“Q”uintessential

March 29, 2013 by 1 Comment

The title says it all. LaQuinton Ross had a huge offensive surge down the stretch including the game winning three pointer leading the Buckeyes over Arizona 73-70. The Buckeyes overcame a significant first half defecit to make it to the Elite 8 for the second straight year.

Jae C. Hong | Associated Press

Jae C. Hong | Associated Press

Ross has come up huge in last two wins with 17 points in each game. We have been waiting all year for the secondary scoring punch. Ross has stepped up and provided it in a big way. I know he is not alone. The rest of the team has also played well, but I have been very impressed with Ross and feel he is turning the corner. His ability to score and complement Craft and Thomas will be crucial if the Buckeyes are going to make some noise even deeper in the NCAA tournament.

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball

Basketball Week Preview

February 20, 2013 by 2 Comments

The Buckeyes enter this week with two important games at home. Let’s hope the blow out loss at Wisconsin is a distant memory.

The loss at Wisconsin is a microcosm of the entire season. Teams have stuck to the formula of allowing Thomas to get his 20-25 points (which he has had to work for) and making the “supporting cast” beat them. The problem is the “supporting cast” has been wildly inconsistent offensively. We have been asking for weeks who is going to step up and be the consistent 2nd and 3rd scorers. I believe we have our answer for this year, no one, consistently. Sunday’s game at Wisconsin was the first time I really questioned the team’s future (specifically next year). It will basically be the same team minus Thomas. I am not one to have a doomsday outlook or focus on the negative, but there are questions that will abound about next year’s team. In my opinion, it is too late in the season to get those questions answered this year, but hopefully I will be proven wrong.

The questions about next season will have to wait for another post for another day. The Buckeyes still have a chance to capitalize on a good seed in this year’s NCAA tournament. In order for that to happen, we need some W’s starting with the two games this week.

2/20/2013 @ 7 PM (BTN) Minnesota (6-7 Big Ten) vs Ohio State (8-5 Big Ten)

As with many teams in conference this year, the Gopher’s season has been up and down. They beat Wisconsin and got blown out by Iowa last week. That being said, no game should be taken lightly this year in conference. This is the only meeting between the Buckeyes and Gophers this regular season. I look for Minnesota to be hungry after getting embarrassed by Iowa. The Buckeyes will need to need to match the intensity, which by all accounts has been questionable over the last few weeks. The main question I want answered in this game is where is the fire and passion. Will the buckeyes be ready to play? I anticipate Matta will have the team ready after the debacle in Madison. I see the Buckeyes winning by 10.

2/24/2013 @ 4 PM (CBS) Michigan State (11-3 Big Ten) vs Ohio State (8-5 Big Ten)

The Buckeyes will be facing another strong test on Sunday. The Buckeyes are 2-4 against the top 4 teams in conference. The Spartans will enter the game coming off an emotional tight loss to Indiana. This seems to be happening over and over where the Buckeyes are facing a hungry team coming off a loss. Provided that the effort is there, I think the Buckeyes can edge out a very close win against the Spartans. A second win this week will go a long way in boosting the confidence of this team.

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball

Basketball Week In Review/Preview

January 28, 2013 by 2 Comments

Coming off a disappointing loss to Michigan State, this week the Buckeyes faced two of the bottom three teams in the B1G. Just what the doctor ordered.

Week in Review

1/22/2013: Ohio State 72 – Iowa 63 (14-4, 4-2 Big Ten)

The buckeyes throughly dominating the Hawkeyes until the last few minutes of the game. I hate to focus on the negative in a win, but the team did not handle the full court pressure well. It led to a very sloppy second half. It is an old cliché, but the team appeared to lose focus with such a large lead. I think the entire team fell victim to this trap and were not able to regain the mental edge that led to the 24 point lead. That being said, the Buckeyes were able to hold off Iowa for a much-needed win.

1/26/2013: Ohio State 65 – Penn State 51 (15-4, 5-2 Big Ten)

The Buckeyes controlled this game from beginning to end. They were never in danger. A few spurts of poor shooting, specifically from DT (4-13 for the game) led to a below average score. All in all, a result you would expect against a win less (in B1G) opponent. The Buckeyes are still searching (isn’t it getting a little late in the season) for consistent 2nd and 3rd scorers. Sam Thompson filled that void against the Nittany Lions. He played an excellent game with 16 points on 6-7 shooting. Let’s hope Sam and the rest of the supporting cast can continue to improve their consistency. It will be sorely needed in the loaded back-end of the B1G schedule. Games the rest of the season include Indiana x2, Wisconsin x2, Michigan, Minnesota, Michigan State.

