a behind-the-back pass from Wade with less than five seconds on the clock. Bosh gathered the ball and heaved a shot that arced so high and so long that Moda Center went still and quiet while the ball was in flight.

Swish.

And then more silence.
...
Mario Chalmers had nine points, nine rebounds and nine assists and Norris Cole scored 11 points off the bench. Rashard Lewis had 10 points and Ray Allen had nine.

Groin injury keeps LeBron James out against Blazers--South Florida Sun Sentinel

James' absence leaves backup point guard Norris Cole as the lone Heat player to appear in all 30 games this season. James had been the lone Heat player to start each of the first 29 games.

Bosh goes for jugular, LeBron-less Heat stun Blazers--South Florida Sun Sentinel

Through it all, the Heat moved within 94-93 on a Norris Cole layup midway through the fourth quarter, with Wade watching from the bench while taking a quick breather. A Bosh 3-pointer then tied it 96-96 with 4:05 to play.

Aldridge then converted a jumper for a 98-96 Portland lead, with a goaltending call on a Cole drive allowing the Heat to tie it 98-98 with three minutes to play.

Cleveland State knocks out Kent State at the line for a 78-70 victory--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Cleveland State rolls; Akron and Kent State reel - local college basketball this morning--Cleveland Plain Dealer
Cleveland State Picks Up Win over Kent State 78-70--Vikings Ball
Vikings Win at Kent State, 78-70, With Five in Double Figures--csuvikings.com

Ducks aim to enter Pac-12 play undefeated--The Register-Guard

Joseph Young (19.8), Mike Moser (14.6) and Jason Calliste (12.5) lead the Ducks in scoring with sophomore guard Damyean Dotson fourth at 11 points per game.

Oakland University's "Coach K" Keeps Winning, for 30 Years and Counting--Bleacher Report

FINAL: Illinois Fighting Illini 74, UIC Flames 60--The Champaign Room
Illinois Holds Off UIC’s Upset Bid at United Center--The Catch and Shoot
Photos: Illinois 74, UIC 60--The Chicago Tribune
Illinois rallies in 2nd half to drub UIC 74-60--The Chicago Tribune
Flames lose momentum versus Illini--UIC News
UIC Stumbles with Loss to Illinois 74-60--Flame Fanatic
UIC Falls to rv/rv Illinois After Leading Majority of the Game, 74-60--uicflames.com

Women’s basketball scores win No. 9--UIC News
Flames Defeat Denver, 80-68, For Ninth Straight Win--uicflames.com

Men's basketball: UWGB trounces St. Francis with league opener on deck--Green Bay Press Gazette
Green Bay Trounces St. Francis (IL) 91-41--Phoenix Fever
Green Bay (9-3) and Cleveland State (8-6) Square Off--Phoenix Fever
Green Bay Uses 30-2 Spurt En Route to 91-41 Rout--GreenBayPhoenix.com

Milwaukee Closes Out 2013 With Road Game At Drake--uwmpanthers.com

Men’s basketball: Valparaiso (8-6) at Eastern Tennessee State (6-6)--The Post-Tribune
Peters and the Crusaders look to bounce back against ETSU--The NWI Times
Men's Basketball Looks to End 2013 On High Note Sunday--valpoathletics.com

Women’s basketball: W. Michigan (3-7) at Valparaiso (2-8)--The Post-Tribune

Wright State faces Bowling Green in last non-conference game--Dayton Daily News
Preview: Bowling Green at Wright State--Dayton Daily News

Men's Basketball Hosts South Dakota in Final Game of 2013--ysusports.com

CSU, Green Bay Claim Saturday Wins--Horizon League Network