Dancing By Theirselves: Gonzaga Wins It All!

With the Final Four matchups set, a memorable run is pitting two NCAA Basketball powerhouses against two teams vying for their first title since piecing together their respective teams. One side of the coin has the #1 seed Dayton Flyers from the East Region going up against the #1 Kansas Jayhawks from the Midwest Region. From the West the #1 Gonzaga Bulldogs will face-off against the South Regions #3 Michigan State Spartans. At stake is a spot in the NCAA Basketball Championship Game.

In the first matchup Dayton goes up against Kansas for all the marbles. Coming into this matchup, Dayton has never gotten this close to the title game since 1967, where they defeated North Carolina to reach the big game where they fell to UCLA. Recently, the closest they’ve sniffed was this game, but since falling to #1 Florida in 2014 in the Elite Eight, it has been nothing but a string of first and second round exits.

For Kansas, their last title was won in 2008. There has been mixed results and in 2016 and 2017, they fell in the regional finals and haven’t been as consistent as past teams. The consistency was not there, but this year they gutted through with the talent on the roster. You can never discount their ability to get into the ears of any prospect in the nation and year after year, they flex the ability to do just that.

On the opening tip, it gets a little chippy. Trash-talk central as the bigger dog begins to chat it up and bark before the initial tip-off. Dayton comes in focused and ready for a fight and they basically punch Kansas in the mouth from the get-go. Despite Kansas controlling the opening tip and scoring on the opening possession, the Flyers never wavered. Devon Dotson controls the flow of the game throughout as his teams builds a near insurmountable lead at the half. Dayton goes into the half down 14–56-70. They surely looked dead in the water and the buckets weren’t there for them, but they persisted on.

To open the second half, Obi Toppin and Jalen Crutcher take the Jayhawks to school. Three after three, a heat check was inevitable, but they kept hitting when they needed it the most. There were perfect sequences throughout from the Jayhawks, but they were shut down by stifling defense and double-teams from the reinvigorated Flyers team. Eventually momentum began to swing in Kansas’ favor as they get key blocks from Azubuike that turned into a quick 5-point swing. Two driving layups and a free throw tie the game at 81 each with just under two minutes remaining. Dayton makes a stop on the defensive side of the ball and converts it into three points. Kansas attempts to answer with a few precious seconds remaining, but Toppin flies in to swat a desperation heave to help Dayton advance. 87-84 Dayton.

For the second contest, it pitted #1 Gonzaga against #3 Michigan State. Like the other side of the bracket, it is for a spot in the championship game. Both teams have has memorable runs, but the underdog was the higher seeded team Gonzaga. Since their formation in 1907, they have been big dance 22 times with one trip to the big dance that ended up not being meant to be as they fell to North Carolina. For Michigan State they ended up getting into the Final Four but they fell to Texas Tech in 2019. From a talent standpoint, the Spartans have the slight edge. Winston is a monster and a playmaker and Gonzaga has to be ready to combat their talent and depth.

Upon the opening tipoff, Michigan State controls the ball and gets a quick shot up to take the lead. This game was back and fourth with Petrusev kept them in the game for the half. This game felt like it was all Michigan State up until the Bulldogs came storming back just before the half, effectively seizing the momentum for them and the lead. To open the second half Gonzaga leads 51-50, but the Spartans open up on a 11-0 run to rattle their opponent. The combination of guards, bigs and depth really exposed Gonzaga as the began to wear down. Time out Gonzaga. After a fiery speech during the time out, the Bulldog players embrace the challenge of defeating Goliath. David drew out his stone and began working.

Possession after possession, they slowly begin to claw back into the game, forcing Izzo to a timeout to attempt to stop the bleeding while clinging onto a 77-73 lead. The time was right and Petrusev seized the moment as he ripped Winston and took it straight to the rack. On the ensuing drive, he forced a bad pass from Winston again and he found Woolridge on the wing for a corner three to take the lead 78-77. Winston answered back with a dunk from the baseline, but the damage was done. Petrusev hit another open player for another three and they never looked back. The firepower was enough and the Spartans could not overcome it as they fall 86-81.

In the Championship Game #1 Gonzaga will face #1 Dayton. Overmatched with talent, the big stage once again was too big for the Flyers. The Bulldogs controlled the game from the beginning and the Flyers never came close to getting back in the game. By halftime the game was very much over with Gonzaga shutting down the offense by holding them to 29% shooting from three and 33% as a whole. The whole team rebounded from that sluggish start against Michigan State and put on the performance worthy of a title run.