Week in Preview

1/29/2013 @ 7 PM (ESPN) Wisconsin (5-2 Big Ten) vs Ohio State (5-2 Big Ten)

The pesky Badgers led by Bo Ryan always play the Buckeyes tough. This is an important game as the winner will remain near the top fo the B1G race.

2/2/2013 @ 7 PM (BTN) Nebraska (2-6 Big Ten) vs Ohio State (5-2 Big Ten)

The real question about this game is how does Nebraska have 2 wins in the B1G? They looked awful against the Buckeyes in the B1G opener. Should be an easy win.

In other news…

We cannot review this weeks’ happenings without a mention of Matta’s contract revision. Details of the contract restructure can be found here and here. Well documented by Bob Baptist of the Dispatch.

I know there are varying opinions out there about Matta’s tenure at OSU. As far as I am concerned, he can stay as long as he wants.

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball

Basketball Week (Kansas) In Review/Preview

December 23, 2012 by 2 Comments

Kansas Review

12/22/2012: Ohio State 66 – Kansas 74 (8-2, 0-0 Big Ten)

Here we sit on the eve of conference play which the Buckeyes will begin without a “signature” win. The Buckeyes fell to Kansas yesterday in a game that was similar to the ebb and flow of the Duke game. The Buckeyes were strong in the first half, but Kansas took control in the second half and the Buckeyes could not recover. It is the third loss to Kansas in the last 12 months. It is apparent that this year’s team still needs to figure out how to close out games. Deshaun Thomas did not have the stand out game that I was anticipating. While hed led the Buckeyes in scoring, he took three shots in the last 14 minutes and missed all of them. That is not a recipe for success. Still waiting for Deshaun to breakout with a performance similar to what we saw in last year’s NCAA tournament.

Like I said in the preview, this one loss is not a make or break. That being said, it clearly demonstrates that there is work to do if this team wants to compete for a B1G championship. I know we all hate to look for moral victories, but can we agree that it is easier to find them in basketball (especillay in non-conference games)? There were a couple positive outcomes of the game. Coach Matta was pleased with the effort:

“I thought we battled. I thought we played with an element of toughness and tenacity we needed to,”

Then, he quickly summed up the loss in one sentence:

“But a lot of it just comes down to you’ve got to put the ball in the basket in a game like this, and we couldn’t do it, and it became contagious throughout.”

The buckeyes shot 30% from the field. Simply not going to get it done against an opponent like Kansas.

12-12-22-MB-0102-thumb From a players standpoint, the best performance was turned in by Shannon Scott. Scott’s stat line – 15 pts, 6 reb, 4 asst, 2 stls. He continues to improve and IMO is quickly becoming the best point guard on the team. His play is making it difficult for Matta to keep him on the bench. If you ask me, that is bad news for Smith, Jr. and Ross because I think Matta is beginning to favor the back court duo of Scott and Craft. It will be interesting to see how this continues to develop as conference play begins. Matta has built the reputation of shortening his bench in conference games. He has stated that he feels more comfortable with his depth this year, but it remains to be seen if he will use 8 to 10 players or the typical 7 that we have been used to in the past.

Week in Preview

12/29/2012 @ 4:30 PM (BTN) Chicago State (3-11, 0-0) vs Ohio State (8-2, 0-0)

The Buckeyes will take the week off (from games) for Christmas. The Buckeyes play Chicago State next Saturday in the final scrimmage before B1G games begin on January 2nd.

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball

Kansas Preview

December 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment

12/22/2012 @ 4 PM (CBS) Kansas (9-1, 0-0) vs Ohio State (8-1, 0-0)

Many people trash the NCAA regualr season because “it doesn’t mean anything”. Maybe, but one thing is for certain, the NCAA tournament makes it so top caliber teams square off during non-conference play. Sure, a win or loss in a non-conference game against a top ten opponenet will not make or break a season, but it provides teams a glimpse of the competition that potentially awaits late in the tournament. The regualr season may be undervalued in the media and the minds of some fans, but for the coaches and players I am certain that is not the case.

Coming off a poor performance against Winthrop, the buckeyes look to bounce back against #9 Kansas today in the Schott. In the most recent weekly review, we discussed the improvement of Sam Thompson, Shannon Scott, and Amir Williams. I think it goes without saying that their continued maturation is paramount to getting a win against Kansas. That being said, I am looking for Deshaun Thomas to have a statement game today. He has been steady this year, but he needs to step up on the big stage. Similar to what we saw last March in the NCAA tournament.

