…And all of quite a few. I can do that because I had a little one home from school sick and I am a stay at home dad. Heck, even if I was working a job at this point in my life I would still take vacation days on the Thursday and Friday of the 1st round NCAA games to do the same thing.
My bracket picks aren’t in the best of shape but I’m okay overall still as none of my picks to go the Sweet 16 have been eliminated. I picked 12/16 games correct. From now on, possibly until the end of time 
, I will refuse to pick BYU in the any 1st round game unless the reincarnation of Danny Ainge is wearing a Cougar uniform. I got convinced BYU was woefully underseeded by a reputable hoops stats site (which I thoroughly enjoy still) and thought better of sticking with Texas A&M as a result. That is my one regret of my 1st round picks. However, that same site, thankfully, got me to realize picking against the tide of the VCU upset over UCLA was sound reasoning. I did pick the Bruins then and UCLA was just good enough to hang on versus the Rams in the final seconds for a 1 point win. VCU’s Eric Maynor is very good and his teammate, the center named Sanders, is going to really be something to behold the next few years. That kid has the very longest arms I have ever seen. And he “is” exceptional.
Note – UCLA’s Alfred Aboya is a man. That guy is really good. He reminds me of former Ohio State Perry Carter as far as his strength goes. He’s a much different player, of course, I would love someday for the Buckeyes to have a player of his ilk in uniform.
I’m worried about Ohio State’s game tonight but am convinced they will play well. I think it’s a tossup game that will come down to who makes plays in the last two minutes.
Go Bucks!
Archive for the 'Ohio State men’s basketball' Category
I need to rethink how to do this. I need to refine and scale down. Trying to post too much just isn’t going to get it done. (Obviously, since February I haven’t done any posting so save the sarcasm ) Anyway, I’m going to continue to try at this and work on providing more through less, if possible.
GO Bucks vs Siena tomorrow night. Going to be a tough game but would love to win and face Louisville in Dayton.
I went into this week as a Buckeye basketball fan hoping to get a split from the two home games versus Purdue and Minnesota. I was quite pleased to see Ohio State defeat Purdue midweek but figured UMINN would be a loss as ther Buckeyes have struggled with consistency this conference season.
Folks, after tonight’s game, I think we are seeing a young team who has progressed and gained a thimble full of confidence to be able to finally deal with the peaks and valleys always present in any conference game.
I’ll try and elaborate tomorrow after I get some time to gather my thoughts.
Final word tonight, this team isn’t going to win the NCAA tournament but it’s a pretty good group of kids right now who enjoy playing with each other. Love to see that for sure. A bid to the tournament certainly is fully within grasp right now and didn’t this win put the Buckeyes into a tie for second in the Big Ten?
With the roster issues the Buckeyes have been forced to manuever around I can do nothing but applaud the coaching staff and players.
Go Bucks!
Stats indicate not many are reading this blog anyway but for those who show up from time I want to apologize for not having posted for awhile.
The way I would like to pursue a blog like this one was/is to try and make it unique from any others dealing with the same subject matter. But it’s difficult to do. I have the ideas but not the time it would require to plan, research and write so that readers would always be able to count on seeing something different, and Buckeye related, here.
We’ll have to see.
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As far as the victory over Purdue is concerned that is a win this team absolutely needed to get. Yeah, Purdue was down a Robbie Hummel but the Buckeyes were w/out David Lighty still so that’s a non-argument in my mind. Seeing the last seconds tick off the clock with the Buckeyes in the lead made me aware a possible appearance in the NCAA tournament is still a possibility. Next up, a win versus Minnesota in Columbus would almost seal it. But if Ohio State cannot take care of that business then the Buckeyes go back on the bubble. Remember, bubble teams have to win a team by team comparison in the committee’s mind on Selection Sunday. A program better have more ducks in a row than most of the others in the mix in able to grab a spot. That’s just the way it is. There can’t be bad losses either as the regular season winds down.
It’s imperative Ohio State win as many games as it can over the next couple weeks as exhaustion eventually is going to make a difference in the quality of this team’s play as the conference schedule winds down.