The second half was much more of the same. Timely buckets coupled with suffocating defense. Dayton was still very much dead in the water. In the waning minutes, they successfully create havoc as they try to storm back with a 10-0 run to make the final score look pretty. They showed heart stopping Gonzaga as the game clock hits zeroes as they fall 91-67. Gonzaga finally gets over the hump and they secure their first title!

Dayton wins the Natty!

MOTSAG Pretend March Madness: Final Four Scott Style
The Final Four is set and three of the four teams are perennial powers that shocked nobody by advancing: Kansas, Gonzaga, and Michigan State.Then there was the Atlantic 10 Engine That Could, the Dayton Flyers. Always a top 25-30 team in attendance, one of the winningest teams in the NCAA in the 1960s, and the team that’s hosted the most NCAA Men’s Tournament games, Dayton, despite losing just twice — in overtime on neutral courts – was a prohibitive underdog in a rematch with another No. 1 seed, Kansas. The Jayhawks were one of two teams to beat Dayton during the regular season, with Colorado being the other.
The second matchup features Gonzaga and Sparty.

No. 1 Dayton 76, No. 1 Kansas 72: This game was just as exciting as the first meeting early in the season. Neither team could build more than a five-point lead. Kansas tried to neutralize Obi Toppin by bringing double-team help from weird angles, hoping he wouldn’t be able to kick the ball out to the open player.
But Toppin, a likely NBA lottery pick, showed that he’s more than highlight-reel dunks and silky smooth three-point chucks. He continued to find the open man, but the Flyers struggled from long range early on, looking like Shaq at the free throw line.
Clank.
Clank.
Clank.
Clank.
Meanwhile, Kansas couldn’t solve Dayton’s ball-hawking defense, turning the ball over 8 times in its first 10 possessions.
However after the under 12 media timeout, both teams made adjustments and Kansas enjoyed a 30-28 lead at halftime.
Both teams scrapped their first-half game plan in the second half and Toppin and Udoka Azubuike took over. Topping scored 20 of his team-high 25 points in the second half, while Azubuike scored all 17 of his in the second, many times going one-on-one at both ends.
Dayton tried to pull away midway through as a Jalen Crutcher three pointer gave Dayton a 50-45 lead. Kansas went on a 10-0 run in about a minute to open a 55-50 lead before Dayton eventually tied it two minutes later.
From there, the teams traded baskets, misses and turnovers, heading into the final four minutes tied 70-70.
Dayton came out of the final timeout with possession and ran the picket fence to get Toppin a three pointer. Azubuike made a layup at the other end and was fouled, but he missed the free throw keeping the score at 73-72.
That remained the score until Trey Landers buried a three pointer as the shot clock was about to expire with 14 seconds left in the game. Kansas, without any timeouts, rushed the ball up the court and got two shots off, neither of which went in and time expired sending the Flyers to their first championship game since 1967.

No. 1 Gonzaga 87, No. 3 Michigan State 44
Nobody was shocked to see Michigan State in another Final Four, the school’s ninth under Tom Izzo. But everyone had to be shocked at how easily the Bulldogs dismantled Sparty. Gonzaga jumped out to a 19-2 lead, forcing turnover after turnover, totally befuddling Michigan State.
At one point, Izzo looked over at Gonzaga Coach Mark Few and shrugged his shoulders and laughed.
Gonzaga led 42-20 at halftime and continued to sizzle in the second half, making 65 percent of its shots while turning the ball over once.
Izzo was so frustrated with his team that at the under 12 timeout, he sent his five starters to the locker room and was heard telling them not to come out until they were ready to play. Five minutes later they returned and did play better, but by then they trailed by 40. In keeping with the regular season theme, six Bulldogs scored in double figures, led by Joel Ayayi’s 15. Cassius Winston scored 20 to lead Michigan State.