What are other MotSaGers saying…

SYR

Kansas is a must win IMO….. They need to establish themselves as an elite team and a team that can beat a squad with lots of big men. This game will make their case to the National Media that they are a top 4 team which is something many are questioning.

el Kaiser

That Kansas game is going to set the tone for my weekend and subsequently my holiday. No pressure, Buckeyes.

I agree with them both. This is a huge statement game. What better way to start off the holiday week than with a win against an upper echelon opponent. I see the buckeyes doing just that.

Ohio State 74 – Kansas 69

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball

Basketball Week In Review/Preview

December 19, 2012 by 2 Comments


Over the last 10 days the buckeyes have played four non-conference games against teams that have given little resistance (except for tonight – more on that later). While for the most part the games have been one-sided, they have provided an opportunity for some questions to begin to be answered. I am speaking about questions concerning the sophomore class.

Week in Review

12/08/2012: Ohio State 89 – Long Beach State 55 (5-1, 0-0 Big Ten)

LaQuinton Ross followed up a career high of 22 with another solid outing against LBSU, scoring 16 points. Ross really stood out in the two game stretch vs N. Kentucky and Long Beach State. We have been asking for a while where is his scoring punch. He is slowly settling in and providing production off the bench. Sam Thompson also dazzled with more highlight reel dunks. That is becoming something to be said about every game. Stay tuned for video evidence…

12/12/2012: Ohio State 85 – Savannah State 45 (6-1, 0-0 Big Ten)

Nothing really sticks out for this game. Another dominating performance. I have not mentioned much of the “experienced” guys in this post. I have been more interested in how the “young guys” have performed, but Deshaun and crew have been steady performers. This game was no different; Deshaun dropped 21 in the first half against Savannah State.

12/15/2012: Ohio State 90 – UNC Asheville 72 (7-1, 0-0 Big Ten)

As I watched the UNC Asheville game, I felt it was the most complete offensive performance of the season. I realize it is not against top flight competition, but there were positive takeaways. Shannon Scott and Sam Thompson stood out in this game for me. I have been really impressed Scott’s passing ability. He ended up with 9 assists on the night in 21 minutes. Sam Thompson had a break out night with a career high 18 points. As promised, Sam Thompson doing his thing to cap his stellar performance.

12/18/2012: Ohio State 65 – Winthrop 55 (8-1, 0-0 Big Ten)

OK, so multiple cliches could be attributed to this game e.g. The buckeyes were looking ahead to the big game against Kansas, The buckeyes played down to the level of competition, etc. I could go on. Who knows what the case was last night, but I am not going overreact. It was an ugly game, especially offensively. Give some credit to Winthrop and let’s move on to the next game. One positive takeaway was Amir Williams’ performance in the second half. He showed some flashes, but he is still not playing at a high level on a consistent basis. His progress is important to track as we get closer to conference play.

Week in Preview

12/22/2012 @ 4 PM (CBS) Kansas (9-1, 0-0) vs Ohio State (8-1, 0-0)

Another early top ten match-up that will be a great measuring stick. Stay tuned later in the week for an in depth preview.

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tipoff

November 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

As college basketball fans, it can be difficult to keep up with the slew of early season tournaments. Let’s face it, unless your team is involved, no one cares about them. That being said, they can provide an opportunity to get important wins that will mean something come tournament selection time in March. The basketball buckeyes are in the midst of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tipoff Tournament. The bulk of the tournament takes place this weekend at the Mohegan Sun Area in Connecticut.

The opponents this weekend are not upper echelon teams (not even close) and it is too early to tell if potential wins will be considered quality (not looking likely) come March, but nonetheless the buckeyes will be playing two games against opponents from decent basketball conferences.

First up is Rhode Island tomorrow @ 5pm EST. The game should start at about halftime of the football game against Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the game will be shown on ESPN3 so your DVR will not be much help. Rhode Island has been picked to finish near the bottom of the A10 conference. I have no reason to believe this game will be anything but a “W” for the buckeyes. On Sunday, the buckeyes will play the winner of Washington (who just lost to Albany – yes the same team that the buckeyes smoked 82-60) and Seton Hall. Sunday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN2 @ 4:30pm EST.

These two games will be important tune-ups for impending games against Duke and Kansas. The game against Marquette would have been a great measuring stick, but Thad will have to work the hand that has been dealt.

