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2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl update: Kent State trails Arkansas State after 3 quarters, 17-13

2013-01-07T04:30:15Z

Both the No. 25 Kent State Golden Flashes and Arkansas State Red Wolves put together long drives in the third quarter, but both teams were forced to settle for field goals, as the GoDaddy.com Bowl goes to the fourth quarter with the Red Wolves leading, 17-13.

Kent State received the ball to begin the second half but quickly went three-and-out to give the ball back to the Red Wolves. Arkansas State then sustained a long drive that lasted 10 plays and went 47 yards but resulted only in a field goal to extend its lead, 17-10.

Following the kickoff, Kent State began a long drive of its own. Spencer Keith, Trayion Durham and Dri Archer moved the ball into the Arkansas State redzone, at one point as close as the seven-yard line. However, the drive stalled and the Golden Flashes were forced to settle for a field goal, cutting into the lead, 17-13.

Kent State forced Arkansas State to punt just before the end of the quarter and will head to the fourth with the ball.

2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl update: Kent State trails Arkansas State at halftime, 14-10

2013-01-07T03:36:46Z

The No. 25 Kent State Golden Flashes and Arkansas State Red Wolves in the GoDaddy.com Bowl finally got their offenses going in the final three minutes of the first half on Sunday night after close to 30 minutes of defensive battles. Arkansas State leads after a late touchdown, 14-10.

Arkansas State began the second quarter with the possession but gave the ball right back on a quick three-and-out. The Golden Flashes needed only one play to strike deep into Red Wolves' territory. Running back Dri Archer took the handoff on a reverse, cut it up field and broke several tackles for a 44-yard gain to put Kent State at the 22-yard line. The drive almost stalled after an incomplete pass on third down, but a pass interference call against Arkansas State gave Kent State new life. On the next play, Archer took the ball and again worked his magic, scampering 16 yards for the first touchdown of the game.

After two penalties on Kent State wide receiver Matthew Hurdle following the score, the Golden Flashes were forced to kick off from their own 10-yard line. Arkansas State did not immediately reap the benefits of their great field position, but following a Kent State three-and-out, the Red Wolves marched down the short field. Running back David Oku eventually punched it in with 5:40 remaining in the half to tie the game, 7-7.

Quarterback Ryan Aplin and the Arkansas State offense took the ball with just over three minutes remaining, but they did not go away quietly. Aplin engineered an efficient nine-play, 88-yard drive capped off by a 31-yard touchdown pass to J.D. McKissic to take a 14-7 lead. Kent State did not go quietly either. Dri Archer returned the ensuing kickoff past midfield to set up an eventual 42-yard field goal to cut into the lead, 14-10.

2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl: Kent State and Arkansas State square off

2013-01-07T02:57:29Z

In the final game before the BCS National Championship, Arkansas State and Kent State will clash on Sunday night in the 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl.

In search of their first bowl victory in school history, the Kent State Golden Flashes will hit the field on Sunday evening for the 14th annual GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

The Golden Flashes will square off against an Arkansas State team that will be making its second straight postseason appearance in Mobile, after falling by 18 points to Northern Illinois in last year's event. Along with bringing a seven-game winning streak, the Red Wolves feature a dominant rushing attack that averaged 217.4 yards on the ground per game in the regular season. Junior David Oku leads the charge with 1,024 yards and 15 touchdowns, and is one of four Arkansas State players with at least 300 yards rushing and three rushing scores this season.

Following a tough loss to Northern Illinois in the 2012 Mid-American Conference title game, the Golden Flashes will also hope to rely on their nationally-ranked rushing attack led by the duo of Dri Archer and Trayion Durham. The two backs have already combined for 2,600 yards and 29 touchdowns through 13 games, and will each be the keys to victory on Sunday evening against a stingy Red Wolves defense.

Game date and time

January 6, 9 p.m. ET

Location

Ladd Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL

Spread

Kent State -5.5

TV schedule

ESPN

Watch online

Watch ESPN

Radio schedule

ESPN Radio

Last year’s game

Northern Illinois 38, Arkansas State 20

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Ohio State vs. Nebraska: Buckeyes kick off Big Ten play against Cornhuskers

2013-01-02T20:59:04Z

The Buckeyes' Big Ten schedule kicks off with a match-up against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The Ohio St. Buckeyes face the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Wednesday night in the first Big Ten conference game of the season for Thad Matta's squad. After posting a 10-2 record during non-conference play, the Buckeyes are a major contender for the Big Ten title this season despite an unusually stacked year for the conference.

While the Buckeyes' record looks good from a distance, they struggled in losses to then-No. 2 Duke and then-No. 9 Kansas earlier this season. Considering how strong the Big Ten is this season, Ohio State will need to be able to knock off some ranked opponents to compete for the conference championship.