Championship
Dayton 70, Gonzaga 65, OT
Dayton wins its first NCAA Men’s Tournament title by outscoring Gonzaga 5-0 in the overtime period. Gonzaga discovered that there is stoppin’ Toppin, holding him to 11 points. But the Bulldogs couldn’t figure out Crutcher and Landers, who combined for 42 points and Dayton received great support from the rest of the roster.
Ayayi again led Gonzaga in scoring, pouring in 20 points, while Filip Petrusev added 15. But the Bulldogs struggled with consistency the entire game, turning the ball over 20 times and making just 38 percent of its shots.
Dayton wasn’t that great either, committing 17 turnovers and shooting just 65 percent from the free throw line.
Leading 34-31 at halftime, Dayton started the second half on a 10-2 run to open up an 11-point lead, but Gonzaga battled back by intentionally putting Dayton at the free throw line and converting second-chance opportunities at the other end.
Gonzaga took a 45-44 lead with 11 minutes left and neither team led by more than four the rest of regulation. Both teams had chances to win the game in the final minute, but Dayton missed three free throws and Gonzaga missed a three pointer and a somewhat-uncontested layup.
Crutcher made a three pointer to start overtime and then made a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left to ice the title.

MOTSAG Pretend March Madness: Elite Eight (West Region)

With all but eight teams remaining in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the top two seeded teams out west remain in the fight. This has been a long hard road and with both teams overcoming two scrappy teams, do they still have gas remaining in the tank?

In a duel of two great programs, it is just mere minutes away from tip-off. The #1 Gonzaga Bulldogs and the #2 San Diego State Aztecs have locked onto each other in what could shape up to be a heated contest with the last two teams in the west.

Just moments before the tip-off, you can feel the tension and the anticipation in the air. With a trip to the Final Four at stake both teams cautiously approach this contest and we are off! The Aztecs gain control of the opening tip-off and the game gets underway. Malachi Flynn wastes no time and gets the initial bucket off of a hard screen from Wetzell. Not to be outdone, Petrusev penetrates the paint and kicks it out to Woolridge at the top of the key for two.

The opening half said a lot about both teams. Both started on fire until about 8 minutes before the half. After that it was all Gonzaga before going into halftime. At the half the Bulldogs are up 54-47. They rode a 7-0 run before the halftime buzzer and they kept control with pesky defense and well-timed buckets to keep the Aztecs at bay.

During the half, the Aztec coach is livid and gives out one of the most fiery speeches of the tournament and his team responded. Coming out of the locker room, the Aztec’s went 5-6 from three and they gained the lead after some stellar defense of their own. Aztecs lead 66-68 before the Bulldogs call a timeout. The well-timed break led to crucial adjustments on Gonzaga’s end that focused on shutting down and doubling Flynn to get the ball out of his hands.

Initially, it had worked out and it forced the Aztecs into a couple of turnovers and eventually a key backcourt violation. Flynn, visibly flustered called a timeout with 3 minutes left in regulation being down 77-70. In clutch fashion, his coaching staff drew some plays up and they executed it resulting in a 7-0 run to tie the game at 77 a piece. Shell-shocked, Gonzaga calls their last timeout with a little over a minute remaining in the game.

The coach drew up an isolation play to send the Aztecs packing in the waning minutes of the game. With 25 seconds left, Woolridge takes it down to under 10 seconds. He takes a pick from Petrusev, he loses his defender in the process and shoots a two at the top of the key… clang… in and out of the basket. Overtime ball for all the marbles!

From the initial portions of overtime, both teams are exhausted and it shows. Hunched over and visibly tired, both teams set-up for the additional minutes. This time Gonzaga controls the ball first. Petrusev wastes no time and knocks down a three in the face of Flynn to put the Bulldogs up 80-77. Flynn responds with a barrage of buckets–a layup and a three of his own to put the Aztecs up 82-80. Back-and-fourth both teams try to start a run, but focused defense is played on both sides.

The last two minute stretch was crucial and neither team was pulling away. With the game tied, yet again at 91 a piece. Neither team has buckled so far. Both a playing fierce defense and their offensive firepower hasn’t shied away. In the highest scoring game of the tournament, Petrusev takes the ball away from Flynn in the waning seconds and with 5 seconds remaining, he chucks it from half court with a prayer. It comes clean off his hands and it looks like it has a chance. The prayer was answered and he connects with the half-court heave to advance 94-92. Bulldogs advance in a thriller.

MOTSAG Pretend March Madness: West Region, Third Round

With the Sweet 16 completed only the Elite 8 remain. This is the part of the tournament where teams ride the momentum that they have built up in order to advance to the Final Four. In the West Region, only Gonzaga, Yale, BYU and San Diego State remain.

The top two seeds in the bracket remain on a collision course to advance and the lone double-digit seed Yale at #12 continues their storybook run into history. Can they upset the #1 Gonzaga Bulldogs? Or will they fall to a more talented and superior team? In the second matchup #2 San Diego State will face #6 BYU in order to advance further. Both teams are geared up and ready for the upcoming challenges.