I do not think a conference championship is possible.
Back to the game, Evan Turner was the eventual hero but he better start making free throws in the second half of big games. He can thank his lucky stars his many misses from the charity stripe did not cost the Buckeyes a win. But Evan was very good other than that. Congratulations to him. William Buford might be the most impressive freshman scorer/offensive player I’ve seen in many, many years at Ohio State. Jon Diebler is having the season amost nobody in Buckeyeland, before the season, would even give him credit for at least being possible. His improvement as a player this year is just fantastic, plain and simple. BJ Mullens made the plays he had an opportunity to make last night. It’s a simple equation but that’s all BJ really needs to do to help this team out in a big way. DLaud was a complimentary component to Mullens when subbed in for him. He does what he does and just needs to keep working hard. PJ Hill is actually becoming a nice little role player. He still has to keep his composure in tight spots while handling the ball but, hey, maybe that will come to. I like the kid and am glad he’s a Buckeye.
Overall, the coaching staff has be lauded for putting the team in position to win games at this stage of the year. The offensive efficiency is eye opening at this point and the defense is working well enough to make for a good combo.
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Looking forward to this weekend’s game versus UMINN, I think their overall depth, tenacity and the way they play together may be too much for Ohio State but I want to be wrong in the worst way.
Go Bucks!
Continuing the theme there are no cupcakes (outside of IU) in conference this season, MSU lost at home to Northwestern last night. That adds one more aspect to what the Spartans will bring into Columbus Saturday. The formula to become the conference champion, that teams usually have to try to meet or be better than, is that a Big 10 team must win all their games at home and split, 50/50, games on the road. So, the Spartans now have to make up a loss at home versus the Buckeyes. It’s going to be a very hard fought game, I believe, given that Ohio State was blown out at Illinois Tuesday and will not be in a very good mood themselves that day.
Also, the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the Wisconsin Badgers last night in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Things are really starting to heat up in the Big Ten as it is becoming apparent conference teams are as evenly matched as any in recent memory. No one is invincible.
On a recent college gameday telecast, ESPN’s Hubert Davis and Digger Phelps participated in a segment comparing the 2008 freshmen class to recent classes including players like Greg Oden and Derrick Rose.
Phelps took the time to describe why it’s difficult for any freshman to play well, no matter how skilled/gifted, right away at the Division 1 level versus experienced players. Phelps used Ohio State’s BJ Mullens as a focal poinbt upon which to make his point.
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Phelps – “Look at BJ Mullens at Ohio State. It’s much different than in high school because you get experience coming at you in the paint. You got to learn new defensive moves. You got to learn how to stay out of foul trouble and obviously you got to learn how to get 2nd chance points from offensive rebounds. Plus, how do you score? And I think BJ Mullens hasn’t learned that yet at Ohio State.’
Those words were stated two weeks ago. Since then we’ve seen Mullens begin to show some life as far as putting some of those aspects together positively. But BJ has so far to go yet to really be a good player. I see BJ still riding a roller coaster as far as consistency goes for a large part of the rest of this season. And like Kosta Koufos last season, I think if the Buckeyes can get into the post season we may see his best games played there in a row.
I guess the only question is whether the Buckeyes and Mullens will be playing for an NIT title again or trying to win a game in the NCAA tournament in March?
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To end the segment, Hubert Davis mentioned Memphis’s Tyreke Evans and Greg Monroe being rated highly this season but it’s just not the same as compared to Greg Oden and Derrick Rose (who were dominant players right away at the collegiate level, with both competitors taking their teams to the NCAA championship game)
Buckeye basketball add ons
Some of this goes back a week or two but I think if you are a Buckeye fan you will appreciate the content nevertheless.
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1. Ohio State’s Tracey Hall, the Big Ten’s first 2-time Kodak All-American, will have her #44 jersey retired at halftime of the February 15th Northwestern game. Tracey played for Ohio State from 1985-1988. During the ceremony, she will have her jersey hung beside the only other Ohio State woman’s player to be so honored before her, Katie Smith.