Filed Under: College Basketball, Ohio State Basketball

Position Preview: Small Forwards

November 7, 2012 by 5 Comments

Next up in our 2012-2013 position previews are the small forwards. This group consists of one veteran scorer and two sophomores that need to take their games to the next level. First up, preseason All-American Deshaun Thomas.

Deshaun Thomas is 6’7″ Jr. from Fort Wayne, IN. Thomas is the leading scorer returning from last year’s team. He averaged 16 pts/game. Deshaun made a splash in last year’s NCAA tournament. He received accolades from various national networks. He was quoted as saying, “I love to score” which will have a big impact on the buckeyes success this season. One thing that impresses me about Deshaun’s game is his knack for finding open spots in the middle of a zone defense and his talent to hit those mid-range jumpers. Offensively, Thomas will fill the stat sheet as a prototypical small forward, but one key to success this year will be Thomas’ ability to guard other power forwards. Matta’s projected starting line-up will have Thomas in the “four position”. Not really a change from last year, but still an important aspect of the defensive system. This season will likely be Deshaun’s last in a buckeye uniform. I believe he will live up to the hype of his preseason All-American selection.

LaQuinton Ross is a 6’8″ So. from Jackson, MS. Much like Shannon Scott, it remains to be seen if LaQuinton will live up to the expectations placed on him out of high school. Ross has a reputation as a pure shooter. Maybe it is just me, but it seems like teams played a lot of zone defense against the buckeyes over the last couple of years. As a team the buckeyes shot 33% from 3-point range last year. Without a strong low-post scorer this year, I believe it is imperative that the 3-point percentage is closer to 40%. I am looking for Ross to step up and be a zone killer a la John Diebler. His length will create mismatches for opposing defenders which should facilitate his scoring ability.

Sam Thompson is a 6’7″ So. from Chicago, IL. Sam gets the privilege of two introductory photos due to the fact that his head is in danger anytime he jumps around the rim. I don’t care if he is 6’7″; the kid can jump out of the gym. Sam Thompson is definitely the most athletic of the three small forwards. He will provide a spark in whatever role he settles into. I think everyone will agree that the starting line-up will include two of the three players listed in this preview. It will be interesting to see how the minutes are distributed. Reports from practice have noted Thompson developing into a lock down defender. If this carries over to the season, Sam will see plenty of minutes. Sam’s athleticism is unquestioned (just youtube “Sam Thompson Ohio State” for proof), but I believe he needs to continue to develop his fundamentals to reach his full potential.

Please enjoy only one sample of what Sam brings to the table. More please!!

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball

Position Preview: Point Guards

November 5, 2012 by 6 Comments

We kick-off the position previews by looking at the point guards. The buckeyes return both point guards from last year’s team. Thad Matta will lean heavily on his two point guards to overcome the loss of Jared Sullinger and William Buford, two of the top three scorers from last year. Consistency at the point guard position should be a stabilizing factor as Thad Matta develops his new rotation. Without further adieu, let’s introduce you to the two stabilizing forces.

Aaron Craft is a 6’2″ Jr. from Findlay, OH. Craft is the unquestioned emotional leader of this team. He embodies what you think of a prototypical point guard. He is a vocal leader, but more impressively his effort on the court speaks for itself. The team will feed off his defensive intensity. Craft was named the Big Ten Conference defensive player of the year last year. The key will be can Craft continue to improve his offensive production and maintain his stellar defensive play. The buckeyes are losing 32 points per game. I look for Craft to fill some of that void. I was (pleasantly) surprised to see that Craft averaged 44% from beyond the arc in conference games last year, but that only translated to 35% for the season. I am looking for Craft to be more consistent shooting from outside which will help his ability to get to the basket for easy buckets or find open shooters on the wing.

Shannon Scott is a 6’1″ So. from Alpharetta, Ga. Shannon comes from NBA blood lines; his father is former North Carolina Tarheel and NBA player, Charlie Scott. Shannon is one player that should see his role significantly increase this year. Scott only averaged 10.5 min/game last season. Similar to Craft I am interested to see if Shannon has improved his outside shot. Granted the sample size is limited, but Scott shot an abysmal 28% from the field, including 6% from 3-point range, last year. If the exhibition game is any indication, Craft and Scott will be on the court simultaneously this year. Scott has to be a threat from the outside in order for that lineup to be effective. The jury is still out on Scott’s ability/potential. This year should answer some questions. He will have to play in Craft’s shadow the entire season. I will be interested to see if he can step out of that shadow and make a name for himself.