First up, #1 Gonzaga versus #12 Yale. This contest was a surprising one as Yale comes out with their hair on fire. Eric Monroe leads the team in assists as he continues to find his shooters as they stay hot in the first half. Petrusev and Wooolridge weather the storm as they fight their way back just before halftime. With solid defense they go into the half down by six points with a little bit of momentum.

Going into the second half Gonzaga caught fire and never looked back. Yale did all they could to keep it close, but a barrage of three’s later, the other Bulldogs found themselves on the ropes. Monroe led a valiant charge, but the defense clamped on him and forced him into turnover after turnover. Atkinson was also wiped out of the game plan whenever he touched the ball, a second defender would double him and force a pass under duress. Gonzaga advances 71-64.

Next up, #2 San Diego State faces off against BYU and this was a game of the back and fourth variety! Jake Toolson led the charge with TJ Haws feeding him in both, space and in traffic. Turning great defense into offense, they got a little bit ahead of the slow starting Aztec team. In a game of runs, Malachi Flynn and Yanni Wetzell ignited the offense with a little defense to offense to ease make it a contest. In a barrage of well-timed blocks and timely three pointers they overtake the lead momentarily. Haws playing the role of the spoiler broke the 10-0 run with a feed to Toolson in the paint for an and-one play.

Momentum began to swell in BYU’s favor until a misplaced pass came on the heels of BYU’s 7-0 run where Flynn took it coast-to-coast for a layup the other way. Another crucial possession for BYU ended up becoming another key error on a charging call that went against them with the game being close at 56-57 with them having the lead. Wetzell inbounded the ball during the waning minutes of the contest. The clock is in the final 24 seconds of the game and Flynn brings it down. 5…4…3…a well timed pick on Haws and a clutch three from Flynn… San Diego State advances 59-57 in a heartbreaker for BYU.

MOTSAG Pretend March Madness: West Region, Second Round

Credit: Naperville-lib.org

In the second round of the West Region, eight teams remain standing. With a couple of upsets and hard-fought battles along the way the tournament gets a little more hectic as the games come underway. So far, the top three seeds remain in the fight to advance in the region and the rest of the field consists of lower rated seeds with a couple of cinderella teams still in the tourney. Can they continue their run to the big dance?

The first matchup pits top-seeded Gonzaga against LSU. Petrusev, Kispert and Tillie goes up against Mays, Watford and Williams in a battle from the get-go. A back-and-fourth game in the first half turned into a more efficient game down the stretch for Bulldogs in the second. In a defense-to-points stretch in the final 4 minutes of the half, Gonzaga puts it away for good with a pair of free-throws, a steal and a layup in the waning minutes to seal it as they advanced 74-70.

In the battle of the cinderella’s, Yale and New Mexico State face-off to continue their dream runs. Yale and Atkinson came ready to play while New Mexico State came out flat and uninspired after their huge win over #4 Oregon. Queen tried to spark a comeback to no avail as the game got out of hand early as Yale closed the game out on a 16-0 run. Yale advances 68-52.

The third matchup has BYU against Seton Hall. Seton Hall took control early with a 10-0 run and the momentum carried into halftime as they led 45-33. A halftime speech for the ages ensued and BYU came out on fire bombing three after three until the waning minutes of the contest as they overcame the halftime deficit and defeated Seton Hall for the only upset of the second round. BYU wins 69-66.

In the last game of the region, Texas Tech faces off against San Diego State as this game became an instant classic. Malachi Flynn and Jahmi’us Ramsey duel until the bitter end. Back-and-fourth, both teams make key defensive stops for the duration of the game. Flynn makes a key play as he ripped the ball from Ramsey and too in all the way to the rack. Ramsey responded with a clutch three to take the lead 54-57. Flynn, not to be outdone hit a three in response to tie the game at 57 each. In the waning seconds Ramsey calls his shot and takes it down to .3 seconds left to try to win it, but it clanks off the rim. Overtime ball! Flynn took control despite Ramsey’s late game heroics. A steal from Ramsey and a clutch basket tied the game once again at 66 each, but Flynn responded by taking the clock down to nothing and setting up a pick-and-pop play where he fed Wetzell in the paint for a game-winning layup. San Diego State advances 68-66 in a thriller.