I’ve heard nothing but great things about Tracey Hall for the quality of her basketball skills and the competitive nature she exhibited on court. It’s always great to hear the stories about players of her ilk when they are honored in this way. I can hardly wait for that day to arrive.
2. Jon Diebler and Evan Turner are together averaging 34 minutes apiece. Only two other Big Ten players average more.
This data was mined a few weeks back but it still seem like they are both on court for a million minutes each game. Here’s to hoping coach Matta finds a way to keep them fresh throughout the season.
3. In a pre-season poll among Big Ten players present at media day Emily Fox of Minnesota and Ohio State’s Jantel Lavender both garnered 4 votes (tied for the lead in that category) for being the player other conference competitors players were looking forward to competing against because they were respected and admired. Fox was voted pre-season MVP among the players with 5 and 2/3 votes and Lavender came in second with 5 and 1/12 votes.
It was interesting to watch Fox compete last week as the Gophers picked up their first win ever in Columbus against Ohio State. She’s a very good player and deserving of any awards or appreciation she recieves from her fellow competitors. But I also know just how good Jantel Lavender is. Buckeye fans are lucky to have her wearing the Scarlet and Grey for two more seasons past this one.
4. At one point Dallas Lauderdale had been credited with 28 blocked shots in 6 games but only blocked 6 in the next seven games.
Consequently, along with the loss of David Lighty, that change in the pace of blocked shot totals DL earned for Ohio State coincided with the difficulties the Buckeyes had in closing out games versus Minnesota and MSU.
5. Jon Gasaway, formerly known as the creator of the much read site Big Ten Wonk, who now works for the much respected Basketball and Baseball Prospectus site, rates former Buckeye commit, Nevada Wolfpack power forward, Luke Babbit as the 5th best freshman in the country.
I would have loved to have had Babbit play for Ohio State but I’m really happy with how William Buford and BJ Mullens have progressed this season for the Buckeyes. Neither of those two were rated by Gasaway but the list was a short one, I think ending at 15 total. By year’s end I feel certain one and probably both of Ohio State’s twosome will be ranked near the top of any list about the best 1st year players in the 08/09 class.
Greg Monroe of Georgetown was ranked number 1.
Having done a little research on Illinois yesterday…having watched them play impressively in entire games vs (at) Vanderbilt and then against Missouri this season…knowing they played well versus Clemson, despite the loss there, and really have yet to be out of any game they have lost this season…It is not surprising to me Illinois whupped Ohio State’s tail last night in Champaign. (I don’t often record final scores, even when the Buckeyes win, but wasn’t the final score by 18 points in favor of Illinois?)
This is a very good Illinois team. Minus the star power, it reminds me a whole lot of the two loss Illinois team of a few years back that was such a pleasure to watch. It’s tough defensively and the ball moves on offense. Everything works the same way.
On the other hand, Ohio State showed it’s youth & inexperience last night in following up a solid performance at Michigan Saturday night (Doesn’t it feel even better to have won that game now?) with an effort that was not good at all. Too many turnovers. No ability to get a stop against a team that came right out and established itself on both ends versus the Buckeyes. No energy. Period.
It’s the kind of night that can be expected in general more often than not on the road in any conference when you don’t have a single senior on the floor, when two of your main scoring threats are freshmen, when the other two point producers are sophs playing big, big minutes night after night, when you don’t have an experienced point guard, when, when, when, when…in the end, all those “whens” end up being excuses.
The best thing about that situation is those same players have some pretty good ability and can and will eventually get it done. But, it’s part of the maturation process to get nailed every once in awhile like Ohio State did last evening. Unless you are rolling freshmen like Greg Oden and Mike Conley, when you are forced to play 1st year players, onto the floor then you are going to have your games you’d like to forget.
Saturday finds MSU coming into Columbus to play a contest I really don’t think Ohio State has much of a chance to win. I haven’t looked to see how the conference schedule lines up after that game but it can’t be any more difficult than it has been already. So, you get in there and dig and claw and scrap for every win you can get. That’s the fun of conference schedules. Hopefully, your team ends up in a favorable spot when the dust clears.