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball

2012-2013 Basketball Preview

November 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

We plan to take advantage of the bye week and preview the 2012-2013 men’s basketball team. Tune in every day this week for posistion previews as we get you prepared for the season opener Friday night against Marquette.

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball

Roundball Season Starts in November

November 12, 2010 by 1 Comment

We interrupt the regularly scheduled football season to inform you … The pre-season #5 Buckeye Hoops team opens their season tonight at Value City Arena. I realize for most fans, the college hoops season really begins in Jan/Feb, but the non-conference season for this year’s team is important as the team is full of new faces.

Thad Matta brings another heralded recruiting class to Columbus, rated top #3 in the country by most experts. I expect it is going to take time for the incoming class to mesh with Buford, Lighty, Diebler, and Lauderdale. The team will be tested early when it travels to Gainsville for the second game of the season to face the top #15 ranked Gators. The good news is the four returning starters have plenty of experience and talent to overcome the departure of Evan Turner.

Expectations are high with the pre-season #5 ranking. What are your expectations for this season or should I check back in January?

Here are a couple of season previews by our fellow bloggers: Eleven Warriors and The Buckeye Battle Cry.

… Now back to your regularly scheduled football programming

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball

Get DirecTV now?

June 13, 2007 by 2 Comments

OSU FootballAccording to a dispatch article today, the first two football games of the season will be televised on the new Big Ten Network.

    September 1 – Youngstown State
    September 8 – Akron

The BTN has not yet reached agreements with the local cable providers.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

Pardon the Football Interruption

March 30, 2007 by Leave a Comment

OSU Football As we wait for the Final Four to begin tomorrow, here are a few Buckeye football tidbits. Spring Practice began yesterday. Here is the spring two deep. Here is some initial analysis from a couple of our fellow Buckeye bloggers: Seth at ATO and Pfef.

Recently Stewart Mandel of SI.com wrote a positive article about Troy Smith. For all of the negativity surrounding Troy these days, it was nice to see some positive publicity. I still feel that with the right team and a couple of years as an understudy he can be a good NFL quarterback.

Good article today in the Dispatch about Beanie, check it out here.

I am sure there will be plenty more to come on spring practice, but for now (at least in my mind) it will have to take a backseat to the Final Four. Let’s cheer the Buckeyes to a National Championship! GO BUCKS!

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball, Ohio State Football

LeBron and the Buckeyes

March 1, 2007 by 10 Comments

LeBron LogoAs the Buckeyes gear up for a deep postseason run, they will be sporting new uniforms for the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments. The new uniforms, developed by Nike, will have the LeBronJames23 logo instead of the famous Nike Swoosh. As is the trend in a lot of sports these days, the uniforms will be made of lighter, more form fitting fabric. See all the details in this Columbus Dispatch article.

Update:
Here is a better picture of the new uniform that will be worn by the Buckeyes. If you look really close, the LBJ23 logo is noticable. The image can be found in a current SI article.
New uni.jpg

Filed Under: Miscellany, Ohio State Basketball

Let’s Make Some Noise

February 23, 2007 by 4 Comments

Block O.bmp The atmosphere for Sunday’s match-up between the Buckeyes and Badgers should be reminiscent of the ’05 game when unbeaten Illinois visited the Schott. Illinois left Columbus that day stunned when Matt Sylvester’s 3-pointer at the buzzer sent shockwaves around Columbus. I am endlessly baffled why it takes an undefeated opponent or a 1 vs. 2 match-up for Buckeye Basketball fans to wake up and cheer. It is embarrassing when TV announcers comment over and over about the lack of fan noise in Value City Arena.

What makes me ever more frustrated is the fact that Buckeye fans have something to cheer about. The fans of pretty much every other team in the Big Ten put Buckeye fans to shame in the cheering department. I realize the Buckeyes don’t have their students behind the benches like most schools which contributes negatively to the atmosphere (whole different subject). I’ll give you that one, but it can’t be used as an excuse to pout and sit on your hands.

I’ve heard all the excuses before. “It’s going to be different this year…we’ve got Oden, Conley, Cook etc.,” result – silence. The season starts, “wait till Oden gets in the line up the Schott will be rockin” result – silence. “Wait until the Big Ten season” result – silence. The season is almost over and I’m still waiting.

I have no doubt that I won’t be disappointed on Sunday. Why does it take a 1 vs. 2 match-up for fans to cheer? Why do fans have to be reminded by a stupid bell to get out of their seats and make some noise?

Stand up and make some noise!

Filed Under: Ohio State Basketball
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