And there you have it! Round two in the books with a pair of memorable games coupled with a couple of duds. The cinderella of the west, Yale continues their run into history, but they will be tested more throughout. The next round on its way and we have some great matches ahead of us. Gonzaga versus Yale and BYU Versus San Diego State. Someones run has to end, but until next week folks!

MOSTAG Pretend March Madness: West Region

Credit: Channelguidemag.com

In the first game, the top-seeded Gonzaga will take on #16 Prairie View after a successful play-in game against NC Central. Filip Petrusev led his team to a convincing victory against an outmatched Panthers team. Devonte Patterson led the team but fell well short of their goal to advance as the Panthers are the first to exit the tourney with a final score of 67-54.

In the second matchup #8 LSU and #9 Oklahoma clash against one another. Skylar Mays orchestrates the offense and keeps the game interesting as both teams go back and fourth throughout the game. Kristian Doolittle is also doing his part for the Sooners as they chip away at Mays double-digit lead, but they fell short on a last second half-court heave for the win. The Tigers advance 69-67 in a thriller.

The third game of the tourney pitted The #5 Michigan Wolverines against Ivy League representatives #12 Yale. Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske make their presence known and immediately overpower the Yale Bulldogs in the early portions of the contest. At the half, the Bulldogs are down 31-48 and a scorching half-time speech put their minds at ease and the trio of Paul Atkinson, Eric Monroe and Jordan Bruner began to work and chip away at Michigan’s halftime lead. With a team effort, they forced turnovers and played hard defense as Simpson’s brilliance turned into a frenzy of bad shots and turnovers. The lead dwindled the Wolverines found themselves on the bad end of a game-winner from three–the first for the tournament. Atkinson’s three with .2 seconds left sealed the first upset of the West bracket as Yale advances, 77-75.

Next, #4 Oregon faces #13 New Mexico State. Payton Pritchard versus Trevelin Queen. Both teams game out flat, especially Oregon as they felt as if this was not going to be a competitive contest. Queen executes and makes timely play after timely play as the Aggies go into halftime tied at 45. Pritchard goes into the second half and is lights out, but at every step of the game, Queen responded time after time up until the clock hits zeroes. Queen puts the game out of reach with two clutch free-throws to seal the game 71-69.

#6 BYU and #11 Indiana start the next round. Jake Toolson and Trayce Jackson-Davis lead a high-paced attack on offense. Fireworks begin to happen and the game steadily increases the drama on the court with both teams fighting to advance. Jackson-Davis did all he could do as the Cougars built an insurmountable lead with a combination of effective defense and with deadly shooting. BYU advances 70-59 in the first blowout of the tourney in the West Region.

#3 Seton Hall goes up against #14 Eastern Washington. Myles Powell and his team were too much for the Jacob Davidson’s squad. An offensive onslaught accompanied by tough defensive possessions were like a lightning rod of momentum for the Pirates. Seton Hall led from start to finish, in what was a mostly one-sided game. Seton Hall looks like a team that could pull off a deep tourney run en route to a dominant 81-60 victory against Eastern Washington.

#7 Arizona slept walked into the game against #10 Texas Tech and it cost them a chance to advance. Jami’us Ramsey came out motivated and ready to make some noise. Zeke Nnaji tried everything in his power to motivate his teammates, but to no avail. Ramsey came up big time after time, and his play throughout the game snuffed out any chance at leading in the game. Red Raiders advance 60-52.

Lastly, #2 San Diego State and #15 UC Irvine clash for the last game of the first round and it was closer than most people expected. Malachi Flynn and Yanni Wetzel got more than they bargained for as they faced a scrappy Anteater team led by Collin Welp and Brad Greene. Shellshocked, Flynn and Wetzel fire up the team at halftime despite a six-point lead. This translated to a back and fourth second half with San Diego State surviving on a clutch basket from Flynn and a pair of Wetzel free-throws to seal the game 72-68.

WBB: Buckeyes Head West, Take On #1 Stanford then High Flying Sacramento State

After taking down #2 Louisville

The over-all youngest team(6-3) Coach McGuff has put on the floor since being in Columbus has been making some big waves in the NCAA already and at the same time cause some head scratching at other times.

It is what happens with youth and inexperience but this young team has shown flashes of being a team to beat on the national stage, in the future. They already have a hard fought loss to then #4 UCONN that garnered some respect and confidence that clearly carried over a bit against Louisville.