I’m ready to see how this Buckeye team reacts Saturday. I, myself, would like nothing better than to see MSU’s Ohio kids, Raymar Morgan and Delvon Roe, go home with a loss. I really don’t hold their choosing MSU against either one of them, I know it’s just not possible for every Ohio kid to play for Ohio State, but it sure does make it that much sweeter to beat a team where native Ohioans are a big part of it. Whether Ohio State wins or loses that game I want to see the Buckeyes show the rest of the conference it’s home floor isn’t going to be fun and games for any visiting team to compete on. And West Virginina already blasted Ohio State in Columbus once this season, directly after the loss of David Lighty to injury. So, that kind of destruction in front of the home crowd just doesn’t need to happen again to this team.
So, I’m not looking back at last night’s game after today and will focus on the Spartans.
Get with it, Buckeyes!
ESPN recently placed a mike on David Lighty during the IU game. There isn’t a single thing earth shattering said by David but it’s a glimpse into what is said on the bench by David as he tries to, despite his injury, help lead Ohio State through encouragement and humor.
After those words are recorded here be sure to read the interview Lighty gave to ESPN court side reporter Erin Andrews concerning his injury and when he might be able to start playing again this season:
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In game segments…
1st segment
What? Good pass, boy. Good pass, boy. – Feeling good today…that’s what we need, baby – Yeah, Kyle! Is that his 1st career dunk? – Jonny D hitting 3s…I ain’t ___ hitting so many threes in my life
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2nd segment
DL’s doing good today. That’s what we need! – Talk on D – It’s a new rule this year? What rule is that? He can’t touch the ball? – Everybody get an offensive Re – Okay, Jonny D – Hey, we feeling good lately
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DL’s in game interview w/Erin Andrews:
EA – “Where are you at right now in your healing process?”
DL – “Pretty much started my rehab. You know, pool workouts. Things like that you know. We got a indoor treadmill in our underwater pool that we have so that’s kind of hard right now. Doing a lot of sprinting and, uh, a lot of lifting and things like that right now.
EA – “Timetable for your return?”
DL – “Well, uh, I think, we’ll find out some more probably in about two weeks when I get my boot off and I, you know, start running on the court and things like that. And then it just depends on how much pain I have. Then Probably about 2 or 3 weeks.”
EA – “Do you think you have a coaching future after this, after all the coaching advice you’re giving out?”
DL – “They call me coach Lighty right now. I guess I’m learning right now.”
EA – “Alright coach. We appreciate your time. Let’s send it back to Brent!”
DL – “Okay, back to Brent!”
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I’m not extremely hopeful concerning David being able to return too quickly from his injury. But we’ll see. Young people can heal a lot faster sometimes than is thought possible. There’s no doubt Ohio State could use an extra body at this point. The question is if David Lighty would be anymore than that if he did return sooner rather than later. What he does on court is so married to energy, strength and power. I just don’t feel real good about his being healthy enough to recapture those things for his team this season if he rejoins the team early in February. I would be leery of his reinjuring his foot. But, it’s all guesswork at this point. I want him back but not at his health’s expense, especially if he can lead as a senior (I have no idea about a possible redshirt for him this season) next season. I don’t want him to be at anything less than 100% for that.
It tickles me to listen to the pre-game introductions of a team’s starting five by one of the members of the team. Whoever is announcing is attempting to give their spin on how they view each player. Sometimes they get serious and that’s when it’s the funniest most of the time. Sometimes the announcer tries to be humorous to begin with and then it gets silly. But it’s always entertaining to listen to.
Here’s how Dallas Lauderdale introduced the Buckeyes versus Indiana two games back. Dallas tried going the classy route, I think:
1 guard, A-O Automatic Offense #2 Jeremie Simmons
2 guard, Jonny D – Jon Diebler
3 guard, WB – William Buford
4 man, The Kid – Evan Turner
5 spot, Me – the mama’s boy