Nebraska, despite a decent 9-4 record, doesn't qualify as one of those elite Big Ten squads, though. With a struggling offense that scored 80 points combined during a two-game stretch against Creighton and Oregon last month, the Cornhuskers are actually one of the weaker teams in the Big Ten.

But with six Big Ten teams- Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Michigan State and Minnesota- all ranked in the top 20 at the moment, getting easy wins over lesser opponents like Nebraska will be key.

Following this game, the Buckeyes schedule quickly picks up with road games against Illinois, Purdue and Michigan State, plus a home game against No. 2 Michigan.

Wednesday's game begins at 6:30 p.m. ET from Value City Arena, and will be broadcast by the Big Ten Network.

Pacers vs. Cavaliers final score: Cleveland's losing streak at six after 99-89 loss

2012-12-22T03:33:10Z

The Indiana Pacers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 99-89, Friday, pushing Cleveland's losing streak to six games.

The Cavs led by one point at halftime, but the Pacers used a decisive third quarter, during which they outscored Cleveland by 10, to pull away.

Six Indiana players scored in double figures. Roy Hibbert had 18 points, Lance Stephenson had 16 points, David West scored 15 points, George Hill scored 13 points, Paul George scored 10 points and Gerald Green scored 14 off the bench.

The Cavs also had six players score in double figures, but the team shot just 40 percent while Indiana made 49 percent of its shots.

Kyrie Irving had 17 points and five assists, but also turned the ball over six times. Tristan Thompson and Tyler Zeller each scored 12 points and Alonzo Gee and Dion Waiters each scored 11 points. C.J. Miles scored 10 points off the bench. Thompson also grabbed 13 rebounds.

NBA schedule: Cavaliers aim to end 6-game skid

2012-12-22T03:01:52Z

Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers (5-23) have dropped six straight games, but will look to end that streak Saturday against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers started their five-game losing streak with losses to the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks back on Dec. 12 and 14, but this weekend they will get a chance to reverse the trend with two matchups against the very same squads. This time around, the Cavaliers will host the Pacers on Friday night (7:30 p.m. ET) before traveling to Milwaukee for another matchup against the Bucks on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET).

Cleveland (0-7 vs. Central Division) is the only team in the Eastern Conference that has yet to win a divisional game, and New Orleans (0-3 vs. Southwest Division) is the only other NBA team winless in its own division. Two of the Cavs' divisional losses have come against the Bucks -- including a heart-breaking defeat Nov. 3 sealed by a Brandon Jennings game-winner -- while only one loss has come at the hands of the Pacers.

At 5-22, it's difficult to think the Cavs could turn things around and compete for a playoff spot, but it's important for a young team to gain confidence against divisional opponents it will face frequently for years to come.

The complete NBA schedule can be found at Sports Illustrated.

Bucks vs. Cavs: Monta Ellis leads Milwaukee to 52-43 halftime lead

2012-12-15T01:53:01Z

Monta Ellis has scored 13 points and Larry Sanders added 10 as the Milwaukee Bucks lead the Cleveland Cavaliers 52-43 at halftime of Friday's game at Quicken Loans Arena.

Cleveland started slowly, trailing Milwaukee 25-17 after the first, but their offense picked up in the second quarter. The Cavs scored 26 points in the second.

Point guard Kyrie Irving, in his third game back since returning from injury, has scored 14 points in the first half, but he's made just 4 for 12 shots. Irving also took a hard fall early in the game, landing on his head on a drive to the basket, but he stayed in the game and made both free throws after the fall.

Alonzo Gee has scored seven points on 3-for-3 shooting, but the rest of the Cleveland starters have struggled. The other four are shooting a combined 6-for-25, and the Cavs are shooting just 35 percent for the game so far.

Cavaliers Go for Two out of Three Tonight vs Milwaukee

2012-12-15T01:46:46Z

After Slow second half, Cav's look to Rebound at Home

The Cavaliers are hoping that history will repeat itself tonight at the Q as they welcome the Milwaukee Bucks. Cleveland has won 14 of their last 18 games against the Bucks at Quicken Loans Arena.

Though, last time the two teams faced off, Milwaukee point guard Brandon Jennings hit a buzzer beating three point shot to douse the Cavaliers 105-102. The Cavs will turn to red hot guard C.J. Miles tonight, who will get his third consecutive start at guard. Miles has scored 28 points in back to games, and has scored in double figures in each of the past five games on 51.7% shooting.

Miles fills in for the injured rookie Dion Waters, who has been out since December third with a sore ankle. Coach Byron Scott told reporters that Waiters had his clearance to play from the doctors, but will not see action tonight. "I still need to see him go through a full day of practice," said Scott. "I want to see him play five on five, go up and down the court, attacking the basket, being defended. Only then will I be more satisfied."

Scott's philosophy is that an injured player never looses a starting spot due to injury, but Waiters still has a while to go. The team is targeting Tuesday night vs Toronto for Waiters' return to the floor.