On the menu today is the Tara Vanderveer led #1 Stanford Cardinals(8-0). This is a very intriguing match-up just because of how similar the two teams are across the board. Neither has a true center so to speak but are guard heavy and rely on defense to set things up.

What will be crucial for the Buckeyes will be to slow down guard play and hopefully limit shot opportunities. The Buckeyes have been content with the smothering defense recently in the fact that teams have to make tough shots. Offensive rebounding and more steals than usual will have to be the flavor of the day, and of course make the best of their own opportunities.

Ohio State at #1 Stanford
Date:December 15, 2019
Time:8:30 p.m. ET
Venue:Maples Pavilion – Palo Alto, Calif.
Watch:Pac 12 Networks
Listen:TuneIn
Live Stats:Sidearm
Game Notes:Ohio State | Stanford | Big Ten

https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/cali-road-trip-awaits-buckeyes-this-weekend/

The Buckeyes stay out west and take on Sacramento State Tuesday evening with a 10:05 tip!

SUN NOV 3

Ohio State Buckeyes

URBANA (EXH.) *

131-50Value City Arena Recap Final StatsSUN NOV 10

Ohio State Buckeyes

VALPARAISO

89-38Springfield, Ohio Recap Final StatsWED NOV 13

Ohio State Buckeyes

CINCINNATI

78-73 (OT)Cincinnati, Ohio Recap Final StatsSUN NOV 17

Ohio

OHIO

68-74Value City Arena Recap Final StatsTHU NOV 21

Kent State

KENT STATE

75-65Kent, Ohio Recap Final StatsSUN NOV 24

Connecticut

UCONN

62-73Value City Arena Recap Final StatsFRI NOV 29

Ohio State Buckeyes

SOUTH DAKOTA

53-68Las Vegas, Nev. Recap Final StatsSAT NOV 30

Ohio State Buckeyes

NORTHERN IOWA

64-46Las Vegas, Nev. Recap Final StatsTHU DEC 5

Louisville

LOUISVILLE

67-60Value City Arena Recap Final StatsSUN DEC 8

Radford

RADFORD

70-57

Ohio State Basketball: Contenders

With 11 minutes to go in the first half, the Ohio State Buckeyes went down 20-10 against Minnesota during the Big Ten’s Super Saturday.  The best player in the Big Ten, Keita Bates-Diop, was struggling from the floor, and the OSU defense couldn’t handle Minnesota’s Jordan Murphy and his game down low.  However, through their slump, the Buckeyes stayed committed to playing physical basketball and taking advantage of every opportunity.

The very first points on the board came off a steal that led to an easy transition dunk for Bates-Diop.  This was a preface of things to come, because, even though at times they weren’t getting the ball in the hoop, the Buckeyes continued to force turnovers.  In fact, they ended the game with 10 steals and 22 points off of 15 Minnesota turnovers.

Ohio State’s second made shot was a transition layup that was set up by a Sweet n’ Low bounce pass from CJ Jackson to Kam Williams.  This was another fast scoring opportunity made possible, not because of outstanding offensive playmaking, but because they were playing smart, tough Ohio State basketball. The Buckeyes finished with 11 assists.

The third score for the OSU came after CJ Jackson missed a 3 pointer from the corner.  He followed his miss and came up with an offensive rebound that put him right next to the hoop with a wide open shot.  Jackson’s floater put his team ahead 6-2.  OSU finished with 12 offensive rebounds.

Unfortunately, after a few layups underneath to make the score 11-10, the shots stopped falling.

The Golden Gophers went on a 9-0 run and took their ten point lead.  This left the fans that had made the long trek up to NYC wonder whether it looked like, perhaps, the Buckeyes didn’t have the magic.  Maybe they were having an off day, or this talented Minnesota team was just finally finding their stride again.  Maybe Ohio State had been overachieving for the last few weeks, and they were finally falling back to earth.  Either way, OSU was struggling and their opponent was surging.

Of course, we all watched the game so we know how it ends.  The Buckeyes saved the first half doing the same things that they had been doing through the first 9 minutes of the game.  They kept forcing turnovers, they kept making good passes, they kept getting rebounds, on both the offensive and defensive ends, and eventually, someone’s shot went in.

All of the sudden the floodgates opened to reveal the January Buckeyes once more.

Steal, pass, score;
block, pass, pass, score;
inside, outside, score;
steal, pass, miss, offensive rebound, put back, score;

Ohio State took the lead and then took a commanding lead and then they started dominating.  A 10 point deficit turned into a 12 point lead and the score was 34-22.  A 24 to 2 scoring run in which the Buckeyes dominated every facet of the game– shooting, defending, rebounding, passing– and they did it with Keita on the bench for 5 minutes.

This team believes it’s one of the best teams in the country.  After taking care of business at Rutgers, holding off a late surge from Northwestern, and obliterating Minnesota in Madison Square Garden, they come home with an 8-0 conference record and a top-15 ranking.  Their four-game homestretch, starting tonight with Nebraska, comes at the perfect time, giving the Buckeyes an opportunity to flex their muscles against the middle of the Big Ten in preparation for what could be a Top-10 matchup at Purdue on February 7th.

Chris Holtmann has put this team in a position to do something that they haven’t done since the 2012-2013 season: hold a top 10 ranking in January.  If they win their next four games, they will own a 21-4 record, including a 12-0 start to conference play.  Four games is a tall task, especially with the physicality of the Big Ten, but Ohio State has shown that it has the coaches, players and drive to do it. The next step is Nebraska, and then Penn State and Indiana and Illinois.

Keita Bates-Diop has come back down to earth after his four-game “prove-it” tour, but Ohio State hasn’t.  The Buckeyes are still dominating teams, still proving that they are not just “the surprise of the season” as every major sports publication is dubbing them.  They want everyone to know that they aren’t overachieving.  They are contenders.

Their next step is Nebraska, but this Buckeye team has its sights set higher.

Ohio State Basketball: Becoming the Hunted

On Sunday, January 7th 2018, the Ohio State Men’s Basketball team defeated the top ranked Michigan State Spartans. When asked about the upset, OSU’s coach, Chris Holtmann, responded, “It is hard to win on the road, especially when you have that kind of number by your name. You get a different look from teams.” That ‘number’ he was referring to was the tiny 1 that could be seen next to Michigan State’s name throughout the game’s broadcast, and the point he was making was that, when people know you’re the best, your opponents play you harder.

Coach Holtmann knew this fact from experience, himself watching his own Buckeyes give the AP’s number 1 ranked team in America all it could handle, and then some.

From the beginning of the season, when they were selected by some to finish as low as 14th in the Big Ten (out of 14), this undervalued and overlooked team had been playing with a chip on their shoulders.

In fact, when asked whether OSU’s quick conference start surprised him, Senior Jae’Sean Tate told the press that he and the other players “always remind ourselves that we were last picked in the Big Ten… and I think that has really been a key to our success.” This slight drove them to become a team that played with ferocity—that played their tough and scrappy game no matter the opponent.

They were hunters.

As far as any of their opponents knew, this was a team of misfits—a roster filled to the brim with walk-ons, transfers, busts and guys who just couldn’t stay healthy; but from the beginning of the season, they started proving people wrong.

In an early season matchup against a tournament-level Butler team, they showed flashes of dominance that belied their humble exterior, but a last second comeback by the Bulldogs kept OSU in the shadows. Another opportunity for some notoriety came in the ACC-B1G Challenge, but, once again, a late-game collapse against the now-ranked Clemson Tigers stole the spotlight away. They had some losses, but they were hunters still.

Luckily, after missing two other opportunities at signature wins against Gonzaga and UNC, their prey had finally arrived. It came in the form of the aforementioned Spartans, a team on a 14-game win streak, standing atop the College Basketball world. Ohio State went into that Sunday night showdown the hunters, but they came out the hunted.

A home game against Maryland in which they were down by 9 at the 11 minute mark of the 1st half proved that they were no longer a team that would be overlooked.  At the end of the game, Maryland’s Coach Turgeon said, “We knew we weren’t getting the same shot that Michigan State got at the start of the game,” and so the Terrapins came out swinging. The Buckeyes didn’t have that same fire to start off, the way they had against the Spartans, but after a quick timeout by Coach Holtmann, Maryland got buried, going from up nine to eight down in less than 4 minutes, and that was pretty much the end of the game.

After surviving their first test as the hunted, the Buckeyes had to go on the road against Rutgers, a physical, defensive team that had just barely failed to do what Ohio State did in knocking off Michigan State.  This time, though, the Buckeyes would have no home crowd. They would be playing on regional television in a game that Rutgers would surely be up for after such a great performance in the previous week.  However, once again, the Buckeyes were up to the challenge, beating Rutgers 66-46. Holtmann said after the game that they “are going to have some people that will play with a different edge” and that they would “see if we are good enough to manage that.” Another test passed. Another hunt escaped.

Of course, for all of their impressive defensive statistics, Rutgers is currently 1-5 in conference and tied for 12th in the standings. Tonight, the Buckeyes face off against a much better team in their arena and on their court. Northwestern, a team that made the tournament last year and then had the nerve to return 4 starters, has been slumping for the better part of this season, but they do have the talent to compete with Ohio State. The game between these teams is going to be Big Ten basketball at its finest, and the Buckeyes are going to have to grind it out.

OSU has proven that they have the goods to play with the big boys. They have proven that they can come back at home and take care of the conference’s not-so-good teams on the road. Now they’ve got to take it one step further to prove they deserve to be at the top of the Big Ten. They have to beat a good team on the road when that team is preparing specifically for them. This is just the next test of many to come as they seek to close out the season strongly.

Tonight they have a chance to pass another milestone for this once-unheralded Buckeyes team and to add to their tournament resume, only this time, they’re the ones with the number by their name.

Ohio State Basketball: Post-Game Overreaction by Jesse M. Brake

It has been mere moments since Andre Wesson put the nail in the coffin against a solid Rutgers defense (not so much with the offense), and it’s occurred to me that there may be a good metaphor for this Buckeyes team.  Early in the broadcast, the commentators were talking about Jae’Sean Tate and how he is a do-everything type of player, a Swiss Army Knife, and, while that is a good description of what Jae’Sean does for Ohio State, it is an even better metaphor for the Basketball Buckeyes as a whole.

This team is a Swiss Army Knife.

Now, I obviously don’t expect you to believe me without any evidence, so to prove it to you, so let me give you some numbers.  (Prepare yourself for Too Much Information.)  The Buckeyes’ offense is the 28th rated team in KenPom Adjusted Efficiency and their defense is rated 30th in Adjusted Efficiency.  There are only 9 teams in the country— including Ohio State— that are rated in the Top 30 nationally in both categories.

According to teamrankings.com, the Buckeyes are 19th in Shooting%, 28th in Effective Field Goal % and 32nd in True Shooting % while remaining in the Top 75 in all defensive Shooting categories.  They are in the Top 30% of all teams in Block Percentage, Top 20% in Rebound Rate, Assists per Game and Assist/Turnover Ratio and they are among the best in the nation at not allowing opposing teams to get easy points in the paint.

What all of those statistics mean is that this is an adaptable team. Against Michigan State, we saw this Buckeyes team not allow Sparty to penetrate the lane or get anything inside, forcing a team that was struggling shooting from the field to take a lot of outside shots.  OSU also took advantage of Michigan State’s tendency to turn the ball over, forcing 12 TOs and making the most of transition scoring opportunities.  They did all this while still playing their basic, high-effort man-to-man defense.

The next game, against a Maryland team missing important playmakers, they held firm on defense through a slow start shooting until they were able to get better, more open looks.  From there, they scored and scored while the undermanned Terrapins had no offensive response.  The Buckeyes tied the school record for most 3 Pointers made in a game with 17, and 8 different players made at least one shot from beyond the arc.

Tonight, against this stingy and plodding Rutgers defense, the Buckeyes slowed everything up and locked down the inside, forcing one of the worst shooting teams in the country to dribble around for 25 seconds and then throw up deep 2s and 3s all night.

With three unique victories against three completely different teams, Ohio State is showing itself to be a matchup nightmare.  This team is showing itself to be a Swiss Army Knife that can find your weakness and take advantage of it, or that can beat you at your own game.  They have CJ Jackson, who is just like the tiny knife on the backside of the tool, swooping in for layups, assists, and rebounds.  They also have Keita Bates-Diop, the big main knife that will cut you to the bone if you’re not paying attention and can be used for many things.  Not to mention they’ve got Micah Potter; he’s that curvy thing that looks like a bottle opener, but it can’t be because there’s already another bottle opener, so you just use it to pry things.

There’s a little something for every situation with these Basketball Buckeyes, and the more I see of this team, the more credit I give to the Coach.  Holtmann has molded this team into something competitive and fun to watch, which brings me to my overreaction:  Ohio State is not just a tournament team, they are a good tournament team, and they are a dark horse to make it to the Final Four THIS SEASON.  If they can get past Purdue, they might even be able to win the Big Ten too.